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Give the gift of unforgettable animation to the film lover or collector in your life with the acclaimed works of Laika, a studio that has redefined the art of stop-motion. This includes the unforgetable ParaNorman.

In collaboration with Laika, Anime Limited is thrilled to announce the release of brand-new 4K Uhd & Blu-ray Limited Edition Steelbooks for these iconic films, now available to order from leading retailers and to celebrate we have one to give away.

Win a 4K + Bd Steelbook copy of ParaNorman

Directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), the dark fantasy Coraline — widely hailed as one of the greatest animated films ever made — leads the pack, celebrating its 15th anniversary. Joining it are The Boxtrolls as well as ParaNorman and Kubo and the Two Strings. All four films earned Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature in their respective years, with Kubo and the Two Strings also...

For the past 15 years, Laika Studios has been beguiling audiences around the world with their works of stop-motion animation. From deliciously dark fantasy Coraline to zombie comedy ParaNorman, dairy-infused delight The Boxtrolls, soulful samurai epic Kubo And The Two Strings, and, most recently, sasquatchian swashbuckler Missing Link, every one of the Portland-based outfit’s animated features to date has been an Oscar nomineed. Now, with Laika: Frame x Frame — a free exhibition being presented alongside the BFI’s Stop Motion: Celebrating Hand-Crafted Animation on the Big Screen season this summer — the studio is preparing to showcase the art and science behind their beloved films like never before.

Ahead of the exhibition’s launch at the BFI Southbank on 12 August, we took the opportunity to sit down with Laika productions’ Dan Pascall and Chief Archivist Alina Campbell over Zoom and pick their brains about the art and craftsmanship that goes in to a Laika movie,...

Netflix has delivered some incredible animated movies recently, some of the decade'd best so far. Last year the streaming service released two Academy Award nominated movies with The Sea Beast and the Oscar-winning Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio. This year, we can imagine that the same will be true for the streaming service, thanks to the hilarious, heart-wrenching, and simply fantastic animated flick, Nimona. With all those previous titles getting praise, it's hard to imagine that Netflix and the creatives behind these animated movies will drop the ball any time soon. However, Netflix's latest animated outing, The Monkey King fails to live up to the rest. However, it could still grab the attention of younger audiences.

The Monkey King is simply a forgettable animated flick that doesn't offer enough to keep audiences engaged. There are plenty of other animated flicks to watch this year instead. The characters are pretty irritating,...

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...

Director Anthony Stacchi revealed how the sound designers behind Netflix's The Monkey King gave Stick his unique singing voice.

Per IndieWire, Stacchi explained the challenges creators faced when it came to animating the titular Monkey King's trusty weapon and sidekick, Stick. "Early on, we wanted Monkey King to have his own little theme song," Stacchi said. "And so when we approached Voodoo Kung Fu to do a heavy metal song, that's how we met Nan Li, who does throat singing." The director additionally claimed the film's sound designers had already been struggling to find the right effects for months at that time, and were disappointed when preliminary audio samples for Stick came across as too robotic.

Related: After Such a Long Delay, Chicken Run 2 Must Live Up to the Hype

Fortunately, Nan Li proposed a unique alternative for the magical staff. "We played Nan Li some of the stuff,...

For director Anthony Stacchi (“The Box Trolls”), re-energizing the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” for Netflix’s animated feature “The Monkey King” meant turning the titular character into something very modern: an antihero. This was supported by executive producer Stephen Chow (“Kung Fu Hustle”), who previously directed a live-action version of “Journey to the West.”

“Stephen Chow has made a career of making heroes out of really unlikeable jerks,” Stacchi told IndieWire. “And you stick with ’em on their journey ’cause you know why they are the way they are, and you’re hoping for them to redeem themselves. So we did that here. He is a selfish, arrogant jerk from the beginning, and that way through the end. But you understand why he’s fighting for acceptance, you know where his anti-authoritarian attitude comes from.”

They also emphasized a goofy tone throughout the journey, in which Monkey King...

Back in the early ’90s, a New Jersey-based company called GoodTimes Entertainment carved out a place for itself in the home-video space churning out straight-to-video knockoffs of Disney animated features. While “The Lion King” was in theaters, there was GoodTimes’ “Leo the Lion: King of the Jungle” on retail shelves, packaged (for maximum mix-uppability) in Disney’s signature white clamshell case. From a copyright perspective, GoodTimes’ strategy was super-sketchy, but as far as parents were concerned, it was easy to get confused — and most kids probably didn’t know the difference.

