Universal Kids announces premiere dates for ‘Where’s Waldo?’ and ‘Norman Picklestripes’

TV network, Universal Kids has announced the premiere dates for two new preschool series- Where’s Waldo? from DreamWorks Animation and Norman Picklestripes, to make the summer months fun and fresh.

Where’s Waldo? brings the iconic character to life in a new animated series from DreamWorks Animation, executive producer F.M. De Marco (Spy Kids: Mission Critical) and co-executive producer John Tellegen (Spy Kids: Mission Critical). Twelve-year-old Waldo (voiced by Joshua Rush) and his best friend Wenda (voiced by Haley Tju) are members of the Worldwide Wanderer Society—the international order of curious travelers who circle the globe celebrating cultures and solving problems through observation.

Their mentor—Wizard Whitebeard (voiced by Thomas Lennon), a seasoned wanderer—sends these inquisitive young adventurers on international travel missions so they can earn their stripes and someday become wizard-level wanderers too. Standing in Waldo and Wenda’s way, is their rival Odlulu (voiced by Eva Carlton), who can’t help but cause trouble wherever she goes.

Where’s Waldo? invites kids and their families to play along on an international treasure hunt and indulge into it with a sense of curiosity, desire to discover, and appetite for adventure as you explore new places, cultures, and customs around the world with Waldo and his best friend Wenda.

Norman Picklestripes

On the other hand, Norman Picklestripes finds the comedic adventures of Plywood Forest’s can-do handyman. It follows around Norm, the son of Mother Nature, who spends his days helping his quirky and demanding animal neighbours using a touch of imperfect magic and superior fix-it skills. With Broadway-inspired musical numbers in every episode, Norman Picklestripes celebrates the great outdoors and proves that when you work together, anything is possible! His mission is to make the forest a harmonious, peaceful place free of leaky maple trees and loud possum parties.

The series comes from Emmy-winning executive producers Alex Rockwell (Word Party, Pajanimals) and Judy Rothman Rofé (Julie’s Greenroom, Madeline). Original Broadway-inspired songs are featured in each episode, with Emmy-winning Jeffrey Zahn serving as the series music supervisor. Norman Picklestripes is produced in stop motion by BAFTA and Kidscreen-award winning, multi-genre animation studio Factory.

Where’s Waldo? will premiere on 20 July at 10 am on Universal Kids, providing a sneak peek on 1 July on Universal Kids digital platforms including VOD, UniversalKids.com, and the Universal Kids app.

Norman Picklestripes will premiere on 27 July at 11am on Universal Kids, providing a sneak peek on 15 July on Universal Kids digital platforms including VOD, UniversalKids.com, and the Universal Kids app. An encore sneak peek will air on Universal Kids on Saturday, July 20 at 10:30am following the premiere of Where’s Waldo?

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Warner Bros. Animation to create a kids’ show with Ellen DeGeneres as a young girl

Talk-show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres is currently developing a new show called Little Ellen, which follows a seven-year-old version of herself. The project is in development at Ellen Digital Ventures and Warner Bros. Animation.

Here’s the breakdown of the project:

In the 2D animated series, Little Ellen will go on adventures, exploring imaginative lands and meeting new friends. The show is likely to include songs, as well. But it’s not all fun and games: Little Ellen takes big risks, makes huge mistakes but she’s always able to laugh at herself and bounce back when things don’t go as planned.

Warner Bros. Animation and DeGeneres have previously teamed on the adaption of Dr Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham, slated to hit Netflix in the fourth quarter of 2019.

