News

Warner Bros./New Line is no longer releasing Sony Pictures Animation’s “Fixed,” an adult animated comedy from writer/director Genndy Tartakovsky, Variety has learned. The distribution rights are back with Sony Pictures Animation, which is looking at a new distribution plan for the film.

Warner Bros. Discovery dropping a Tartakovsky animated title is shocking, as he is probably the biggest star to come from the company’s Cartoon Network system and was integral in its early and long-term success, having created “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack,” “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” and “Primal.” He also produced “The Powerpuff Girls.” In 2022, Tartakovsky signed an exclusive, multi-year, cross-studio overall deal with Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation.

He has also been a significant figure for Sony. The first three “Hotel Transylvania” films, all directed by Tartakovsky and produced by the company, have grossed $1.38 billion globally.

“Fixed” follows Bull, a bloodhound who embarks...

There’s no doubt that sometimes animated movies manage to capture so much more in their stories than regular ones. Through bright and colorful animated characters, the movie creators usually tell meaningful stories about love, friendship, family values, feelings, and grief.

Somehow these stories manage to reach the deepest strings of the soul, waking up emotions we didn’t know even existed. Recently released Inside Out 2, the second part of one of Pixar's most emotional stories, is exactly a movie that managed to do so – quite literally, in fact.

And if you already rewatched the first part before going to the cinema to watch the new one, but still feel the need to prolong the feeling you got while watching them both, here are 5 more movies for a perfect evening with your family.

1. Up (2009)

There was no way we could have started with anything but this heartfelt film from Pete Docter.

All Rights Entertainment, the Paris, Hong Kong and Los Angeles-based international film agency has picked up international sales duties on animated children and family feature “Out of the Nest.” The film had its world premiere this week at the Annecy International Animation Festival.

In the Kingdom of Castilia, days from the coronation of the new Emperor and Empress, their seven royal fledglings are taken and it’s up to one hero to return them safely; a teenage delivery boy, Arthur the Goat. His dreams of becoming a world-class barber are put on hold when he becomes the unwitting guardian of the royal heirs. If he’s going to keep the rambunctious toddlers safe on their journey, he must first grow up, discover his own past, and along the way, awaken forgotten champions. Can Arthur return the heirs and ultimately save the kingdom?

The film is the debut feature of Pixar...

Netflix on Thursday afternoon announced K-Pop: Demon Hunters (working title), a new animated feature bound for the streamer in 2025.

The first feature for Maggie Kang, who’s directing with Chris Appelhans (Netflix/Sony’s Wish Dragon), K-Pop: Demon Hunters is a musical action adventure pic that follows the story of a world-renowned K-Pop girl group, as they balance their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as bad-ass demon hunters, set against a colorful backdrop of fashion, food, style and the most popular music movement of this generation.

No details as far as the film’s cast were disclosed. Michelle Wong and Sony Pictures Animation are producing.

Today’s news on K-Pop: Demon Hunters emerged as part of “Next on Netflix: Animation,” the streamer’s preview of animated films and series coming in the next year. In recent years, the service has become a go-to destination for animation, with...

Former Brainstorm Media CEO Meyer Shwarzstein has revealed several projects being developed at his new Los Angeles-based development, financing and production company Another Brainy Idea.

In development as a feature is Landfillharmonic, based on a 2015 documentary that won awards at festivals including SXSW. The film, written by José Rivera and directed by Marcos Bernstein, will centre on a teacher who leads an orchestra of children using instruments made from landfill refuse. Producers are Rodolfo Madero, Michael Richter and Shwarzstein. Executive producers include Alejandra Amarilla, Rick Berg and Jonathan Dana.

In development as a drama series is an adaptation of The Talented Ribkins,...

Ralph Macchio, who starred in the original “The Karate Kid” from 1984, and martial arts legend Jackie Chan, who appeared in the 2010 reboot “The Karate Kid,” are both returning to the franchise for Sony’s upcoming sequel film.

The two actors will each reprise their original characters but are joining together in the same movie for the first time. On November 21, Chan and Macchio shared in a video they’d be returning to the film, but they also revealed the studio is launching a global casting search to find the next Karate Kid. They’re encouraging you to wax on and wax off and submit your best video online for a chance to star in the movie.

Plot details are currently being kept under wraps, but the studio is aiming to release the still-untitled project on December 13, 2024.

Jonathan Entwistle (“I Am Not Okay With This”) is directing from a screenplay by...

Remington Chase, a former film producer who was accused of swindling investors out of at least $234 million, has been reported dead in the United Kingdom.

