Pictures: Netflix
Netflix and others are showcasing their latest animation projects at the annual Annecy Film Festival all this week. New projects are debuted, new details and assets are shared, and some big world premieres are taking place. Here’s a rundown of everything Netflix showcased throughout the week and what was announced.
Note: This post will be updated throughout the week to reflect new information as and when we get it.
Last week, we should mention that Netflix debuted much of the news regarding its upcoming slate of animated movies, series, and anime titles at the Next on Netflix: Animation event in Los Angeles. That event rather took the wind out of the sail of Netflix’s Annecy lineup, which is disappointing for anyone attending the event today, but it is what it is.
Despite this, some big talent was assembled for proceedings at the quaint, picturesque town of Annecy in Southern France:
Picture: Netflix
Left to Right Front Row: Nicole P. Hearon (Producer/That Christmas), Andrew Goldberg (Co-Creator/Exec Producer/Big Mouth), Deborah Snyder (Exec Producer/Twilight of the Gods), Jennifer Flackett (Co-Creator/Exec Producer/Big Mouth), Vicky Jenson (Director/Spellbound), Yuriko Okada (Producer), Slimane Aniss (Animation Director, Xilam/ Twilight of the Gods), Jay Oliva (Co-Creator, Executive Producer and Director/Twilight of the Gods), Fabrice Joubert (Director/Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight)
Left to Right Back Row: Richard Curtis (Co-Writer, Exec Producer/That Christmas), Simon Otto (Director/That Christmas), Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn (Production Designer/That Christmas), Mark Levin (Co-Creator/Exec Producer/Big Mouth), Zack Snyder (Creator, Exec Producer, Director/Twilight of the Gods), Yoshiaki Nishimura (Screenplay Writer, Producer/The Imaginary), John Aoshima (Co-Director/Ultraman: Rising), Shannon Tindle (Writer, Director/Ultraman: Rising), Nick Park (Director/Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl), Alain Chabat (Creator, Director/Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight), Merlin Crossingham (Director/Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl)
Let’s review every title showcased (in alphabetical order) and what was announced or debuted throughout the week:
Arcane (Season 2)
Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2024
Coming to Netflix: November 2024 (Exact date and rollout still TBD)
Details: The next season of the highly anticipated second season of the League of Legends animated series will see the return of voices, including Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Katie Leung.
Annecy Details: On Tuesday, we received the latest teaser trailer for the upcoming second season, which will be released on Netflix globally in November 2024. The teaser came alongside four new photos, plus the bombshell announcement that season 2 will be the last of Arcane. Don’t worry, though; the showrunner has teased additional TV and film projects for the future. In addition, on Monday, we received word that Arcane will soon receive a physical Blu-ray/4K release.
Also, on Tuesday, there will be a Making Of session with showrunner Christian Linke, scriptwriter Amanda Overton, senior concept artist Arnaud Baudry, director Bart Maunoury, and producer Christine Ponzevera.
Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight
Picture: Netflix
Coming to Netflix: 2025
Project Details: An animated feature film based on the long-running French comic strip that was most recently adapted into a live-action movie that resides on Netflix.
Annecy Details: The only big reveal for Annecy Film Festival from Netflix that wasn’t gazumped by Next on Netflix: Animation last week was the title reveal and first looks for Asterix & Obelix: The Big Fight. Alain Chabat and Fabrice Joubert, who are directors of the French series showcased a new clip from the show plus the above first look reveal.
Chabat said: “After the extraordinary experience of making the film “Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra” and the audience’s reception, it is an immense pleasure to dive back into the universe and characters created by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo! Animation brings us back to the very essence of the work and offers new creative spaces to have fun in different ways. Revealing the first images (even WIP) at Annecy is a privilege and a great joy shared with the team!”
Asterix Obelix Special Presentation – Picture: Netflix
Big Mouth (Season 8)
Big Mouth Season 8. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2024
Coming to Netflix: 2025
Details: The final season of Netflix’s long-running animated adult sitcom series.
Annecy Details: Making-of session will take place on June 13th with Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin.
Spellbound
Picture: Skydance Animation / Netflix
Coming to Netflix: November 22nd, 2024
Details: The first major animated feature film from Skydance Animation following its switch from Apple to Netflix. Directed by Vicky Jenson, it is about the young daughter of a ruler who must go on an adventure to save her family after her parents have been transformed into monsters.
Annecy Details: We got the release date and first looks for Spellbound last week at the Next on Netflix: Animation presentation but an additional sneak peek was revealed at the presentation at Annecy.