DeGeneres’ digital business also includes gaming app Heads Up!, with over 42 million downloads till date. In addition, EDN produces Ellen on the Go podcast, an audio catch-up of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

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Nintendo wraps up a day of video game fun at E3

Nintendo kicked off the first day of the E3 video game trade show with big announcements in its morning presentation. Nintendo followed its presentation with a day of Nintendo Treehouse: Live gameplay and interview segments designed to give fans a deeper look at various games:

Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield: Developers from GAME FREAK explained how wild and random encounters work in the game. They also showed off the in-game battle system, Max Raid Battles and details of the Wild Area. The games are scheduled to launch 15 November.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Game Director Aya Kyogoku and Producer Hisashi Nogami gave a first look at live gameplay and an introduction to the deserted island setting. They offered details about game features and the new crafting system, and demonstrated the ability of players living on the same island to play together by sharing a Joy-Con controller. The game launches 20 March 2020.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening: Nintendo provided more details about the game, including how Chamber Dungeons work. As players clear dungeons in the main story, they earn dungeon rooms (Chambers), solve puzzles by placing chambers into specific layouts and then complete them by adventuring into them. The game also has amiibo compatibility – players can tap any amiibo figure featuring a Legend of Zelda series character to unlock additional Chambers for their Chamber Dungeons, up to a maximum of five different ones. A new Link amiibo unlocks Shadow Link and allows him to appear in almost any dungeon room placed in a Chamber Dungeon. After defeating Shadow Link, players will earn a lot of rupees. The game launches 20 Sept.

Super Mario Maker 2: Game Producer Takashi Tezuka announced that with the help of a post-launch update, players will be able to play with their friends online. The game launches 28 June .

Wednesday and Thursday’s Nintendo Treehouse: Live livestreams will start at 9 a.m. PT. For the first time, Thursday’s show will focus on indie games coming to Nintendo Switch.

Tuesday was also the first day for attendees to visit Nintendo’s booth, which featured gameplay and fun experiences for some of Nintendo’s 2019 games. These included a ghost-infested, haunted atmosphere for attendees to try Luigi’s Mansion 3, a Water Gym arena for players to battle in Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield, and adorable dioramas depicting parts of TheLegend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

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Dandelooo’s award winning series ‘The Treehouse Stories’continues to build a home in China

Boutique French animation production and distribution company Dandelooo has announced to have signed a major deal with China’s leading digital distribution and IP management company Jesten Huashi.

Jesten Huashi has acquired the format rights for the preschool live action and 2D animation series, The Treehouse Stories (La Cabane a Histoires), based on the International Emmy Award winning series.

Commenting on the deal Dandelooo producer Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin said, “We are thrilled with the format being created by Jesten Huashi and are so excited to see the new casting of young Chinese actors and a real treehouse being built locally.  We look forward to discovering the new episodes featuring our own animation. It is a wonderful opportunity to share our passion of books, with millions of Chinese children and we wish The Treehouse Stories and our partner Jesten Huashi every success”.

Produced in France for Canal+, seasons one and two (49 x 7’) of the successful pre-school series, has been distributed to more than 60 new media platforms in China including iQIYI, Youku, Tencent and to IPTV and OTT digital TV mobile operators.  During China’s Golden Week in October 2018, the series enjoyed huge success and high ratings when it was broadcasted on CCTV Kids.

Looking to expand the popularity of the original version of the French series The Treehouse Stories (seasons one and two) in China since its introduction in 2016, Jetsen Huashi will create their own series based on Dandelooo’s concept and brand.  Building their own wooden treehouse in Chimelong and with a cast of Chinese children, the company will use Dandelooo’s animation footage to create their own 30 episodes.

The Treehouse Stories General Producer of the Chinese version and Jetsen Huashi general manager of Kids Animations and Entertainment Tracey Cui added, “The Treehouse Stories can not only lead children to love reading and find answers from books but also stimulate their potential in art and painting.  In the Chinese version that we are now producing, with Chinese child actors, it is aligned for the Chinese audience and therefore easier to gain approval and support.  In addition, we have developed strong partnerships with Chimelong, the world’s sixth largest theme park and Youku Kids, MahuaFun Age Troupe for kids and more, which will fully expose the Chinese version of The Treehouse Stories through various online and offline channels and promote it to the maximum.”