Chase, 65, died of liver failure on July 31 at Victoria Hospital in Blackpool, according to a death certificate provided to Variety by the Blackpool Registration Service.

His death was also confirmed by his wife, Linda Biron of Marina del Rey, Calif., who said he was a “good person.”

“He got mixed up with some wrong people,” she said in an interview. “He was not out to hurt anybody. He was out to make good movies.”

Chase’s death leaves a long trail of litigation, with numerous parties accusing him of defrauding them out of investment funds, real estate and loan proceeds.

Base Media, a China-based animation and VFX studio, sued Chase and an associate, Kevin Robl, in 2022, accusing them of a massive fraud against the company’s investors.

The Monkey King is an animated adventure comedy movie. Directed by Anthony Stacchi, the Netflix movie is inspired by the epic Ming Dynasty classic Journey to the West. In the film we follow the Monkey King’s journey to become immortal, he is assisted by a girl named Lin. So, if you loved The Monkey King here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Kung Fu Panda (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – DreamWorks Animations

Synopsis: Prepare for awesomeness with this delightful Academy Award®-nominated DreamWorks Animation film. Jack Black is the voice of Po, a noodle slurping dreamer who must embrace his true self-fuzzy flaws and all–in order to become the real Dragon Warrior. Filled with high-kicking humor, groundbreaking animation, and an all-star cast including Angelina Jolie, Seth Rogen, Jackie Chan and Dustin Hoffman.

Raya and The Last Dragon (Disney+) Credit – Walt Disney Animation

Synopsis: Walt Disney Animation...

Exclusive: American-European media fund Apx Group has appointed film industry veteran Anthony Buckner as Director of Film and Television Distribution and Acquisition, to head up a new department created as it continues its international expansion drive.

This new department will operate from Apx Group’s head office in Twickenham Film Studios in London, with Buckner working alongside CEO Shelley Hammond, who also heads up its UK production subsidiary Herd International Productions.

Buckner was previously Head of Sales at Mel Gibson and Bruce Davey’s Icon Entertainment International and then Kaleidoscope Film Distribution and has also worked with companies such as Magnolia Pictures and Gfm Films. In 2021, he launched his own company Buckstop Films.

The first project to be handled by Buckner and his team is Wish Dragon 2, the sequel to Sony Pictures Animation and Tencent Picture’s Shanghai-set 2021 film Wish Dragon which debuted internationally on Netflix in 2021.

Apx Group...

Netflix Animation has laid off 30 employees, Variety has confirmed.

The news comes after recent executive shake-ups, with Netflix earlier this year appointing Karen Toliver as vice president of animated film content and Traci Balthazor as vice president of animated film production.

The layoffs are a result of Netflix consolidating its animation film production team under one central leader, Balthazor, as she continues to work closely with Toliver.

The downsizing does not signal a decrease in output from Netflix Animation, which has earned seven Oscar nominations since 2020, winning for “If Anything Happens, I Love You.”

The streamer’s slate of animated features and shorts includes “Robin,” “Klaus,” “Over the Moon, Back to the Outback,” Richard Linklater’s “Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood” and Chris Williams’ “The Sea Beast.” Coming soon are Henry Selick and Jordan Peele’s “Wendell & Wild,” Nora Twomey’s “My Father’s Dragon,” Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio,...

Exclusive: The Netflix Animation overhaul continues with the exit of 30 employees, Deadline has confirmed. This comes after Netflix set new leadership for the Animation Film team with Karen Toliver (VP Animation Film Content) and Traci Balthazor (VP Animation Film Production). They have been tasked with streamlining the animation team, which explains the attrition.

This does not signal a downturn in animation output for a division that in five years had seven Oscar nominees, with a win for If Anything Happens, I Love You.

Netflix’s original animation productions includes Robin, Robin, Klaus, Kris Pearn’s The Willoughbys, Over the Moon, Back to the Outback, Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood from Richard Linklater, and the recently released The Sea Beast directed by Chris Williams. Upcoming releases including Henry Selick’s Wendell & Wild, Nora Twomey’s My Father’s Dragon, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, Wendy Rogers’ The Magician’s Elephant,...

Earlier this year, a Chinese VFX and animation studio revealed that it had been victimized by two American swindlers who had used the company’s name to defraud investors out of 234 million.

In a filing on Thursday, the company alleged that the two men — Remington Chase and Kevin Robl — are still trying to lure investors, even after the scam was exposed. The company, Base, filed for an injunction that would block the men from using its name to solicit further investments.