That bait-and-switch phenomenon crossed my mind when I saw that Netflix was making “The Monkey King,” which — like GoodTimes’ “Aladdin” or “The Little Mermaid” — was certainly fair game, since the source material (the 16th-century Chinese classic “Journey to the West”) was squarely in the public domain. The cynical part of my brain instantly imagined that the streamer was churning...

Netflix's "The Monkey King" falls short due to a poor script that lacks a dramatic center and fails to hook the audience. The film initially presents a clear motivation for the Monkey King's character, but fails to explore this emotional thread further. The lack of dramatic focus and disjointed plot make it difficult for viewers to care about the characters and their goals in the film.

Editor's note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn't exist.

In this particularly exciting time for animation, when movies like the Spider-Verse series, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Tmnt: Mutant Mayhem seem to herald a new wave of Hollywood studio creativity, it is much more noticeable when an animated film is sub-par. Critics have a history of sitting...

The Monkey King is an animated movie on Netflix that adapts a 16th-century novel, featuring the charismatic Monkey on a quest to defeat demons. The movie explores Monkey's ego as his greatest challenge and how a young girl helps him change his perspective on the world. The adaptation incorporates classic characters from Chinese mythology, offering a fresh take on the legendary tale with important lessons for today's audience.

Screen Rant is thrilled to present a clip from Netflix's new animated movie, The Monkey King. The movie adapts the first few chapters of the 16th-century novel Journey to the West by Wu Cheng’en. The Monkey King follows a charismatic monkey, aka Monkey King, who has a magical fighting Stick, on a quest to defeat more than 100 demons and an eccentric Dragon King. However, the Monkey King's greatest challenge will be overcoming his own ego.

On his journey, a young village girl...

The 16th century literary classic Journey to the West is the mother of all Chinese fantasy. The mythological saga has spawned countless adaptations in various media across Asia and beyond, from the cult late ‘70s Japanese TV series to Peking Opera, videogames, graphic novels and a stage spectacle with a score by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and design elements by Gorillaz illustrator Jamie Hewlett.

Prominent among the innumerable film versions is the 2013 blockbuster Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, directed by Stephen Chow. A similar livewire action-comedy energy infuses Netflix’s The Monkey King, a children’s animated feature based on the sprawling novel’s most popular strand, on which Chow serves as executive producer.

Following well-received originals like Klaus, Over the Moon, My Father’s Dragon, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood — plus such smart acquisitions as The Mitchells vs. the Machines...

An exclusive new featurette delves deeper into the legend of The Monkey King, the computer-animated fantasy adventure that is due to land on Netflix on Friday. Coming courtesy of the streaming giant, The Monkey King will take audiences back to a time of ancient gods and demons and, of course, the egotistical outcast known as The Monkey King. You can check out our exclusive featurette below.

Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a rebellious and charismatic monkey and his magical fighting stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego. Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big ripple effect on the pond of time.

The Monkey King is directed by...

Where to Watch Powered by The Monkey King is an animated Netflix adaptation of Wu Cheng'en's classic novel, Journey to the West, featuring the iconic character from Chinese mythology. It incorporates new elements while staying true to the original story. The creative team, including director Anthony Stacchi and producer Peilin Chou, aimed to preserve the authentic personality of Monkey as an original superhero and anti-hero. They emphasize Monkey's transformative spiritual journey and his unique character traits that don't fit into a typical Western animated film structure. The adaptation prioritizes Monkey's character preservation, integrates spiritual elements from the original story, and introduces new aspects such as the character of Lin and anthropomorphizing Monkey's magical stick. The animation style and visual choices aim to create a visually stunning and fresh viewing experience.

Netflix's upcoming animated movie The Monkey King is an adaptation of the first few chapters of Wu Cheng’en...

Special mention went to Chinese feature ‘Flaming Cloud’.

Malaysian drama Abang Adik scooped the top prize at the New York Asian Film Festival, which closed last night with a screening of Netflix animation The Monkey King.

Abang Adik received the Uncaged Award for best feature film, beating eight other titles from across Asia in Nyaff’s competition strand. It marks the directorial debut feature of Jin Ong and follows two orphaned brothers whose bond is tested after a brutal accident.

Director Ong was in New York to present the North American premiere of the film at the festival. Accepting the award,...

Producer Pellin Chou set to attend special screening.