On board as co-production partner is Chinese VOD platform Youku Kids who will also widely expose the Chinese version of The Treehouse Stories on all ports of Youku through promotion and publicity.

The first season of The Treehouse Stories will premiere during primetime over the summer vacation on Youku Kids and in the second half of 2019, it will air on major new media and TV stations across China, including CCTV.

Sponsored by the Chimelong Group, one of China’s leading amusement park operators, shooting of the series takes place in Chimelong, Guangzhou.  The treehouse used in the filming will also become a popular sightseeing spot in Chimelong Safari Park for children to enjoy and have fun.

Chimelong Group chief operation officer Vincent Wang noted, “The Treehouse Stories is concerned about children’s growth just as we are. We transmit the knowledge of science to children through fairy tales and we share many common beliefs with each other, which has contributed to this deep cooperation with Jetsen Huashi.”

Targeted at four to seven year olds, The Treehouse Stories is a mix of live action and 2D animation. Friends meet in a secret treehouse to share their favourite books and each episode dives into one story through a different design with top children’s books from around the world.

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Nintendo shows broad lineup of 2019 Nintendo Switch games for every gamer

Nintendo opened its activities at E3 2019 by showcasing multiple Nintendo Switch games scheduled to launch in 2019 and beyond. During its Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed new information for games, including Pokémon Sword and Pokémon ShieldLuigi’s Mansion 3The Legend of Zelda: Link’s AwakeningMARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black OrderFire Emblem: Three HousesAnimal Crossing: New HorizonsASTRAL CHAIN and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

The Nintendo Direct also revealed upcoming Nintendo Switch games, including The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition from CD PROJEKT RED, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics from BonusXP and En Masse Entertainment, CONTRA ROGUE CORPS from Konami and TRIALS of MANA from SQUARE ENIX.

Nintendo also revealed two new paid downloadable fighters coming to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game: Hero from the DRAGON QUESTseries to be available this summer, and Banjo-Kazooie for this fall. The Nintendo Direct presentation concluded with the reveal of the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is currently in development for Nintendo Switch.

“After more than two years on the market, Nintendo Switch has appealed to every kind of player with its ever-growing library of games, including notables like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildSuper Mario Odyssey and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.At E3 we’re giving fans a look at what’s in store for the rest of the year and beyond by demonstrating the widespread support for the system from both Nintendo and a wide range of indie and big-name development partners,” said Nintendo of America President Doug Bowser.

Nintendo followed its presentation with a Nintendo Treehouse: Live segment that gave fans their first look at live gameplay of the new Pokémon games in development for Nintendo Switch. The games are scheduled to launch 15 November. Nintendo Treehouse: Live, which provides closer looks at Nintendo Switch games featured at E3, will continue with daily programming through Thursday. Wednesday and Thursday’s livestreams will start at 9 a.m. For the first time, Thursday’s show will be dedicated entirely to new indie games coming to Nintendo Switch.

Other details announced during the Nintendo Direct include:

  • Pokémon Sword and Pokémon ShieldA new generation of Pokémon is coming to the Nintendo Switch system. Become a Pokémon Trainer, embark on a new journey in the new Galar region, and unravel the mystery behind the Legendary Pokémon Zacian and Zamazenta! Explore the Wild Area, a vast expanse of land where the player can freely control the camera. And participate in Max Raid Battles in which players will face off against gigantic and super-strong Pokémon known as Dynamax Pokémon. The games launch 15 November
  • Luigi’s Mansion 3: Luigi embarks on a dream vacation with Mario and friends. However, his dream quickly becomes a nightmare. With the assistance of Professor E. Gadd once again, the reluctant and cowardly hero Luigi traverses up and down a mysterious hotel with floors that are completely different from one another. Wield the upgraded Poltergust G-00 to slam and blow away the ghosts’ defences, or summon Gooigi, an all-green doppelganger that can help Luigi overcome obstacles he can’t get past alone. ScareScraper mode can be played online* or locally with up to eight players on four Nintendo Switch systems (additional games required). The game is scheduled to launch in 2019.
  • The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening: Link has washed ashore on a mysterious island with strange and colorful inhabitants. To escape the island, Link must collect magical instruments and awaken the Wind Fish. Players explore a reimagined Koholint Island that’s been faithfully rebuilt in a new art style. Battle enemies, conquer numerous dungeons and uncover the hidden secrets of the island while encountering Super Mario enemies like Goombas, Chain Chomps and Piranha Plants. Players can also earn Chambers (Dungeon Rooms) and arrange them to complete objectives in the new Chamber Dungeon. Launching alongside the game will be a new Link amiibo figure that lets players put this adorable new art style in the palm of their hands. A special Dreamer Edition will come with the game and the Dreamer Art Book, which features concept art from the Nintendo Switch version of the game. The game and amiibo are each scheduled to launch 20 September.
  • Animal Crossing: New Horizons: Players embark on an ultra-exclusive Nook Inc. Deserted Island Getaway Package and enjoy a peaceful existence full of creativity, charm and the freedom to roll up their sleeves and make their new life whatever they want it to be. Players can collect resources they can craft into everything from creature comforts to handy tools as they set up a homestead they can decorate freely, both inside and out. The game is scheduled to launch 20 March , 2020.
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate: Two new paid downloadable fighters are coming to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimategame: Hero from the DRAGON QUEST series to be available this summer, and Banjo-Kazooie for this fall. Hero represents the main character from several games in the DRAGON QUEST series. He can take the form of the protagonist from DRAGON QUEST XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, DRAGON QUEST III: The Seeds of SalvationDRAGON QUEST IV: Chapters of the Chosen and DRAGON QUEST VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. Banjo the bear and his bird friend, Kazooie, star in a series of games that began on Nintendo 64. Although Banjo the bear was first introduced in Diddy Kong Racing for Nintendo 64, the kind-hearted character is best known for joining up with his wise-cracking bird sidekick Kazooie in the 1998 Nintendo 64 game Banjo-Kazooie. The beloved pair has remained inseparable since, working together using an arsenal of acrobatic and egg-shooting moves to defeat enemies, overcome obstacles and locate golden puzzle pieces.
  • Super Smash Bros. Ultimate amiibo: New amiibo figures featuring characters from the fighting game are on their way. On 20 Sept., Nintendo is launching amiibo for Snake, Ivysaur and Squirtle. In November, amiibo of Incineroar, Simon and Chrom are due, followed by Dark Samus and Richter in 2020.
  • MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order: Assemble an ultimate team of Marvel Super Heroes from a huge cast including the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men and more. Team up with friends to prevent galactic devastation at the hands of the mad cosmic tyrant Thanos and his ruthless warmasters, The Black Order. Players can expand their ultimate alliance with the paid Expansion Pass, which includes upcoming DLC content from popular franchises like the Fantastic Four, X-Men and Marvel Knights. The game launches on 19 July.
  • Fire Emblem: Three Houses: As a professor, players must lead students in their academic lives and in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic new twists to overcome. As the story unfolds, the choice of house at the Officers Academy will greatly affect where players stand when the great land of Fódlan becomes engulfed in war. After five years, former friends from the other classes must now face each other on the battlefield as bitter enemies. The game features the refined gameplay that the Fire Emblem franchise is known for. Players command a party of warriors to move and fight on a grid-based battlefield and, for the first time in the series history, assign battalions of troops to support individual units in battle. The game launches on 26 July.
  • ASTRAL CHAIN: In this new synergetic action game from PlatinumGames, humanity’s last chance against an interdimensional invasion is a sentient weapon called the Legion. As a rookie officer in an elite police task force, players will work together with their Legion to solve cases and save humankind. Players can change Legions on the fly to vary their style and unleash stylish combos. As they save the world from extradimensional invaders called chimeras, they’ll also interact with citizens, question suspects and team up with members of their task force to solve cases. The game is scheduled to launch 30 August.
  • DAEMON X MACHINA: Defend the planet and defeat corrupted A.I. controlled robots using your Arsenal, a fully customizable mechanized battle suit. Choose and equip your Arsenal with a multitude of weapons, obtain more from downed enemy Arsenals, and swap them on the fly to suit your strategy in the face of ever-changing threats that may bring the end of the world. The game is scheduled to launch 13 September.