The whereabouts of Robl and Chase remain uncertain. They could not be reached for comment, and they have yet to respond to the federal lawsuit that Base filed against them in March. In the suit, CEO Chris Bremble alleged that he had been the victim of a con stretching back nine years, in which Robl and Chase gradually gained his trust and then used the relationship to scam investors.

Exclusive: After announcing its acquisition of the Australian animation studio Animal Logic during yesterday’s earnings call, Deadline has learned that Netflix is making internal moves that will streamline its coterie of executives who’ll steer the Film Animation division.

Karen Toliver, VP Animation Film, is being promoted to lead the Animation Film team. With that change, Melissa Cobb will move from her role as VP Animation Film but will stay on with Netflix as a producer. Cobb joined the company four years ago and to led the animation team and since then has built the studio from the ground up, attracting filmmakers and delivering a diverse slate of ani films so far.

Also transitioning is Gregg Taylor, the VP Animation Film who’ll also become a producer. He too has been there four years, helping to build the creative team and oversee and shepherd the film slates, most recently The Sea Beast.

Companies have been collaborating on The Magician’s Elephant, Ron Howard’s The Shrinking Of The Treehorns.

Netflix is acquiring Australian animation studio Animal Logic as the streamer seeks to develop end-to-end cproduction capacity and builds on releases like The Sea Beast and Oscar-nominees Over The Moon and Klaus.

The Animal Logic and Netflix Animation teams will create a global creative production team with the goal of handling some of Netflix’s largest animated film titles. The streamer will continue to work on animation with other studios.

The companies have established a roster of films at Animal Logic’s Sydney...

A Chinese visual effects and animation studio filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging that it is the victim of two American swindlers who forged documents, impersonated the CEO, and conned investors out of $234 million.

Base FX, headquartered in Beijing, states that it was duped into trusting the two men — Remington Chase and Kevin Robl — over the course of several years, in which they engaged in several financing arrangements and a joint venture in Malaysia.

However, over the last year and a half, the company has discovered that the men were using the relationship as a lure for investors, who were deceived into signing over $234 million, in what they thought were loans and investments in the company and its projects. Base FX alleges that Chase and Robl forged the signature of the company’s CEO on investment documents, created fake entities and bank accounts, had someone pretend to be the CEO in calls with investors,...

Animation, documentary submissions also tallied.

The Academy has confirmed it has received 93 country submissions for the international feature film category in the run-up to the 94th Oscars on March 27, 2022.

The Academy said on Monday (December 6) it had also received 26 animated feature and 138 documentary feature submissions.

The entire list of international feature film submissions can be viewed here and includes a first submission from Somalia. The Academy said some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfil that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.

Animation, documentary submissions also tallied.

The Academy has confirmed it has received 93 country submissions for the international feature film category in the run-up to the 94th Oscars on March 27, 2022.

The Academy said on Monday (December 6) it had also received 26 animated feature and 138 documentary feature submissions.

The entire list of international feature film submissions can be viewed here and includes a first submission from Somalia. The Academy said some of the films have not yet had their required qualifying release and must fulfil that requirement and comply with all the category’s other qualifying rules to advance in the voting process.

Continuing adventures of protagonist draws slew of international buyers.

Chinese 3D animation studio Gold Valley Films (Gvf) has concluded a raft of AFM sales on Ella And The Little Sorcerer led by deals for the US and Canada.

Vertical Entertainment has acquired US rights to the family title and Canada’s largest exhibitor Cineplex Pictures has picked up Canadian rights and committed to a first quarter 2022 wide theatrical release through its new distribution arm.

Ella And The Little Sorcerer will open in China via Jackie Chan’s Sparkle Roll Media following their recent animation release Wish Dragon and has gone...

In another sign of the distressing pandemic backslide for the film industry, Sony Pictures is currently exploring alternative distribution for its upcoming animated feature “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania,” Variety has learned from multiple sources with knowledge of the effort.

The fourth entry in the kid-friendly franchise, which has grossed more than $1.3 billion worldwide since 2012, was set to debut in theaters on Oct. 1. But the delta variant raises serious questions about the safety of children under 12 in public spaces, since there is no vaccine yet available for that age bracket and health experts say the highly contagious strain of Covid-19 is more virulent for younger people. The recent news that exhibitors are not planning to object to vaccine mandates for indoor events only further reduces the financial viability of any family movies currently set to play only in theaters.

That had been Sony’s plan for “Hotel Transylvania 4,” but the company...

