Hasta La Motion!

After running into packed houses across the US, UK, and Asia, Peppa Pig Musical, the live theatrical adaptation of the famed animated series on TV, is finally coming to India! LIVE Viacom18 and BookMyShow have joined hands to bring Peppa along with her family and friends to the country, taking kids on a never-seen-before joyous ride. Presented by ICICI Bank debit and credit cards, the all-new live stage show will keep fans talking, singing and dancing, wanting for more. The Peppa Pig Musical will tour eight cities across 78 shows, starting this November.

Making Children’s Day more exciting for the little ones, the most charming little piggy on the block will hit the stage making its debut with the preview show at Bal Gandharv Rang Mandir, Mumbai on 14 November.

Viacom18 head – network sales Mahesh Shetty said,“Ever since its launch, Peppa Pig has become a household name and an important part of our ecosystem. Owing to its growing demand and popularity, we’re thrilled to bring a one-of-its-kind live musical for the audience to feel closer to their favourite characters and witness this wonderful experience. The announcement is an extension to Viacom18’s list of firsts, which includes – Viacom18 consumer products being the official merchandise partner for Peppa Pig in India to broadcasting the iconic pre-school property on Nick Jr. and VOOT Kids; and now further venturing into bringing Peppa Pig, LIVE with the first-ever musical. We are delighted to associate with ICICI Bank debit and credit cards and BookMyShow LIVE for this unique property and are positive that this visual extravaganza filled with music and joy will be loved by everyone.”

With this musical, LIVE Viacom18 and BookMyShow are set to provide a unique out-of-home entertainment experience to Peppa enthusiasts. This fully immersive musical with incredible life-sized characters with beautiful costumes will bring every kid’s favourite Peppa to life like never before and elevate their experience.

“The live entertainment industry in India is witnessingremarkable growth, with newer avenues of out-of-home entertainment opening up and being loved by audiences. BookMyShow is thrilled to collaborate with LIVE Viacom18 for the Peppa Pig Musical, adding another distinctive theatrical offering to our extensive repertoire of live entertainment experiences, all executed at par with global standards. We are certain that kids willlove the musical, as much as they love the series.”, said BookMyShow head – theatricals Kumar Razdan.

Peppa Pig has been one of the most loved international animated television series airing on India’s no.1 kids channel, Nickelodeon. The series has consistently been amongst the top 20 properties on a digital platform, VOOT.

ICICI Bank roduct head – cards Amarjit S. Walia said, “We are delighted to partner with Viacom18 to bring alive one of the most loved characters, Peppa Pig, to India. Looking at the popularity of these characters, we believe that the audience would love the musical. This being India’s first-ever LIVE introduction to their journey, the shows will be an unforgettable experience for the fans who have made Peppa Pig a success in the country.”

Following its preview, LIVE Viacom18 and BookMyShow will roll out the carpet for the Peppa Pig Musical across seven other major cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad and Jaipur.

The post LIVE Viacom18 and BookMyShow join hands to bring ‘Peppa Pig Musical’ to India appeared first on AnimationXpress.

ReDefine, the new visual effects and animation services offering, created to serve fast-growth international markets such as India and China, has announced the appointment of Viral Thakkar as ReDefine’s Creative Director for VFX in India. 

Viral Thakkar

Thakkar previously ran Fluiidmask Studios (his own VFX boutique studio), offering quality VFX for films, web series, digital film and advertising. He comes to ReDefine with his team of around 100 talented artists who have delivered visual effects on a number of Bollywood box office hits, including recent movies Kesari for director Anurag Singh and Sanju directed by Rajkumar Hirani. 

Talking about the move, Thakkar said: “I started my company with the intention of providing a fresh and different approach to VFX in India, and we quickly built up a great portfolio of projects offering bespoke services to a large number of high-profile clients. With this in mind, the customized approach that ReDefine is giving to every one of its projects resonated with me, and I am hugely excited to be joining as Creative Director for India. My team is also very excited to join ReDefine, as they will get a great opportunity to develop their skills on the proven pipeline that ReDefine provides, and to work on some very high-profile international projects.”

Redefine

ReDefine global head Rohan Desai , said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Viral and his team to ReDefine. I believe that we share a common goal of building great relationships and providing an unbeatable service to some of the finest filmmakers in Asia. I am personally very pleased that Viral is joining us as ReDefine’s VFX Creative Director for India. His track record is impressive and I am certain that we will achieve great results together.”

Thakkar joins ReDefine with 18 years of experience in the VFX industry. His credits as a VFX Supervisor include well-known Bollywood movies such as Sanju (2018), Airlift (2016), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015) and PK (2014).

The post ReDefine appoints Viral Thakkar as Creative Director for VFX in India appeared first on AnimationXpress.

Riot games partnered with Louis Vuitton to bring together the iconic French House and League of Legends Esports World 2019.