Netflix animation The Monkey King has been set as the closing film of the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival (Nyaff), marking the first time the festival has partnered with the streaming giant.

The special screening will take place on July 30, more than two weeks before the August 18 premiere on Netflix worldwide. It will be attended by Netflix Animation producer Peilin Chou, a former Oriental Dreamworks executive who produced Abominable and was Oscar-nominated for Over The Moon.

The feature is directed by Anthony Stacchi, who was nominated for an Oscar in 2015 for co-directing The Boxtrolls,...

Netflix's Journey to the West-inspired animated film has debuted its first official trailer.

Via Netflix's YouTube Channel, The Monkey King sees its titular character journey alongside Lin and Stick in an action-packed adventure to defeat 100 demons and ascend to heaven. Shunned from a young age, the trailer's opening line addressing Monkey King as "the bravest, most epic, most spectacul-errifc, amazing-derful" speaks to the movie's narrative arc of overcoming ego to become a hero, and draws similarities to the hero of Chinese lore, Sun Wukong.

Related: Nimona Homages Kick-Ass' Most Brutal Scene - But Makes It Lighter

Netflix's official synopsis reads: "Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey (Jimmy O. Yang) and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego!

"The Monkey King" is a new animated comedy feature, directed by Anthony Stacchi, starring Jimmy O. Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Nan Li, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Bd Wong, Andrew Kishino, Sophie Wu, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie, Andrew Pang, Stephanie Hsu, and Kuno Inghram, streaming August 18, 2023 on Netflix:

"...'The Monkey King' is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic 'Monkey' and his magical fighting 'Stick' on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric 'Dragon King' and Monkey’s greatest foe of all — his own ego.

"Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big effect on the world..."

Click the images to enlarge...

"Maybe defeating everyone isn't the answer. Maybe... it's helping other people." Netflix has revealed the trailer for The Monkey King animated movie, directed by animation filmmaker Anthony Stacchi, with animation by ReelFX. Inspired by an epic Chinese tale, The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey (voiced by Jimmy O. Yang) and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory fighting over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego! This will be streaming on Netflix worldwide starting in August. Sounds like fun! The voice cast includes Jimmy O. Yang with Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Nan Li, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Bd Wong, Andrew Kishino, Sophie Wu and many others. This reminds me of DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda in the look and feel. I can appreciate how they handle the plot about his ego,...

The official trailer as well as new photos from the forthcoming Netflix film The Monkey King have just been released. You can check them out above and below.

Synopsis: The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a rebellious and charismatic Monkey and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all —his own ego! Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big effect on the world.

About The Film

Starring: Jimmy O. Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Nan Li, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Bd Wong, Andrew Kishino, Sophie Wu, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie, Andrew Pang, Stephanie Hsu, Kuno Inghram Director: Anthony Stacchi Producer: Peilin Chou

The Monkey King premieres on Netflix on August 18, 2023!

For More Information,...

If you thought Disney’s American Born Chinese was the only place the Monkey King would display his sweet moves, wait until you see Netflix’s The Monkey King trailer! The streamer is bringing a colorful martial arts adventure to screens with director Anthony Stacchi’s next animated voyage! Get ready! Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, and Stephanie Hsu voice star in the mystical animated adventure inhabited by ancient gods, demons, and a wise-cracking hero of the people.

The Monkey King (Jimmy O. Yang) might be famous, but he’s an outsider in his community. With his trusty compatriot “stick (voiced by Nan Li),” the warrior of legend steps up to challenge 100 demons to gain the attention of “the immortal ones.” With few willing to cheer him on, the Monkey King travels to a human village, where he accepts the task of protecting the people from a fiery...

Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jo Koy, Stephanie Hsu and Bd Wong voice star in Netflix’s new comedic action-adventure The Monkey King, which sees its titular character battling demons, dragons and his own ego.

Dropping Monday, the animated family film’s more-than-two-minute first look teases Yang’s “most spectacul-errific, amazing-derful” hero Monkey King, in a story set in a time of ancient gods and demons. An outsider in his own community, the Monkey King, along with his trusty companion “stick (voiced by Nan Li),” takes on the challenge of defeating 100 demons and garnering the attention of “the immortal ones.”

With little support from those he grew up around, the Monkey King ventures to a human village, where he accepts the challenge of protecting the community from a fiery demon known as Red Girl (Sophie Wu). After nearly destroying the entire community in the process, he garners the attention of...