  • Cadence of Hyrule ~ Crypt of the NecroDancer Featuring The Legend of Zelda~: This rhythmic action-adventure game is set in the world of the Legend of Zelda series. Players can explore the randomly generated overworld, as well as dungeons that change for every player as they try to save Hyrule as Link or Princess Zelda. They can use items from theLegend of Zelda series, plus spells and weapons from the Crypt of the NecroDancer game. By keeping the beat with 25 remixed classic tunes from the Legend of Zelda series, players must outstep legendary enemies and bosses in rhythmic combat. The game launches in Nintendo eShop on 13 June.
  • DRAGON QUEST XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition: The legendary and genre-defining role-playing series is back with the definitive version of this critically acclaimed game. Embark on grand and epic quest as the Luminary—the hero chosen by Yggdrasil, the world tree, to save the world of Erdrea from an evil fate. The Nintendo Switch version boasts all the sprawling content of the original game along with newly added character-specific stories, fully orchestrated field and battle music, additional monsters to ride, side-quests to journey into past DRAGON QUESTworlds, and the ability to change between HD and retro-inspired 16-bit visuals. Additional enhancements include the ability to speed up battle sequences and the choice of a Japanese or English voice track. The game is scheduled to launch 27 September.
  • DRAGON QUEST BUILDERS 2: Go on an adventure to build a fantasy world and defend it from the Children of Hargon. Play and experiment to unlock crafting and building recipes in this RPG adventure filled with exploration, questing and challenging battles. Build together with up to three other players via local wireless or online* on the Isle of Awakening. The Nintendo eShop demo is scheduled to launch 27 June, and the full game is scheduled to launch 12 July.
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition from CD PROJEKT RED: Winner of over 250 Game of the Year awards, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is a story-driven, open world adventure set in a dark fantasy universe, where you play as Geralt of Rivia, mercenary monster slayer. The Complete Edition contains every piece of downloadable content released for the game, including two massive story expansions: Hearts of Stone & Blood and Wine. It’s the perfect opportunity to enter this world for the first time or relive the adventure — on the go! The game is scheduled to launch this year.
  • Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 from SEGA: Join Mario, Sonic and friends for their greatest adventure yet at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, exclusively on Nintendo Switch! Go for the gold medal as you compete in action-packed sports games, including four brand-new events to Tokyo 2020: Skateboarding, Karate, Surfing and Sport Climbing, as well as a large selection of classic events. The game is scheduled to launch in November.
  • The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics from BonusXP and En Masse Entertainment: The highly anticipated Netflix series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics comes to life as a thrilling tactical strategy game! In The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics, fans can experience the fantasy world of Thra by playing through – and going beyond – the events of the series. Players will even encounter never-seen-before playable characters, stories and environments. The game is scheduled to launch in 2019.
  • TRIALS of MANA from SQUARE ENIX: TRIALS of MANA is a full HD remake of the third entry in the Mana series, originally released in Japan as Seiken Densetsu 3. The entire game has been fully rebuilt from the ground up with modern 3D graphics. The game is scheduled to launch in early 2020.
  • Collection of Mana from SQUARE ENIX: Collection of Mana brings the first three titles in the seminal Mana series to Nintendo Switch in an all-in-one package. The collection is an essential bundle for new fans who want to play the classics for the first time and nostalgia seekers who want to relive fond memories and high fantasy adventures on the go. The collection launches today!
  • CONTRA ROGUE CORPS from Konami: CONTRA ROGUE CORPS is an over-the-top run-and-gun franchise with fast-paced, ultra-violent combat. Offering both single- and multiplayer options, CONTRA ROGUE CORPS is an incredible gameplay experience alone or with your friends. The game launches on 24 September.
  • No More Heroes 3 from Grasshopper Manufacture: Travis Touchdown returns to Santa Destroy after a 10-year absence. There he finds a huge artificial island metropolis floating in the sea, and a mysterious flying object hovering high above. The latest numbered entry in the No More Heroes series… No More Heroes 3 is coming in 2020!
  • Empire of Sin from Paradox and Romero Games: Empire of Sin puts you at the heart of the ruthless criminal underworld of 1920s Prohibition-era Chicago. It’s up to you to hustle, charm and intimidate your way to the top of the pile and do whatever it takes to stay there. This character-driven noir-inspired game immerses players in the glitz and glamour of the roaring ’20s, all while they must work behind the scenes in the gritty underbelly of organized crime. The game is scheduled to launch in spring 2020.
  • Panzer Dragoon: Remake from Forever Entertainment: A new, remade version of the Panzer Dragoon game – true to the original, with improved graphics and controls, that suit modern gaming standards! On a far, lone planet, you encounter two dragons awakened from the ancient times. Armed with a deadly gun from the past, and the guidance of your armoured blue dragon, you must fulfil your destiny and keep the Prototype Dragon from reaching the Tower, or die trying. The game is scheduled to launch this winter.
  • Resident Evil 5 from CAPCOM: While the Umbrella Corporation and its crop of lethal viruses have been destroyed and contained, a more dangerous threat has emerged. Somewhere in Africa, innocent villagers are transforming into aggressive and disturbing creatures. Featuring online* and couch co-op, players can experience this Resident Evil classic as either Chris Redfield or his partner, Sheva Alomar, as the duo work together to investigate and stop those responsible for the viral outbreak. The game is scheduled to launch this fall.
  • Resident Evil 6 from CAPCOM: Blending action and survival horror, Resident Evil 6 delivers an epic and dramatic horror experience. Resident Evil favourites Leon S. Kennedy and Chris Redfield are joined by series newcomers to face a global level threat: the highly virulent C-virus. The game is scheduled to launch this fall.