Vicky Jenson attended and said, “I am so looking forward to bringing a preview of Spellbound to Annecy. The audiences there are some of the most enthusiastic in the world and are filled with not only animation fans but also students, professionals and old colleagues! Spellbound is a truly special film, and I could not be more proud of it and every artist who helped to make it happen. It is a new fairytale that, while feeling rooted in classic storytelling, has a twist that is both unexpected and universal at the same time.”
That Christmas
Picture: Netflix
Coming to Netflix: December 2024
Details: A new family Christmas movie from Netflix from director Simon Otto based on the books by Richard Curtis. The voice cast will include Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, and Jodie Whittaker.
Annecy Details: On June 11th, Richard Curtis, Simon Otto, Nicole Hearon, and Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn participated in a work-in-progress session where various stages of production were detailed.
The Smurfs
Picture: Peyo Company
Details: The Smurfs is the long-running kids franchise that has been adapted into multiple series and movies over the years, with the most recent iteration coming to Netflix after the series airs on Nickelodeon each year.
Annecy Announcements: Peyo Company confirmed on Tuesday at Annecy that they’d renewed The Smurfs for a fourth season in addition to the upcoming third season. A representative for the show told What’s on Netflix that both of those new seasons will eventually join Netflix globally. The second season is currently set to debut on June 30th, 2024.
The Twits
Picture: Netflix
Coming to Netflix: 2025 TBD
Details: Movie adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl story from director Phil Johnston and co-directors Katie Shanahan and Todd Demong.
Annecy Details: A new clip was debuted at the Next on Netflix presentation in addition to all the new photos and clips released for the feature film last week, which included the news that among the voice cast would be Margo Martindale and Johnny Vegas with Natalie Portman and Emilia Clarke.
Twilight of the Gods
Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2024
Coming to Netflix: September 19th, 2024
Project Details: In development for several years, Zack Snyder is attached to this new animated series inspired by Norse mythology, which features a voice cast that includes Kristofer Hivju, Lauren Cohan, and Jessica Henwick.
Annecy Reveals: Most of the big reveals for Twilight of the Gods came last week through the Next on Netflix: Animation presentation, where we got many new first looks. Animation Magazine also inadvertently revealed the release date for the series, which was confirmed today by Snyder, who was in attendance on stage.
Zack and Deborah Snyder, alongside the art director Slimane Aniss, participated in a Q&A with Snyder saying in a statement, “We are so excited to make our first voyage to Annecy, such a remarkable showcase for groundbreaking animation, with our series, Twilight Of The Gods, a monumental tale, steeped in the rich lore of Norse Mythology, of mortals and gods facing off in a pitched battle, where the lines between honor and revenge are blurred. It has been an amazing journey creating this epic series in partnership with both Netflix and Xilam. We’re thrilled for audiences to finally see it – on a big screen.”
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Picture: Netflix / Aardman
Coming to Netflix: 2024 in the UK outside of Netflix and expected in early 2025 on Netflix everywhere else.
Details: The first major Wallace & Gromit feature film since 2005, Nick Park (the original creator) and Merlin Crossingham are directing a new film where Wallace invents a new smart gnome that develops a mind of its own.
Annecy Details: Ahead of Annecy, Netflix and the BBC revealed the new title, a general release window, and the return of Feathers McGraw for the long-awaited return of Wallace & Gromit to the big screen. The new film was shown at the main presentation. Throughout the week, there’s a Wallace & Gromit Exhibition “featuring some of the puppets from Aardman’s new film, which will take center stage and celebrate these beloved stop-motion characters.”
Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham spoke during the main presentation, saying, “Annecy has welcomed Wallace and Gromit warmly and generously for many years, and so there couldn’t be a more perfect festival for us to share a special sneak peek of our latest upcoming Wallace and Gromit extravaganza, ‘Vengeance Most Fowl’. It’s so exciting to return to Annecy again, stepping away from production for a couple of days, to share a special taster of the latest madcap adventure we’ve been cooking up for the duo over the last couple of years and to reveal the return of our most infamous villain, Feathers McGraw!”
Netflix also re-iterated that Chicken Run: Eggstraction is still on the way to Netflix Games with involvement from Aardman and is set to drop later this year.
In addition to all of the above, Blue Eye Samurai and Pokemon Concierge remain in official competition at the festival. Ultraman: Rising also had a screening this week before its Friday debut. We’ll let you know how they get on in due course.
That’s all we’ve got for now! Keep checking back for all the latest Annecy Film Festival news as and when we get it.