When it comes to centuries-old classics like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein or Bram Stoker’s Dracula, stories that have been adapted for the screen time and time again, those backing their transformations have felt the pressure to breathe new life into the characters while still holding on tightly to the reason that they’re classics to begin with. Now, imagine taking the plunge into a story that’s been around since the 16th century and that’s the pressure that Anthony Stacchi, the director of the upcoming animated feature The Monkey King, was under. Fortunately, thanks to the trailer Collider is excited to exclusively share, it looks like he succeeded beautifully.

As part of Netflix’s appearance this week at the Annecy International Animation Festival, the streaming service hosted a sneak peek at upcoming work and the world premiere of Nimona, the anticipated adaptation of Nd Stevenson’s graphic novel coming to the platform on June 30. Additionally, the studio announced that Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget — Aardman Animations’ anticipated sequel to 2000’s Chicken Run — will get a Dec. 15 release.

In a new clip from the sequel to Chicken Run — from the Oscar-winning studio behind Wallace and Gromit and Shawn the Sheep — the Annecy audience was introduced to Molly (Bella Ramsey), the daughter of Chicken Run‘s Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi). Molly is among those captured and placed in a truck carting chickens to a new fortress-like farm. After a classic Aardman chase — with Ginger, Rocky and others in hot pursuit of the truck — they begin to devise a rescue plan.

Netflix has unveiled the official teaser art for its new animated film The Monkey King, and Screen Rant is proud to present an exclusive first look. The movie's adventures are derived from the infamous character from Chinese mythology, Sun Wukong (孫悟空), who was popularized in Wu Cheng’en’s 16th-century novel Journey to the West. In this action-packed family comedy, the charismatic Monkey finds himself on an epic quest to fight 100 demons, the Dragon King, and his own ego.

The Monkey King's titular character is portrayed by Jimmy O. Yang, but the story is about more than just one trickster and his mission. A young village girl named Lin (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) will serve as a king of guide, challenging his narcissistic worldview and teaching him how to care for more than his own needs. The rest of the ensemble cast features some of the most exciting Asian talents in the industry today,...

Lin (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Monkey King (Jimmy O. Yang) – Photo Credit: Netflix © 2023)

Netflix’s slate of upcoming animated films includes The Monkey King directed by Anthony Stacchi (The Boxtrolls) and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie – a new SpongeBob SquarePants film. The 2023-2024 slate also includes the animated musical comedy Leo featuring the voice of Adam Sandler, along with a new Chicken Run film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

The streaming service also released details on In Your Dreams, That Christmas, Thelma the Unicorn, Nimona, and Ultraman.

Nimona – Summer 2023

This summer, Netflix will release the highly anticipated Nimona, based on the bestselling graphic novel by Nd Stevenson. Nimona follows Ballister Boldheart, a knight framed for a crime he didn’t commit, and the titular shapeshifter who sets out to help him prove his innocence.

Netflix confirms joining the film’s previously announced cast members Chloë Grace Moretz...

Netflix on Tuesday announced the new animated films In Your Dreams and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, coming to the platform in 2024, also setting new voice cast for the fantasy adventure Nimona and offering new first-look stills from each of its animated titles debuting over the next 18 months, which you can view above and below.

The streamer’s first new film, In Your Dreams, is billed as a comedy adventure about Stevie and her brother Elliot, who magically travel into the world of dreams with the mission of finding The Sandman who will grant them their ultimate wish — saving their parents’ marriage. The kids are total opposites, making them an unlikely duo to navigate the absurdity of their own subconscious. Along their journey, they discover that as long as they have each other, they can face anything, even their worst nightmare. Alex Woo is directing, with Erik Benson as co-director,...

Following its Academy Award win for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and acquisition of Animal Logic, Netflix reveals details for nine must-watch animated films to be released over the next 18 months.

Highlights include two new feature films coming in 2024: Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie and In Your Dreams. Netflix also announces the ensemble voice cast for its summer 2023 release, Nimona. Netflix’s upcoming slate is filled with films that are sure to delight viewers of all ages. There is truly something for everyone.

Related: Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio Ending Explained (In Detail)

Netflix’s 2023-2024 Feature Animation Slate can be found below. These movies join Netflix’s growing portfolio of animated films, which has garnered seven Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature, the most of any individual animation studio since its inception in 2018.

What To Expect From Netflix Animation In 2023-2024

Nimona – Summer 2023

This summer, Netflix...