Some other third-party games on the way for Nintendo Switch include:

  • Dead by Daylight from Behaviour Interactive Inc. / Koch Media (24 September)
  • Stranger Things 3: The Game from Netflix / BonusXP (4 July )
  • Spyro Reignited Trilogy from Activision Publishing, Inc. (3 September)
  • Just Dance 2020 from Ubisoft (5 November)
  • New Super Lucky’s Tale from Playful Studios (This Fall)
  • Minecraft: Dungeons from Mojang Studios (Spring 2020)
  • Ni No Kuni Remake: Wrath of the White Witch from LEVEL-5 / Engine Software (20 September)
  • Catan from Asmodee Digital (20 June)
  • The Sinking City from Frogwares (This Fall)
  • Alien: Isolation from SEGA Europe Limited (2019)
  • Hollow Knight: Silksong from Team Cherry (Soon)
  • FINAL FANTASY: Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition from SQUARE ENIX, Inc. (This Winter)
  • Dauntless from Phoenix Labs (Q4)
  • Wolfenstein: Youngblood from Bethesda Softworks (26 July)
  • DOOM Eternal from Bethesda Softworks (Soon)
  • The Elder Scrolls: Blades from Bethesda Softworks (This Fall)

Nintendo’s booth will give attendees their first hands-on time with the Pokémon Sword and Pokémon ShieldLuigi’s Mansion 3 and The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening games. Fans who aren’t attending the show can check out MARVEL ULTIMATE ALLIANCE 3: The Black Order for themselves and be among the first in the country to play the game before it launches. Nintendo Early Access at Best Buy events are taking place this week at 80 U.S. Best Buy locations, and 10 Best Buy stores in Canada. People can visit select stores to play the game 3 to 8 p.m. local time on Wednesday, 12 June, and noon-5 p.m. local time Saturday, 15 June.