Netflix says that “The Mitchells Vs. The Machines,” its animated family film, was the streamer’s biggest animated movie it has ever released.

The film that was produced by Sony and originally intended for theatrical release was watched by an estimated 53 million member households in its first 28 days, Netflix said in its earnings report on Tuesday. The film debuted on April 30.

The film has also been highly critically acclaimed, coming from the team behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” and Nielsen has similarly tracked impressive numbers for the film in its weekly streaming rankings. “The Mitchells” in May became the first movie since “Soul” to lead all streaming movies for a given week, being watched by 853 million viewing minutes at its peak. And it still performs strongly week over week and frequently appears in Netflix’s daily Top 10.

But “The Mitchells” wasn’t even the biggest movie on Netflix during Q...

Jackie Chan made his support for China’s Communist Party blatantly clear during a July 8 speech at a symposium organized by the China Film Association (via Variety). Chan has long supported the Communist Party’s propaganda efforts, but he generated news out of the symposium after declaring he wants to be an official member of the Party. As reported by Variety, the symposium was “organized by the China Film Association last week to ‘study and implement the spirit’ of a keynote speech delivered by Chinese President Xi Jinping.”

“Abroad they often say, ‘proud to be Chinese.’ I’m very lucky to be a Chinese person, but I also am very jealous that you all are Party members,” Chan said during the event, video footage from which was released by official broadcaster CCTV. “What the Party says, what it promises, it doesn’t need 100 years to accomplish — it will definitely accomplish...

The VOD charts continue to reflect what may be a cultural trend. Theaters are driven by a very few franchises, while home viewing reflects a broad swath of genres, audiences, and interests — much as the theaters did in the late 20th century.

Theatrical grosses over Independence Day weekend were driven by “F9,” “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” and “The Forever Purge.” Together they grossed $65 million over four days, or 75 percent of the total box office. The revenue generated by streaming is unknown — but charts and tracking services reflect millions of viewers watching Chris Pratt save the world in Amazon’s “The Tomorrow War,” IFC’s comedy-horror adaptation of VR game “Werewolves Within,” and Steven Soderbergh’s small-time ’50s crooks in HBO Max’s “No Sudden Move.” In addition, four different, long-running films are at #1 on different charts.

Per a reported audience survey from Screen Engine’s PostVOD (which includes streamers...

Domestic theaters, now mostly reopen even with five new studio movies in the last three weeks, could only muster a total gross of $45 million this past weekend. That’s less than a quarter of what the same weekend in 2019 took in. That week was dominated by “Toy Story 4.” Disney released the Pixar sequel targeting the Father’s Day audience. That timing only added to an already monster hit that took in $121 million initially, and $434 million domestic all told.

This weekend, two new films were timed to Father’s Day, at least in part. Unfortunately for struggling theaters, neither had them in mind.

“Luca,” Pixar’s latest, debuted on Disney+ free for subscribers (unlike some other recent Premium VOD offerings). No viewership reports have emerged. But the figure might have been in the millions just in the U.S. And with the low end of a Pixar opening this century at $39 million,...

Terracotta VOD Spotlight

Each month Terracotta present a selection of Asian titles on their VOD platform, which you can enjoy. This month’s selection includes kung fu, comedy, a cult film and a pride celebration.

The Shanghai Thirteen

During the Sino-Japanese war, a Chinese patriot steals damming evidence that exposes traitorous intentions within the government. He employs an elite ensemble of fighters, The Shanghai 13, to protect him on the obstacles ahead and pursuers behind.

One Cut Of The Dead

A film crew are making a zombie film in a run down, abandoned warehouse said to be the site of military experiments on humans. However, things take a turn for the worse when real zombies arrive and terrorize the crew!

“The Taste of Tea”

The Taste Of Tea

The summer sun is shining gently down on the Haruno family until urban-dwelling uncle Ayano , a successful music producer, arrives to visit. He...

Photo: ‘Wish Dragon’/Netflix “You’re the peasant. She’s the princess. It’s a tale as old as time!” ‘Wish Dragon’ is an animated comedy film written and directed by Chris Appelhans in his directorial debut. The story follows Din (played by Jimmy Wong), a working-class college boy who comes across a magic teapot that holds an all-powerful “wish dragon” named Long (John Cho). Long offers Din three wishes to use, and with this newfound power, Din aims to win back his long-lost best friend, Lina (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), who he hasn’t seen since childhood. It’s a story of friendship and hope, and finding what’s really important in life. Related article: A Tribute to Cannes Film Festival: A Celebration of Cinema, Glamour, and Humanity | Statement From Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase Related article: Netflix Conjures Up ‘Trese’, A Gorgeous New Anime Series That Has Both...

