Celebrating the Art, Craft and Business of Animation https://www.awn.com/ en-US 15 Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:23:54 -0800 Tue, 16 Dec 2025 07:22:58 -0800 https://www.awn.com/animationworld/jeff-kinney-talks-parenting-and-diary-wimpy-kid-last-straw The hugely successful author and screenwriter brings his and his team’s personal experience – and plenty of real stories – to the new 3DCG film about Greg Heffley dealing with his father Frank’s outsized expectations; based on his novels that follow a disaster-prone middle school student, it’s now streaming on Disney+. Victoria Davis https://www.awn.com/animationworld/jeff-kinney-talks-parenting-and-diary-wimpy-kid-last-straw Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:23:54 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/webtoon-announces-2026-creator-program-expansion A new suite of programs will empower more Creators with expanded monetization opportunities and international creator engagement; Creator Residency will roll out in 2026. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/webtoon-announces-2026-creator-program-expansion Thu, 11 Dec 2025 12:24:02 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/shorts-focus-mckinley-bensons-two-ships Writer/director McKinley Benson, writer/producer Mackenzie Benson, and EP Jodi Benson talk about the beauty of the ordinary, like sticky notes left on a refrigerator, and how little moments between two people take on such special meaning in their award winning 2D film about how a couple working opposite schedules tries to maintain their connection through fleeting encounters. Victoria Davis https://www.awn.com/animationworld/shorts-focus-mckinley-bensons-two-ships Thu, 11 Dec 2025 11:03:14 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/walrus-taxi-driver-and-talking-plant-baku-kinoshita-interview Columnist Andrew Osmond talks to the director about his 2 acclaimed anime, the TV series ‘Odd Taxi’ and his new film, ‘The Last Blossom.’ Andrew Osmond https://www.awn.com/animationworld/walrus-taxi-driver-and-talking-plant-baku-kinoshita-interview Wed, 03 Dec 2025 12:20:15 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/obscured-releasing-premiere-endless-cookie-new-york-los-angeles Watch the official trailer - the multi-award-winning animated documentary from Seth and Peter Scriver, a colorful depiction of the many overlapping episodes of their lives, will release on December 5. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/obscured-releasing-premiere-endless-cookie-new-york-los-angeles Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:13:14 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/scott-kreamer-gets-nostalgic-talking-jurassic-world-chaos-theorys-final-season For the show’s longtime executive producer, the last 9 episodes of DreamWorks’ hit 3DCG series brings the story of ‘The Nublar Six’ to a satisfying – and action-packed - conclusion; debuts November 20 on Netflix. Victoria Davis https://www.awn.com/animationworld/scott-kreamer-gets-nostalgic-talking-jurassic-world-chaos-theorys-final-season Thu, 20 Nov 2025 13:57:58 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/lord-and-millers-project-hail-mary-trailer-2-drops Ryan Gosling puts the ‘not’ in ‘astronaut’ as a 6th grade teacher who wakes up on a spaceship with no idea how he got there… until he remembers he’s Earth’s only hope to avoid extinction; in theaters March 20, 2026. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/lord-and-millers-project-hail-mary-trailer-2-drops Tue, 18 Nov 2025 8:29:11 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/tickets-now-sale-53rd-annie-awards The annual event that recognizes the animation industry’s most talented artists and projects returns to UCLA’s Royce Hall on Saturday, February 21, 2026. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/tickets-now-sale-53rd-annie-awards Mon, 17 Nov 2025 11:51:10 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/simpsons-writer-dan-mcgrath-passes-61 The award-winning creative, also known for his work on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘King of the Hill,’ passed away Friday in Brooklyn after suffering a stroke. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/simpsons-writer-dan-mcgrath-passes-61 Mon, 17 Nov 2025 8:17:43 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/fx-sets-sh-gun-season-2-cast-directors-writers Asami Mizukawa, Masataka Kubota, Sho Kaneta, Takaaki Enoki, and Jun Kunimura join the series for the new season, which is set 10 years after events of Season 1. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/fx-sets-sh-gun-season-2-cast-directors-writers Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:23:04 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/wednesdays-gramps-who-knew-grandpa-had-game Directors Chris and Justin Copeland, and producer Shabrayia Cleaver, discuss their collaboration on the new DreamWorks animated short about a teenage boy who visits his Gramps at a seemingly boring assisted living facility, only to find they had more than he thought in common. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/wednesdays-gramps-who-knew-grandpa-had-game Wed, 12 Nov 2025 15:58:33 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/takeshi-koike-talks-lupin-third Anime columnist Andrew Osmond interviews the director about his 13 years spent working on the famous franchise based on the manga by Monkey Punch. Andrew Osmond https://www.awn.com/animationworld/takeshi-koike-talks-lupin-third Thu, 06 Nov 2025 17:20:02 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/toyota-launches-grip-toyota-movie-anime-campaign-short Directed by Yoriaki Mochizuki, the 10-minute piece from Intertrend Communications marks the final chapter in the car company’s GRIP series and the brand’s first-ever anime film. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/toyota-launches-grip-toyota-movie-anime-campaign-short Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:59:42 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/oscar-winner-peter-ramsey-boards-popsicle-animated-short-executive-producer The ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ director, who has supported the project for the last 2 years, joins the production, from visionary filmmaker Vani Balgam, about a South Indian teenage tennis prodigy whose game changes when her father falls into a coma; the Kickstarter campaign is now live. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/oscar-winner-peter-ramsey-boards-popsicle-animated-short-executive-producer Thu, 06 Nov 2025 13:17:45 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/teaser-drops-baahubali-eternal-war-part-1-animated-feature The upcoming 3D epic from director Ishan Shukla serves as a spin-off of the original 2 ‘Baahubali’ live-action movies; the film, from Aniventure, Zaratan, Alcyde and Arka Productions, releases in 2027. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/teaser-drops-baahubali-eternal-war-part-1-animated-feature Tue, 04 Nov 2025 13:23:57 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/news/keanu-reeves-and-tim-miller-teaming-shiver-sci-fi-feature The pair, who recently worked together on Prime Video’s ‘Secret Level’ anthology short ‘Asset Management,’ are attached to the film about a smuggler who is double-crossed on the Caribbean Sea; Warner Bros. is in talks to acquire. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/keanu-reeves-and-tim-miller-teaming-shiver-sci-fi-feature Mon, 03 Nov 2025 10:46:37 PST Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/tale-2-chainsaw-men As ‘Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc’ proves it’s not just ‘Demon Slayer’ that can storm the U.S. box office, anime columnist Andrew Osmond looks over the franchise on both big and small screens. Andrew Osmond https://www.awn.com/animationworld/tale-2-chainsaw-men Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:23:00 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/how-i-made-new-specimen-unreal-engine-5 Dimitri Vallein, a real-time 3D director and technologist, shares with AWN a comprehensive breakdown of his short film project and how it was created, animated, simulated, and rendered using UE5. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/how-i-made-new-specimen-unreal-engine-5 Mon, 27 Oct 2025 16:48:31 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/exclusive-excerpt-toxie-team-5-comic-toxic-avenger AHOY Comics shares the cover and Pages 1-5 reveal of the fifth of 5 issues; Toxie crosses mops with Swamp Cop and Schitt, the crooked mutant cops from ‘Justice Warriors;’ available October 29. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/exclusive-excerpt-toxie-team-5-comic-toxic-avenger Thu, 23 Oct 2025 11:07:20 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/curtis-baxter-pen-war-no-name-webtoon-series The writer is also adapting the epic Robert Repino sci-fi book franchise into an 8-episode animated series; Webtoon slated for early 2026 release. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/curtis-baxter-pen-war-no-name-webtoon-series Thu, 23 Oct 2025 8:58:11 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/tiktok-adult-swim-joe-cappa-explains-his-path-haha-you-clowns The creator walks through his improbable journey from 40-second film to 1-minute shorts to network TV series; his show, about 3 doting teenagers and their tenderhearted dad, premiered October 19. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/tiktok-adult-swim-joe-cappa-explains-his-path-haha-you-clowns Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:08:03 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/oscar-winning-piper-director-alan-barillaro-releases-bunns-rabbit The highly illustrated ‘graphic-ish’ novel for young readers tells the story of a rabbit born with small ears who braves staring neighbors and disapproving elders to explore the wonderful world outside the warren; see the author at LightBox Expo on October 25. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/oscar-winning-piper-director-alan-barillaro-releases-bunns-rabbit Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:07:12 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/x-men-97-renewed-season-3-sets-season-2-release-window Marvel’s New York Comic Con panel added to its bevy of Disney+ show reveals when Marvel Television and Marvel Animation head Brad Winderbaum was joined by Eric and Julia Lewald, the original ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ creators, to share footage and news from the hit show’s upcoming season. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/x-men-97-renewed-season-3-sets-season-2-release-window Sun, 12 Oct 2025 14:45:49 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/violent-anime-sunao-katabuchi-and-black-lagoon Andrew Osmond considers one of the best violent series and how its director showed that anime is so much more than violence. Andrew Osmond https://www.awn.com/animationworld/violent-anime-sunao-katabuchi-and-black-lagoon Thu, 09 Oct 2025 18:17:58 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/chris-appelhans-reflects-kpop-demon-hunters-and-scad-impact-award The writer/director of the smash Netflix animated musical, honored at last month’s SCAD AnimationFest, talks about the film’s exploration of identity, acceptance and found family and how that resonated with him as one of the film’s creators. Victoria Davis https://www.awn.com/animationworld/chris-appelhans-reflects-kpop-demon-hunters-and-scad-impact-award Thu, 09 Oct 2025 15:11:38 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/nigerian-animated-short-okunkun-lo-now-streaming-youtube The project, from animator and director Bankole Lasekan, follows a schoolboy and baby rhino who are forced into an alliance for survival in the African savannah. L'Wren Alexa https://www.awn.com/news/nigerian-animated-short-okunkun-lo-now-streaming-youtube Wed, 08 Oct 2025 17:21:12 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/news/great-north-not-moving-forward-fox The animated comedy created and written by ‘Bob’s Burgers’ EPs Wendy Molyneux, Lizzy Molyneux-Logelin and writer Minty Lewis, about the Alaskan adventures of the Tobin family, ends its network run after 5 seasons as part of the Animation Domination lineup. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/news/great-north-not-moving-forward-fox Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:04:26 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/sisters-grimm-sleuthing-siblings-very-famous-ancestors Author and EP Michael Buckley went through years of development hell adapting his book series until he met Amy Higgins, whose non-cookie cutter take on the story and its not always likeable characters was both real… and real risky; debuts October 3 on Apple TV+.    Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/sisters-grimm-sleuthing-siblings-very-famous-ancestors Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:00:11 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/crunchyroll-gives-crash-course-adapting-western-webcomics-anime Creators Leeanne M. Krecic, Brandon Lee and producer Heather Horn break down the challenges of collaboration with Japanese studios, from character proportions and redesigns to culture-specific romance cues and etiquette. Victoria Davis https://www.awn.com/animationworld/crunchyroll-gives-crash-course-adapting-western-webcomics-anime Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:55:12 PDT Writing https://www.awn.com/animationworld/season-37-simpsons-here-whos-counting Co-EPs Cesar Mazariegos and Jessica Conrad talk about the brand-new record-breaking season of the longest running primetime show in TV history, fresh off a 4-season renewal, with episode 800 set for 2026, a sequel feature coming in 2027, and a creative team that still keeps it fresh. Dan Sarto https://www.awn.com/animationworld/season-37-simpsons-here-whos-counting Tue, 30 Sep 2025 17:51:29 PDT Writing