Netflix’s animated output is certainly having a moment, between the Best Animated Feature win for Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio” and the acquisition of Animal Logic, the Australian animation studio that had previously been responsible for “Happy Feet,” “The Lego Movie” and “DC League of Super-Pets” (among many others). The streamer has just unveiled its 2023-2024 slate, revealing new details about upcoming projects like “Nimona” and announcing new movies like “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie,” a brand-new “SpongeBob SquarePants” film.

Read on for the full rundown of Netflix’s upcoming animated films and see brand-new images.

“Nimona” “Nimona” (Netflix)

Coming this summer is “Nimona,” based on the graphic novel by Nd Stevenson and set in a futuristic yet still medieval world, it centers around a disgraced knight (Riz Ahmed) and a young shapeshifter (Chloë Grace Moretz) who team up to clear both of their names. We’d...

Netflix announced two new animated features coming to the platform in 2024: A new SpongeBob SquarePants-themed movie titled Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie; and In Your Dreams, a comedy adventure about a pair of siblings who magically travel into the world of dreams.

As part of an overview of its 2023-2024 slate, Netflix Animation revealed additional cast members for its summer release Nimona, based on the graphic novel by Nd Stevenson, and released first-look images and new art for its upcoming titles.

In Nickelodeon’s Liza Johnson-helmed Bikini Bottom, all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, and Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot. The ensemble voice cast includes Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy Cheeks), Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Wanda Sykes and Johnny Knoxville.

‘Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie’

Produced by Kuku Studios, In Your Dreams...

This year Netflix is returning to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival as newly crowned kings, having just secured the Oscar for Best Animated Feature for Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio.” Not that they have any intention of slowing down, as this year they are bringing a slate of potential commercial and artistic triumphs to the rolling hills of the French countryside – from Annapurna’s “Nimona” to Aardman’s highly anticipated “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget” and much, much more.

On Wednesday, June 14, Annecy will present an exclusive screening of their absolutely fabulous new feature film “Nimona” at the Theater Bonlieu at 6 p.m. which will include appearances from directors Nick Bruno and Troy Quane, creator Nd Stevenson (whose graphic novel is the basis for the film), producers Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary and production designer Aidan Sugano. The team will reconvene for a “Making Of” session on Thursday,...

Exclusive: Glynn Turman (Women of the Movement), Bob Balaban (The French Dispatch), Ron Funches (Undateable) and Jimmy O. Yang (Space Force) are the latest additions to the cast of the upcoming film 80 for Brady, from Paramount Pictures and Endeavor Content. They join an ensemble that includes 7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, as well as Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno, Sally Field and Sara Gilbert, as previously announced.

The film is inspired by the true story of four best friends and New England Patriots fans who take a life-changing trip to the 2017 Super Bowl Li to see their hero Tom Brady play, and the chaos that ensues as they navigate the wilds of the biggest sporting event in the country. Details with regard to the characters the newest additions to the cast will be playing have not been disclosed.

Kyle Marvin, who co-wrote and starred in Sony Pictures Classics’ The Climb,...

Three new animated feature films and series from Asian American creators are coming to Netflix in 2023, including Stephen Chow’s “The Monkey King,” starring the voice talents of Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie and Bd Wong.

“The Monkey King” is inspired by the famous Chinese tale “Journey to the West,” in which a special monkey fights gods, demons, dragons — and his own hubris. The film is executive produced by Chow, with “Over the Moon’s” Peilin Chou and “How to Train Your Dragon 2’s Kendra Haaland producing. Anthony Stacchi (“The Boxtrolls”) is directing.

“The Monkey King has endured for generations with his unique character and spirit,” said Chow. I’m so excited to be collaborating with Tony, Peilin, and everyone at Netflix to bring this joyful tale to audiences worldwide!”

Additionally,...

Laika, the award-winning animation studio nestled in the heart of the Pacific Northwest, celebrates 10 years of bold and memorable filmmaking this month. For a company whose name means “little barker” in Russian, Portland, Oregon-based Laika has made quite a noise in the global film industry over a relatively short time.

With its world-class filmmaking team, Laika pushes the boundaries of family entertainment and animated movies, redefining what stories can and should be told through the art form.

“When Laika began we had a simple goal: to make movies that matter,” says Travis Knight, Laika’s President and CEO, who also is lead animator and a producer on its films. “Laika is devoted to telling new and original stories in new and original ways.”

“We aspire to make films that are bold, distinctive, and enduring,” Knight continues. “We are committed to telling stories that are thematically challenging, aesthetically beautiful, emotionally resonant,...