To celebrate E3 2019, Nintendo eShop is offering savings on select digital games. Between now and 11:59 p.m. PT on June 18, more than 60 Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS digital games are discounted 30per cent, 50 per cent or even more. These include games in well-known franchises and indie games. My Nintendo members will also earn My Nintendo points on eligible purchases. The full list of sale items can be found in Nintendo eShop on the respective systems.

 

 

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Xilam and Disney to produce animated series based on ‘Chip ‘n’ Dale’

Disney announced at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival this week about the upcoming series Chip ‘n’ Dale, on which Disney is working with Xilam Animation. The series is for Disney+, the upcoming streaming service.

All aspects of production, including scripting and graphic design, are being handled by Xilam in close collaboration with Disney.

Xilam chairman and CEO Marc du Pontavice says: “We are very proud to have been chosen by Disney to bring back such iconic characters from the prestigious Disney repertoire thanks to the talent of Xilam’s teams. The distribution on the Disney+ platform will also mark a new milestone in Xilam’s penetration of the US market.”

An extract from Disney’s announcement is below:

“It was revealed Chip ‘n’ Dale is currently in production and set for global release as a Disney+ Original. The show is developed by Disney’s London-based animation team in collaboration with Xilam Animation in Paris. The series will be fully produced by Xilam, an award-winning independent production studio known around the world for visual invention and cartoon comedy. The 39 x seven-minute episodes will feature the return of Disney’s much-loved chipmunk troublemakers in a non-verbal, classic style comedy, following the ups and downs of two little creatures living life in the big city. Combining a traditional style of animation with contemporary, comedic narratives, Chip ‘n’ Dale is directed by Jean Cayrol and produced by Marc du Pontavice.”

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Axis Studios delivers thousand VFX shots on the second season of the Netflix show ‘Happy’

UK-based animation and visual effects studio Axis Studio has delivered 1,000 shots across ten episodes on the second series of the UCP-produced SYFY and Netflix original show, Happy! which recently premiered in the UK.

Based on Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson’s graphic novel, Happy! follows alcoholic ex-cop turned hitman Nick Sax (portrayed by Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s Christopher Meloni) who teams up with imaginary unicorn Happy (voiced by stand-up comic & Secret Life of Pets 2’s Patton Oswalt). In the second season, the action moves from Christmas time to the biggest holiday rebranding of all time and a plot to make Easter great again courtesy of last season’s malevolent child-kidnapper Sonny Shine (Christopher Fitzgerald).

CGI work

 

axisVFX co-founder and VFX supervisor Grant Hewlett shared, “What a great show to be part of again! Thanks to Grant Morrison & Brian Taylor for trusting us with their creation. We all had a blast working on it. – Catch it on Netflix Wednesday, June 5th, Here comes the fun!”

Axis Studios, working across its three creative sites in Glasgow, Bristol, and London, collaborated with executive producer and director Brian Taylor and showrunner Patrick Macmanus to raise the bar on the animation of the fully CG titular character. The studio also worked on a host of supporting characters, including a ‘chain-smoking man-baby’, a gimp-like Easter Bunny and even a Jeff Goldblum-shaped cloud. Alongside the extensive animation work, the team’s VFX workload greatly increased from the first season – including two additional episodes, creature work, matte painting, cloud simulations, asset building, and extensive FX and clean-up work.

Building on the success of the first season, the 100-strong team of artists, further developed the animation of the lead character, Happy!, improving the rig, giving more nuanced emotions, and continually working to integrate him more in the real-world environments.

axisVFX executive producer Paul Schleicher, comments, Happy! is a vibrant, gory, hilarious roller coaster of a TV show; it’s been hugely rewarding to be invited back to be a part of the show’s evolution in its second series. The character of Happy has become more nuanced and complex, our team had a lot of fun developing what that meant in animation. We were also proud to increase our VFX and animation workload from the first season, taking our shot count to 1,000!”

