Netflix Debuts ‘Castlevania: Nocturne’ Season 2 Trailer
The Vampire Messiah animated thriller series gets another go at enslaving humanity when new episodes hit the streamer on January 16, 2025.
75th Annual ACE Eddie Awards Nominees Revealed
‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Moana 2,’ ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,’ and ‘The Wild Robot’ are nominated in the best edited animated features category; winners for outstanding editing will be announced at the January 18 awards ceremony.
Hiroyuki Sanada, Takashi Yamazaki Receive Special VES Awards
Actor/producer Sanada is honored with the VES Award for Creative Excellence, while FX supervisor/filmmaker Yamazaki receives the VES Visionary Award; both will be presented at the 23rd Annual VES Awards on February 11, 2025.
Disney+ Drops ‘The Simpsons’ Holiday Special Trailer
The Christmas-themed double episode, ‘O C’mon All Ye Faithful,’ which guest stars Pentatonix, Patti LaBelle, and Derren Brown, premieres December 17.
BUCK, Blur Studio Team for ‘Secret Level’ Main Titles
The duo created both the opening titles and episode title sequences for the animated anthology series, drawing inspiration from pixels and cubes, the fundamental building blocks of video games.
DC, DC Studios, Max Team to Launch ‘DC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast’
Hosts Frankey Smith & Tyler Coates, with comic correspondent Coy Jandreau, break down the latest on all things DC and DC Studios in the unscripted video podcast series.
Triggerfish, UNESCO Team for ‘The Creator Labs’ Initiative
Applications for the program to advance women in the African animation industry are open now until January 5, 2025; opportunity is open to talent across Africa, with a Director Lab for aspiring directors and an Animation Art Lab for artists.
CyberAgent Drops Teaser Trailer for ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’
The anime series adaptation of ‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ manga by Mokumokuren, which follows a boy who experiences strange incidents with an entity impersonating his best friend, will stream on Netflix in 2025.
Crunchyroll Drops ‘Solo Leveling’ Season 2 Trailer, Opening Theme
New song ‘ReawakeR,’ performed by LiSA, featuring Felix from Stray Kids, and composed by Hiroyuki SAWANO, featured in trailer; season premieres January 2025.
European Film and Audiovisual Markets Group Launches F.A.M.E. Alliance
The 24 signatories aim to unify the region and address industry challenges while supporting independent creation, diversity in storytelling, and smaller production countries.
‘Attack on Titan: Invasion’ Metaverse Experience Now Available
Humanity depends on players for survival in ‘The Sandbox’ experience, which offers tower defense game-style gameplay set in the world of the iconic manga.
The Animation Guild Releases Statement on Contract Ratification
The guild’s executive board reacts to what it notes are ‘a small minority’ getting ‘an outsized voice’ regarding the tentative AMPTP agreement, saying it has voted unanimously to recommend ratification.
Aardman Appoints 3 New Members to Board of Trustees
Caroline Norbury OBE, Deep Sehgal, and Laurence Green boast experience across advertising, creative industries, and Film & TV; will help ensure company runs to the standards and values of its employees and Aardman’s founders.
3 Animation Guild Leaders to Vote Against New Contract
Several members of the negotiating committee have expressed discontent on social media over the guild’s new AMPTP tentative agreement, citing a lack of protections for artists against generative AI and staffing minimums.
AVAF, SAIK, Toonz Team for International AniMela-AMS Fest
The event, which features a strategic partnership with the Annecy Festival, is scheduled for March 6–9, 2025, and will offer knowledge centers, experiential zones, film screenings, and professional networking opportunities for India's creative sector.
Barrier Four, Netflix Team on ‘Cobra Kai,’ ‘Spellbound’ Experiences on Roblox
In a novel move the animation studio has dubbed 'Playable Media,' both experiences allow players to engage in fully interactive, playable scenes directly from both universes.
Hulu Unveils ‘The Bravest Knight’ Season 2 First Look
All six episodes of the Hulu Original, GLAAD Media Award-winning 2D animated series premiere on December 13.
52nd Annual Saturn Awards Nominees Announced
This year’s Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films ceremony will be held on Sunday, February 2, 2025 in Los Angeles; will stream live on ElectricNOW and The Roku Channel for free.
The Animation Guild Unveils New Contract Terms
Members have expressed discontent over the agreement negotiated by the guild (TAG 839), citing a lack of protections for artists against generative AI and staffing minimums.
Prime Video Drops Official Trailer for ‘Invincible’ Season 3
The first 3 episodes of Robert Kirkman’s hit animated series set for February 6, 2025 debut, with additional episode drops every Thursday through March 13.
EdenX Unveils ‘AI Movie Theme Park’ Software
The gen AI-powered video platform allows fans of film and TV to create highly personalized and interactive movies based on a single selfie with their gen AI software.
82nd Golden Globe Awards Nominations Announced
‘The Wild Robot’ scores nods in best animated motion picture, best original score, best original song, and best cinematic achievement, while ‘Flow,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Memoir of a Snail,’ ‘Moana 2,’ and ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ are also nominated for best animated motion picture; winners will be announced at an awards ceremony January 5, 2025 live on CBS and streaming on Paramount+.
‘That Christmas’ Now Streaming on Netflix
The festive 3DCG animated feature from Locksmith Animation, directed by Simon Otto, and based on the kids’ book trilogy by famed author Richard Curtis, debuted December 4.
White Board Geeks Workers Rally for Fair Contract
The dozen animation workers oppose pay cuts, call for improved benefits such as health care, and seek fair job security protections.
Disney Releases Taika Waititi’s ‘The Boy & The Octopus’ BTS Look
Go behind-the-scenes with the director of the holiday short, now streaming on YouTube, that follows the journey of a child who discovers a curious octopus attached to his head during a family vacation.