For the 2019 World Championship, Louis Vuitton is creating, in collaboration with Riot, an unprecedented, one-of-a-kind Trophy Travel Case to hold the Summoner’s Cup, the trophy awarded to the world champions and considered the most prestigious prize in esports. Louis Vuitton has previously created similar trunks to support the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, and sailing’s America’s Cup. The bespoke trunk, the first of its kind for an esports championship, will feature both traditional Louis Vuitton savoir-faire along with cutting-edge, high-tech elements inspired by the League of Legends universe.

“The League of Legends World Championship is not only the climax of the tournament: it’s where the world of sports and entertainment come together in celebration of new legends to be born. “Louis Vuitton has long been associated with the world’s most coveted trophies, and here we are today, alongside the Summoner’s Cup. We are thrilled to be part of such an iconic event,” said  Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Michael Burke.

Louis Vuitton and Riot Games also will soon announce unique champion skins and a capsule collection designed by Nicolas Ghesquière, Louis Vuitton’s Artistic Director of Women’s collections, along with other League of Legends digital assets.

Since 1854, Louis Vuitton has brought unique designs to the world, combining innovation with style, always aiming for the finest quality. Today, the House remains faithful to the spirit of its founder, Louis Vuitton, who invented a genuine “Art of Travel” through luggage, bags and accessories which were as creative as they were elegant and practical. Since then, audacity has shaped the story of Louis Vuitton. Faithful to its heritage, Louis Vuitton has opened its doors to architects, artists and designers across the years, all the while developing disciplines such as ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories, watches, jewellery, and fragrance. These carefully created products are a testament to Louis Vuitton’s commitment to fine craftsmanship.

“We are honoured to have Louis Vuitton as an official partner with designs to impact the look, feel, and prestige of our most prominent League of Legends event. This is a historic partnership that speaks to the impact Riot Games and League of Legends has had on the industry over the past nine esports seasons. We welcome the LV brand to our sport and we are eager to share the entire scope of the partnership in the months ahead, in particular on November 10 when the Summoner’s Cup is awarded in Paris,” says   Riot Games head of global esports partnerships Naz Aletaha.

The post Riot games partners with Louis Vuitton for 2019 ‘League of Legends’ World Championship appeared first on AnimationXpress.

The new content season for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 – Operation Dark Divide – is available now on Playstation4, with other platforms to follow. Operation Dark Divide delivers a unique experience with content inspired by heroes and villains, while embracing the epic world of the Black Ops universe. The new content package contains two multiplayer maps, a new Blackout mode and a variety of hero-themed personalization items and gear. Additionally, Treyarch will conclude the Aether storyline – one that has been more than ten years in the making and the most epic zombie’s adventure in Black Ops’ history – with Tag Der Toten.

“For our final operation of the Black Ops Season, the team at Treyarch had a blast creating the ultimate battle between good and evil, imagined through alternate universe versions of our Specialist characters as heroes and villains. In addition to the heroic experiences of the operation, we can’t wait to share the epic final chapter of the Zombies Aether story – the end of an adventure more than ten years in the making. Having introduced Zombies as an easter egg in Call of Duty: World at War, this final chapter for the Aether storyline marks an emotional moment for us as developers. We’ve poured all of that energy and emotion into Tag Der Toten, and we can’t wait for players to experience it for themselves,” said Treyarch co-studio head Dan Bunting.

Operation Dark Divide’s free, new content includes:

New Blackout Updates: Blackout features a fresh new comic book aesthetic. Additionally, players can now double-jump and catch some serious air in the limited-time game mode, Heavy Metal Heroes. With Heavy Metal Heroes new equipment such as flare guns and a brand-new tank,vehicle has also been added to the battlefield to help players in the ultimate Battle Royale fire-fight.

New Zombies Features: Operation Dark Divide introduces a new Perk and two new Elixirs as players experience the final chapter of the Aether story.

Secret Shopper Elixer: Players will be able to go on an ammo shopping spree and buy any ammo for any gun they’re holding from any wall buy.

Power Vacuum Elixer: The drop rate for all power-ups is boosted significantly for a few minutes after activating.

Blaze Phase Perk: Players can become a charging fireball that knocks enemies back or burns them to a crisp.

New Black Market Gear: The Black Market has been restocked with a variety of new outfits fit for both heroes and villains, personalization items, weapon camos and gestures tailored for Operation Dark Divide. This includes new weapons like the VMP SMG, AN-94 Assault Rifle and the Echohawk Dual-Bore Assault Rifle, that players can acquire and learn to master. Also available are the MkII and the Mastercraft variants of the VKM 750, the Predator S6 Stingray Mastercraft, and two super outfits for Nomad (“Lupine”) and Crash (“Rigor Mortis”).

In addition to the Operation Dark Divide’s offerings, owners of the Black Ops Pass gain access to more new content, available first on PlayStation4 computer entertainment system:

New Multiplayer Map, Lair – Set in the lair of a mega villain, this medium-sized map is built around a volcano’s caldera. Players must weave around the multi-level map to strategically gain the upper hand before the volcanically powered Death Laser goes off.