Happy! premiered on Netflix UK on Wednesday 5 June 2019.

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Viacom18 Studios and Tipping Point to adapt Tanushree Podder’s ‘BOOTS BELTS BERETS’

Viacom18 Studio’s digital content arm Tipping Point is all set to take its viewers on yet another voyage of emotions, story of challenges, friendship and camaraderie, with the adaptation of Tanushree Podder and Roli Book’s bestselling novel, BOOTS BELTS BERETS.

One of Tanushree’s successful novels, the series will skillfully reconstruct the life mapped out by the author at NDA – where boys become men of honour. Set in National Defense Army, the story of BOOTS BELTS BERETS follows the journey of four friends- Pessi, Bertie, Randy and Maachh who are thrown from their sheltered life in the whirlwind of the stringent regimen and endless Puttie Parades. Gliding through the unpolished tough life, these comrades-in-arms accept life, beyond the rugged training and severe ragging thereby discovering a bond for life.

Commenting on the premiere of the new web-series, Viacom18 Studios COO Ajit Andhare said, “Tipping Point seeks out narratives that are missing in the mainstream. We produced 12 short films that were received very well by viewers owing to their quirky and novel concepts. With this brand-new web-series BOOTS BELTS BERETS, we maintain our proposition to produce standout contemporary content that will shock, awe or warm the heart.”

A travel enthusiast, when she’s not brandishing her pen, Podder has nine successful novels, a dozen bestselling non-fiction titles and few hundred travel tales under her belt, and is all set to launch another one. Excited on this, she remarked , “I am thrilled that BOOTS BELTS BERETS is being adapted into a web series. There’s nothing more exciting for an author than to know that the story will be reaching many more people. It’s a dream come true.”

Roli Books director Priya Kapoor added, We are delighted that Tanushree’s book is going to be adapted into a web series. Her immensely readable books have enjoyed a large readership and a web series would only expand her audience.”

The post Viacom18 Studios and Tipping Point to adapt Tanushree Podder’s ‘BOOTS BELTS BERETS’ appeared first on AnimationXpress.

Vikram Bhatt’s upcoming flick ‘Ghost’ aims to raise the bar of the horror genre

Wavelets of horror-genre in the Indian have been on the rise in the recent past and Producers are jumping in to spool out a chunk of that horror-reel.

Having sensed the success of the recent horror flicks like Stree and Tumbbad, filmmakers seem more keen to be tinkering with the business of scares and shudders.

Vikram Bhatt

Only a few moons ago, we saw a howling poster of Vicky Kaushal-starrer horror movie Ghost spearheaded by Dharma Productions and now the grapevine has it that Vikram Bhatt’s horror mills have been churning on full tilt lately. Fresh off the completion of the shoot in London, Bhatt (known his penchant for supernatural) will be releasing the movie trailer soon

Having dished out successful horror movies in the past, likes of which include, 1920 and 1921, Shaapit, Hunted 3D and the Raaz Franchise, he is back with another chilling supernatural story.  Speaking of supernatural elements, creating horrifying imagery requires a great deal of VFX prowess. Keeping this variable in mind, Vikram Bhatt has chosen Pixel Digital VFX studio which has proven its mettle in delivering convincing VFX shots in a spate of many Bollywood projects.

The movie is based on a newspaper article about a time when the British Court had allowed a matter involving spirits to be tried.

Speaking to AnimationXpress, Pixel Digital Studio (one of the VFX studio associated with the project) CEO Ankur Sachdev informed, “Yes we are handling the post-production VFX portion of the movie which is indeed crucial when it comes to horror movies”

We hope the movie induces the scares that we have been hoping for, sending the shockwaves of horror beyond the India milieu and over the digital firmament later.

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Alan The Infinite… trailer