On the surface, it might appear that little changed with home viewing this weekend. At least as far as can be told with “In the Heights” (Warner Bros.) on HBO Max. Even with theaters of great interest, unlike its disappointing gross, results at home remain a mystery.

But a second glance reveals a few nuggets of note. A handful of new releases arrived, including “Queen Bees” (Gravitas Ventures) on Premium VOD, which also placed in the theatrical box-office top 10.

Meanwhile, some positions suggest how different pricing strategies may have an impact on results, including possible consumer resistance to prices higher than normal. That might be the case with “Mortal Kombat” (Warner Bros.).

“Wrath of Man” (United Artists/$19.99) edged out “Nobody” (Universal/$19.99) as the top performer. Both had two #1 placements across the charts. But “Wrath” did slightly better, taking two #2 positions, while “Nobody” was #3 on two charts. (See the rankings below.

“Wish Dragon” is well aware that “Aladdin” got there first. Making his spirited feature debut, dream-big animation director Chris Appelhans pretty much assumes you’ll be thinking of Disney’s blue genie when his humble Chinese hero rubs a jade teapot and produces a fluorescent flamingo-pink dragon, ready to grant his wildest dreams — or three of them at least. And you know what? He doesn’t care, because “Wish Dragon” delivers a whole new world, a new fantastic point of view, and that’s plenty.

Technically, China’s ancient wish dragon legend predates even “Arabian Nights,” a detail that gives Appelhans license to update the folk tale for the modern world, while stripping it of so many of the tired clichés that now come with the territory in practically any wish-granting fable — like the wet-blanket “be careful what you wish for” trope, where an unlucky so-and-so’s poorly worded request inevitably backfires,...

When visual development artist Chris Appelhans (“Coraline”) realized that “Aladdin” was originally a Chinese folk tale while visiting Shanghai 20 years ago, he had an aha moment about writing and directing an animated genie-in-a-bottle retelling set in modern Shanghai. The result is “Wish Dragon” (streaming Friday on Netflix), an American-Chinese co-production with Sony Pictures Animation, in which working-class college student, Din (Jimmy Wong), teams up with pink, fluffy, snarky genie, Long (John Cho), to reunite with his long-lost childhood friend, Lina (Natasha Liu Bordizzo), now a famous model.

As Appelhans watched a friend in Shanghai “struggling with family and class and concepts of success, it seemed like that timeless [‘Aladdin’] story… about a peasant boy who lives with his mother, meets a wish-granting genie, falls in love with a princess, loses himself, and finds himself again, could have newfound relevance today,” he said. “It made me think a lot about the world.

This weekly feature is in addition to TVLine’s daily What to Watch listings and monthly guide to What’s on Streaming.

With nearly 500 scripted shows now airing across broadcast, cable and streaming, it’s easy to forget that a favorite comedy is returning, or that the new “prestige drama” you anticipated is about to debut. So consider this our reminder to set your DVR, order a Season Pass, pop a fresh Memorex into the Vcr… however it is you roll.

More from TVLineLoki's Gender Fluidity in Disney+ Series Confirmed by Latest TeaserCancellation Poll: 9 Broadcast Series Were Axed in May...

You know what everyone could use in the sweltering summer months? A nice, cold glass of…anime. At least that’s the particular theme that comes up in Netflix’s list of new releases for June 2021.

Netflix has been quietly expanding their anime offerings for awhile now but June is a particularly anime-heavy month. The absolutely metal sounding Record of Ragnarok arrives this month. So too do parts 1 and 2 of the newest Sailor Moon film on June 3 and Godzilla Singular Point on June 24.

Read more TV Yasuke Review: Netflix Anime Reclaims The Story of a Black Samurai By Caroline Cao TV Anime For Beginners: Best Genres and Series to Watch By Daniel Kurland

But for those who aren’t ready to dip their toe in the anime pool yet, Netflix has some other originals of note in June. Sweet Tooth, the ambitious comic adaptation starring Will Forte premieres on June 4. Then,...

Netflix’s June lineup continues to reflect the difficulties of keeping people entertained in the aftermath of a pandemic; the content drought should subside as the summer wears on, but for now subscribers will have to make do with a grab bag of library titles, left-field curiosities, and low-wattage star vehicles that have yet to screen for critics. That being said, some of those library titles are worth revisiting (“Killing Them Softly” comes to mind), while others have never really gone out of style (“The Best Man”).