Multiplayer Map, Launch – Reimagined from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops, Launch is a medium-sized map set in a launch pad at a Soviet Cosmodrome. Players will have to make sure they don’t get caught in the middle of the rocket launch during the firefight.

The Zombies Experience, Tag Der Toten –The Victis Crew returns for their final outing of the Aether storyline. The last chapter of a decade-long epic in the making is here for players to immerse themselves into. Elements of the fan-favorite Call of the Dead map have been re-imagined and expanded, so players can explore new areas and solve ever increasingly difficult Easter Eggs that tell the real story.

The Black Ops Pass is included in the digital deluxe edition, the digital deluxe enhanced edition, the pro edition, and the mystery box edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and can also be purchased standalone digitally or at participating retailers.

The post ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops 4’ kicks off new content season with ‘operation dark divide’ appeared first on AnimationXpress.

The 2019 League of Legends(LoL) World Championship kicks off on 2 October  in Berlin Germany. Here’s everything you need about League’s biggest, most prestigious competitive event.

What is the World Championship?

The League of Legends World Championship (also known as Worlds) is a yearly international tournament that brings together the top teams from each league in a battle to hoist the Summoner’s Cup and earn the title of World Champion. The event moves between host regions each year; this year, teams will battle it out on a tour of three cities across Europe.

When is Worlds happening?

Worlds begins with the Play-In Stage on October 2nd and concludes with Finals on November 10th. Individual stage dates are listed below.

Which teams are competing?

A region’s seeds are based on past international performance. Consistently strong regions send some or all of their seeds straight to the Group Stage, whereas other regions receive fewer seeds and/or start in the Play-In Stage.

Korea (LCK)

First seed: SK Telecom T1
Second seed: Griffin
Third seed: Damwon Gaming
China (LPL)

First seed: FunPlus Phoenix
Second seed: Royal Never Give Up
Third seed: Invictus Gaming
Europe (LEC)

First seed: G2 Esports
Second seed: Fnatic
Third seed: Splyce
North America (LCS)

First seed: Team Liquid
Second seed: Cloud9
Third seed: Clutch Gaming
Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau (LMS)

First seed: CTBC J Team
Second seed: AHQ E-Sports Club
Third seed: Hong Kong Attitude
Vietnam (VCS)

First seed: GAM eSports
Second seed: Lowkey Esports
Southeast Asia (LST)

MEGA
Brazil (CBLoL)

Flamengo Esports
Commonwealth of Independent States (LCL)

Unicorns of Love
Japan (LJL)

DetonatioN FocusMe
Latin America (LLA)

Isurus Gaming
Oceania (OPL)

MAMMOTH
Turkey (TCL)
Royal Youth

What’s changed for 2019?

China (LPL) will receive three group stage slots based on their competitive performance over the last two years at international tournaments such as the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational and the 2018 World Championship.

Vietnam (VCS) will receive two seeds this year. Their first seed was earned last year, as a result of their emergence as an independent region. Their second seed was awarded as a result of their placement at the Mid-Season Invitational. Their first seed will start in the Group Stage, and their second seed will begin in the Play-In.

Additionally, this year, teams will be permitted to have up to 7 players on their Active Roster. This change has been made due to the evolution of the sport and the increased number of rosters fielding substitute players.

What’s the format?

Worlds is composed of three stages: the Play-In Stage, the Group Stage, and the Knockout Stage (Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals).

Play-In Stage: 10/2-10/5; 10/7-10/8

Berlin (LEC Studio)

12 teams are drawn into four groups. Each group plays a Double Round-Robin (each team plays all others twice), Best of 1 series.

The two highest-ranked teams from each group advance to Play-In Knockouts, where the first-place teams from each group are paired with second-place teams from another. These matches will determine the 4 Play-In teams that move on to the Group Stage.

Group Stage: 10/12-10/15; Oct 17-20

Berlin (Verti Music Hall)

16 teams – 12 that qualified for the Group Stage directly, and 4 from the Play-In Stage – are drawn into four groups. Each group plays a Double Round-Robin, Best of 1 series.

The two highest-ranked teams from each group will move on to the final leg of the tournament, the Knockout Stage.

Interested in how groups are selected for the Play-In and Group Stages? Tune in for the Draw Show on September 23 at 4:00 PM CEST

Knockout Stage: 10/26-10/27; 11/2-11/3; 11/10

Madrid, Spain (Palacio Vistalegre) & Paris, France (AccorHotels Arena)

8 teams move on to the Knockout Stage, which encompasses Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals. For this stage, the tournament transitions to a single-elimination bracket with all matches played in a Best of 5 format. Matchups are decided by an on-stage draw before each day of play begins. The team that comes out on top will become the 2019 World Champions.

The post ‘League of Legends’ Worlds location and schedule revealed appeared first on AnimationXpress.