Brown Bag Films Unveils New Leadership Structure, Innovation Lab, Refreshed Brand
Caitlin Friedman promoted to EVP, Global Production & Current; co-founder Cathal Gaffney takes newly created role of Chief Innovation Officer as studio expands its creative scope and prepares for next phase of growth.
Pony Canyon Announces ‘Kaiju Girl Caramelise’ Anime Adaptation
The new series follows Kuroe Akaishi, a high-school girl who discovers her dormant powers when she falls in love with a fellow student; premieres in 2026.
DreamWorks Animation’s ‘Madagascar’ Heading Back to Theaters
The hit animated comedy, directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath and starring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith and David Schwimmer, celebrates its 20th anniversary with a nationwide U.S. cinema re-release on January 16.
DreamWorks Animation, Netflix Workers Vote to Unionize with The Animation Guild
Remote workers at DWA, feature production workers at Netflix Animation Studios, and production workers on the show ‘Ted’ officially voted for union representation with TAG (IATSE Local 839) and The Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700).
Re-VIEW: ‘In Your Dreams’ – Learning to Face the Unknown
Alex Woo’s colorful and vibrant animated adventure features a young girl trying to get the Sandman to fix her parents’ fraying marriage, only to conjure up the fearful reality she’s trying to avoid – a broken family; now streaming on Netflix.
Review: ‘New York Animation 1966-1999: A City in Motion’
ASIFA-East president Doug Vitarelli looks at Robby Gilbert’s expansive new book, the ‘definitive’ look at the key animators, studios, projects and happenings that defined the incredibly prolific and influential 3-decade period of NYC’s ever-vibrant animation community.
StoryCorps, NFL Partner for ‘One Small Step’ Animated PSA
The NFL Network will air the new 2D spot, from Richard O’Connor’s Ace & Son Moving Picture Co., through the upcoming NFL Draft; the initiative pairs strangers with opposing beliefs for one-on-one conversations to rediscover their shared humanity.
Netflix Drops ‘Cosmic Princess Kaguya!’ Final Trailer
The music-driven anime feature, which follows a 17-year-old high school student who leads a busy life trying to balance part-time work and academics, streams January 22.
Kitten Illustrator Juno’s ‘mofusand’ Anime Adaptation to Premiere on YouTube
The beloved artist’s series of shorts stars Shark Meow, a fluffy cat in a shark costume; debuts January 7, with Episode 1 now streaming.
‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Win Critics Choice Awards
The Best Animated Feature and Best Visual Effects winners were joined by ‘South Park’ and ‘Frankenstein’ in the Best Animated Series and Best Production Design categories at the January 4 ceremony.
53rd Annual Annie Awards Nominations Announced
Best Animated Feature nominees ‘Elio,’ ‘Little Amélie or the Character of Rain,’ ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘The Bad Guys 2,’ and ‘Zootopia 2’ top the expansive list of category nominations; animation’s biggest awards ceremony is scheduled to return live on Saturday, February 21 at UCLA’s Royce Hall
Call for Entries -Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival
The 2026 LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival will be held offline on September 30–October 4 in Kyiv.
Reel FX Talks ‘The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants’
The leading animation studio translated the iconic property’s 2D origins into a fully realized 3DCG feature, exploring character deformation, lightweight rigs, and Houdini-driven workflows, balancing between stylization and realism for a look that still feels unmistakably SpongeBob.
Jessica Rizk’s ‘Cracked’ Animated Short to Debut at Dances With Films: NY
The hand-drawn 2D film, which explores a dark journey into a woman's mind amidst her self-neglect during a mundane daily task, will make its North American premiere on January 16.
Call for Entries: The Abidjan Animation Film Festival (FFAA)
Submissions in a selection of film categories are being accepted through January 10, 2026, for the event, which celebrates African and international animation.
Breaking Down ‘WondLa’s Challenging and Heartbreaking Series Finale
Supervising director Andrew L. Schmidt and Carlos Baena, director of the last 2 episodes, talk about the third and final season’s epic climax - a sweeping, emotional battle for the future of Orbona as Eva 9 tries to bridge 2 divided worlds and prove the ultimate truth; now on Apple TV.
Adult Swim Debuts 2 New ‘Off the Air’ Episodes, Celebrates 15 Years
The network’s iconic, surreal anthology, created by SMALLS wizard Dave Hughes, returns with ‘Growth’ and ‘VR’ themed segments as it marks its first episode, launched January 1, 2011.
Career Coach: Gift Ideas for Animation Fans
Consider these books for animation enthusiasts.
Demon Slayers and Hunters: The Asian Animated Hits of 2025
Anime columnist Andrew Osmond recalls how Asia got so ‘big’ in animation this year, with infinity castles, a chainsaw man, K-pop singers and a Chinese deity.
Warner Bros. Japan Reveals ‘STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ Trailer
The anime series, which centers on the first horse racing championship across the North American continent, premieres March 19, 2026 on Netflix.
PBS Kids Sets ‘Phoebe & Jay’ Premiere
The new animated series, which aims to boost everyday literacy skills and empower preschoolers to navigate the world, launches February 2.
L.A. Honors Phil Roman with ‘Phil Roman Square’
The famed Latino animation industry icon, along with family, friends, and City councilmember Adrin Nazarian, gathered last Monday to honor his 95th birthday with the renaming of a city intersection in Toluca Lake.
Fest Anča 2026 Announces Call for Entries
Registration is open until January 31, 2026; submissions registered between January 1-31 will be subject to a fee of €10 per film.
‘Call of Duty’ Designer Vince Zampella Dies at 55
Known for his co-creation of the hugely successful video game franchise, the prolific creator was killed in a fiery single car crash on the Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles on December 23.
ETIUDA AND ANIMA - 14 – 19 October 2025 Krakow, Poland
There is no better way to start a seven-week trip to festivals that will take me halfway around the world than to be on my way to the Etiuda & Anima Animation Festival in Krakow.