And while the streaming giant may not have another “Army of the Dead”-sized blockbuster in the chamber quite yet, Netflix is getting into the spirit of the season with a handful of popcorn movies that might have ruled the multiplex in a saner year. That’s especially true of an animated family comedy like “Wish Dragon,” which boasts voice performances by Jackie Chan,...

John Cho, Constance Wu and Jimmy Wong voice characters in the new animated fantasy film, Wish Dragon. As Entertainment Weekly reports, the movie was released theatrically in China earlier this year. It makes its Netflix debut on June 11th.

The Chris Appelhans-directed film follows a similar arc to Aladdin, where a mythical figure grants three wishes to the person who has unleashed it from its confines.

In the new Wish Dragon trailer, Wong voices Din, a college student of meager means who is in search of his long-lost friend,...

Do you want to see John Cho doing his best Robin Williams? Well, the new Sony Animation movie Wish Dragon is granting your…wish. Cho voices the titular wish-granting magical dragon, Long, who is unleashed from an ancient teapot by a working-class college student (Jimmy Wong), sending the two of them on a hijinks-filled adventure through contemporary Shanghai. Netflix, […]

The post ‘Wish Dragon’ Trailer: It’s ‘Aladdin,’ But With a Magical Dragon Played by John Cho appeared first on /Film.

"That's my wish – I want my friend back." Netflix has released an official US trailer for the animated movie Wish Dragon, a Sony Animation production that is being released by Netflix coming up this summer. We already posted the teaser a few weeks ago. Based on a story by children's book illustrator Chris Applehans (who also wrote / directed), it's described as a "genie-in-a-bottle retelling set in contemporary China" that "picks up the moral challenges that emerge from the encounter between a boy and a dragon who is able to make wishes come true." A working-class college student meets a dragon and the two go off on an adventure through modern day Shanghai. "A tale of discovering the greatest wish of all." The voice cast includes John Cho as the dragon, Jimmy Wong as his new friend, plus Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Will Yun Lee, Bobby Lee, Jimmy O. Yang,...

"How long have you been in that teapot?" Netflix has debuted a new teaser trailer for the animated movie Wish Dragon, a Sony Animation production that is being released by Netflix in a few countries coming up this summer. This Chinese co-production already opened in China earlier this year. Based on a story by children's book illustrator Chris Applehans (who also wrote / directed), this is a "genie-in-a-bottle retelling set in contemporary China" that "picks up the moral challenges that emerge from the encounter between a boy and a dragon who is able to make wishes come true." A working-class college student meets a dragon and the two go off on an adventure through modern day Shanghai. "A tale of discovering the greatest wish of all." The voice cast includes John Cho as the dragon, Jimmy Wong as his new friend, plus Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Will Yun Lee, Bobby Lee,...

With romantic comedies, action-packed thrillers and buzzy documentaries, Netflix’s upcoming summer film slate has a little something for every movie lover.

The streaming service on Tuesday released a preview of its 2021 popcorn season offerings, a list that includes the final chapter in the “The Kissing Booth” trilogy, Kevin Hart’s touching drama “Fatherhood,” “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed” and Zack Snyder’s zombie heist adventure “Army of the Dead.”

The schedule kicks off with “Things Heard and Seen,” a horror movie starring Amanda Seyfried, on April 29, followed by “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” an animated comedy from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, on April 30.

May will see the debut of the Amy Adams-led “The Woman in the Window,” a highly anticipated adaptation about an agoraphobe that has renewed relevance after a year-long pandemic, as well as “Monster,” an intimate drama starring John David Washington...

Move over Alexander Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda has a new starring role.

Netflix has released the first trailer for “Vivo,” a colorful, animated musical with original songs written by Miranda.

The musical adventure follows a kinkajou (a rainforest “honey bear”) named Vivo, voiced by Miranda. Vivo spends his days playing music to the crowds in a lively Havana square with his beloved owner Andrés. Though they may not speak the same language, Vivo and Andrés are the perfect duo through their common love of music. But, tragedy strikes when Andrés receives a letter from his old partner, famous musician Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), inviting him to attend her farewell concert in Miami. It soon becomes up to Vivo to deliver a message to Marta for Andrés in the form of song. To get to the distant land of Miami, Vivo enlists the help of Gabi (newcomer Ynairaly Simo) — an energetic teen...

Netflix released a preview of its summer slate Tuesday, including finalized release dates, footage, photos, and other announcements from a range of films. Among the highlights: details from the animated revisionist history “America: the Motion Picture” from the “Archer” team and first-look photos from Paul Weitz’ Kevin Hart-starrer “Fatherhood” and the Melissa McCarthy-produced documentary “Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed.”

Below find Netflix’s summer movie preview sizzle, featuring some of the highlights from the nearly three-dozen films the streamer is set to release between April and the end of August. Included in the video are clips from Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead,” “Fatherhood,” the Jason Momoa-starring “Sweet Girl,” the Amy Adams agoraphobia thriller “The Woman in the Window,” and more.

Netflix set a release date, announced the full cast, and revealed a first-look photo from “America: the Motion Picture,” a project that has been quiet...

Netflix has emerged the winner of a nearly two-year auction for the exclusive U.S. rights to stream Sony Pictures’ theatrical releases in the first pay TV window starting with the studio’s 2022 slate.

Netflix has also set a first-look agreement with Sony for all of the studio’s original movies produced for the direct-to-streaming market. That deal also requires Netflix to commit to a certain number of titles from the studio, but it doesn’t stop Sony from selling direct-to-streaming titles to Netflix’s rivals. In that case, however, Netflix would have to pass on the project for Sony to be able to sell it to another streamer.

As part of the pact, Netflix will license an unspecified number of older titles from Sony’s movie vault.

Sony Pictures’ primary pay TV partner has been Starz, now owned by Lionsgate, since 2006. The new theatrical output deal with Netflix, which only covers the U.

Exclusive: Craig Plestis knows a thing or two about Korean formats after finding success with The Masked Singer and I Can See Your Voice.

He now has found his latest Asian format, but this one is a little different – it’s scripted. The founder of Smart Dog Media and ex-NBC alternative chief has struck a deal with CBS Studios to develop W: Two Worlds.

The series, which launched in Korea in 2016, follows a heart surgeon who embarks on a search for her father, a famous comic book artist who disappeared without a trace. While searching his studio for answers, she finds a badly wounded stranger who claims he is not from this world. After saving the stranger’s life, she stumbles upon the realization that he is from the comic book universe created by her father. A portal between worlds allows her to cross over into the virtual world of “W” and back,...

Sony Pictures Animation is developing a new movie about a pack of female K-Pop stars who slay evil spirits in between gigs.

“K-Pop: Demon Hunters” is underway at the Oscar-winning studio behind “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse,” from directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.

Kang, whose credits include “The Lego Ninjago Movie,” is mounting the project as an homage to her Korean pride and the wildly popular K-Pop music she grew up with. The movie is described as an action adventure that follows a world-renowned girl group, as they balance their lives in the spotlight with their secret identities as demon hunters. It will be set against a colorful backdrop of fashion, food, style and music.

Joining Kang and Appelhans (“Wish Dragon”) is Oscar-winning producer Aron Warner, of “Shrek.” Hannah McMechan and Danya Jimenez, who write as a team under the moniker Hanya, are writing the script. Their recent screenplay “Luna...

“My Little Pony,” an animated movie aimed at family audiences, is heading to Netflix.

Paramount Pictures was originally set to distribute the film, which had been scheduled to open in theaters on Sept. 24, 2021. Hasbro’s entertainment studio Entertainment One produced the movie and sold it to Netflix. It will retain distribution rights in China.

Though the exact release date is unclear, “My Little Pony” is expected to land on Netflix later this year.

In the wake of ongoing movie theater closures, Hollywood studios have continued to either postpone their upcoming films or send them to streaming services. Paramount has sold several titles to streamers amid the pandemic, including Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall’s “Coming 2 America,” Aaron Sorkin’s courtroom drama “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Without Remorse” starring Michael B. Jordan. Elsewhere, Disney moved “Mulan, “Soul” and “Raya and the Last Dragon” to Disney Plus, and...

Exclusive: After action turns in Altered Carbon, Die Another Day and others The Good Doctor co-star Will Yun Lee is stepping up to developing vehicles for himself. He has teamed with Wonder Street partners Christine Holder and Mark Holder to launch Seoul Street. They will create diverse stories for TV and the big screen.

The new venture is developing a series based on a trilogy of Leonard Chang bestselling crime novels, starting with Over the Shoulder. The novels focus on Allen Choice, a Korean American bodyguard who investigates the murder of his childhood friend. The trail exposes dark family secrets about his father that are linked to race, class, and the legacy of the L.A. Riots. The novel was published by HarperCollins and St. Martin’s Press and Seoul Street acquired the trilogy in a competitive situation.

Chang is writing the show. He is currently EP on the FX drama...

Beijing cinemas were told last week they would have to operate at 50% over the holiday season from February 11-17.

Wanda Pictures’ Detective Chinatown 3, which is scheduled to open on February 12 in time for the Chinese New Year holidays, had racked up advance ticket sales of $46m as of Sunday morning (February 7), according to Chinese state media.

Directed by Chen Sicheng, the film was originally scheduled to open over Chinese New Year 2020, but was pulled when cinemas were closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Released at the end of 2015, the first film in the series, Detective Chinatown, grossed $122m, while...

In China’s second quiet weekend in a row with no notable new releases, Disney/Pixar’s “Soul” continued to hold its own, managing a sixth place finish after 45 days in theaters as local consumers looked ahead to the blockbuster bonanza of the upcoming Chinese New Year.

The key week-long holiday, which runs from Feb. 12 to 17 this year, typically accounts for nearly 10% of China’s annual national box office. It is of particular note in 2021, now that China has surpassed the U.S. as the world’s largest film market while also remaining one of the only territories worldwide where ticket sales have notably rebounded in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a weekend where no film earned more than $5 million, “Soul” grossed $1.71 million to bring its China cume up to $56 million, according to industry data source Maoyan — exceeding the firm’s most optimistic early projections. The Pete Docter...

Total revenues at $32.8m were down 12.5% from the previous weekend in quiet pre-Chinese New Year period.

Local comedy Big Red Envelope, starring Bao Bei’er and Clara Lee, remained in pole position in its second weekend at the China box office (January 29-31), according to figures from Artisan Gateway, grossing $7.4m for a cumulative total of $22.6m.

Universe Entertainment’s Shock Wave 2 came in second with $6.4m over the three-day weekend, pushing it to a cume of $186.5m. Coming in third with $5.5m, Hg Entertainment’s melodrama A Little Red Flower has reached an even mightier cume of $207.2m.

Chart positions for the top five films remained largely unchanged over the weekend in China, as the Middle Kingdom’s box office returned to a familiar early-year torpor.

Data from Artisan Gateway shows that aggregate revenues amounted to $32.8 million over the Friday to Sunday period, down from $37.5 million the previous weekend. But considering the lack of significant new releases, that outcome should be taken as a sign of success.

That indicates that cinemas are largely operating normally in China, as they have been since social distancing and capacity restrictions were lowered (to 75%) in October last year, and that localized shutdowns due to a revival of the coronavirus are having little impact on the industry’s overall revenues.

For the year to date, Chinese cinemas have earned gross revenues of $512 million, 48% up compared with $345 million in the same period last year.

From now on the gap between 2021 and 2020 performances will continue to grow.

A Little Red Flower came in second with $7m for a cumulative total of $196.9m.

Local comedy Big Red Envelope topped China’s box office over the weekend January 22-24, according to figures from theatrical consultancy Artisan Gateway, grossing $8m in its first three days.

Directed by Li Kelong and starring Bao Bei’er and Clara Lee, the film’s title refers to the red paper packets used in China to give money as gifts, especially during the Chinese New Year celebrations. Although the film topped the box office over its opening weekend, it drew a mixed response from audiences,...

Mildly titillating romantic comedy “Big Red Envelope” topped the box office rankings in China as overall takings in the world’s biggest theatrical movie market amounted to a lowly $37.5 million over the weekend.

The new release title may be intended as a critique of obsessions with money, gifting culture and societal status – red packets are gifts of money in Chinese culture, given especially, but not exclusively, at Chinese New Year – but chunks of the audience were not buying it.

Online comments suggested that the film pulled its punches, that the central romance was too far-fetched, and that it was largely an excuse in male gratification with the camera lingering on Clara Lee’s curvy figure. She plays opposite reliable Bao Baier in the picture directed by Li Kelong.

The picture earned a woeful 4.7 out of 10 rating at online film discussion platform Douban, and somewhat better 8.4 score on ticketing platform Taopioaopiao.

Netflix has picked up from Sony Pictures Animation the worldwide rights (excluding China) to “The Mitchells Vs. The Machines,” an animated film that’s produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, who were behind the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”

The film at one point had its title changed to “Connected” by the studio, but it has since gone back to its original title. The animated film was supposed to come out theatrically on October 23, 2020 and was then unset.

“The Mitchells Vs The Machines” stars Danny McBride, Abbi Jacobson, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman and Blake Griffin. No new release date has been set, but Netflix says it will arrive later this year.

The movie is a family comedy about how technology gets in the way of family connections and involves a father who plans a road trip sans phones or screens to his daughter’s new college,...