Academy invitee Eddie Redmayne in 'The Theory of Everything.' Academy invites 322 new members: 'More diverse and inclusive list of filmmakers and artists than ever before' The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has offered membership to 322 individuals "who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures." According to the Academy's press release, "those who accept the invitations will be the only additions to the Academy's membership in 2015." In case all 322 potential new members say an enthusiastic Yes, that means an injection of new blood representing about 5 percent of the Academy's current membership. In the words of Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs (as quoted in the press release), in 2015 "our branches have recognized a more diverse and inclusive list of filmmakers and artists than ever before, and we look forward to adding their creativity, ideas and experience to our organization." In recent years, the Academy membership has...

©Renzo Piano Building Workshop/©Studio Pali Fekete architects/©A.M.P.A.S.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced this week that the Los Angeles City Council, in a unanimous vote, approved plans for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Construction will begin this summer, and ceremonial groundbreaking festivities will occur this fall.

“I am thrilled that Los Angeles is gaining another architectural and cultural icon,” said Mayor Eric Garcetti. “My office of economic development has worked directly with the museum’s development team to ensure that the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures will create jobs, support tourism, and pay homage to the industry that helped define our identity as the creative capital of the world.”

“We are grateful to our incredible community of supporters who have helped make this museum a reality,” said Dawn Hudson, the Academy’s CEO. “Building this museum has been an Academy...

Strangely dropping a press release on a historic day where the nation's attention is elsewhere, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences revealed their annual list of new member invitees this morning. For those who criticize the makeup of the Academy there was some good news and the stark realization the organization still has a long way to go. The Academy has spent the last eight to 10 years attempting to diversify its membership and this year's class mostly reflects that. There are significantly more invitees of Asian and African-American descent, but the male to female disparity is still depressing. Out of the 25 potential new members of the Actor's Branch only seven are women. And, no, there isn't really an acceptable way for the Academy to spin that sad fact. Additionally, It's important to realize the 322 people noted in the release have only been invited to join Hollywood's most exclusive club.

A memorable 87th annual Academy Awards for Fox Searchlight saw Birdman claim best film, director and two other statuettes to tie with The Grand Budapest Hotel’s four-strong haul.

Boyhood, which entered the evening on six nominations and had been expected to push Birdman in several of the senior categories on Sunday night, won a sole best supporting actress for Patricia Arquette.

The film’s time in the Oscar ceremony spotlight will not be forgotten, however, as Arquette paid tribute to her “Boyhood family” and made an impassioned plea for wage equality that spread like wildfire across social media.

Eddie Redmayne from The Theory Of Everything prevailed in a tight best actor contest to deny Michael Keaton another success for Birdman. The popular victory had the British actor jumping with excitement on stage at the Dolby Theatre.

Julianne Moore finally converted her fifth Academy Award nomination into a win for her performance in Still Alice in what...

The 87th Academy Awards were handed out Sunday, February 22nd at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.  Here is a complete list of all the nominees and the winners as they were announced. Best Picture "American Sniper" (Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan) "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole)***Winner*** "Boyhood" (Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland) "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson) "The Imitation Game" (Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman) "Selma" (Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner) "The Theory of Everything" (Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten) "Whiplash" (Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster) Directing "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)" (Alejandro G. Iñárritu)***Winner*** "Boyhood" (Richard Linklater) "Foxcatcher" (Bennett Miller) "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (Wes Anderson) "The Imitation Game...

Oscar 2015 winners (photo: Chris Pratt during Oscar 2015 rehearsals) The complete list of Oscar 2015 winners and nominees can be found below. See also: Oscar 2015 presenters and performers. Now, a little Oscar 2015 trivia. If you know a bit about the history of the Academy Awards, you'll have noticed several little curiosities about this year's nominations. For instance, there are quite a few first-time nominees in the acting and directing categories. In fact, nine of the nominated actors and three of the nominated directors are Oscar newcomers. Here's the list in the acting categories: Eddie Redmayne. Michael Keaton. Steve Carell. Benedict Cumberbatch. Felicity Jones. Rosamund Pike. J.K. Simmons. Emma Stone. Patricia Arquette. The three directors are: Morten Tyldum. Richard Linklater. Wes Anderson. Oscar 2015 comebacks Oscar 2015 also marks the Academy Awards' "comeback" of several performers and directors last nominated years ago. Marion Cotillard and Reese Witherspoon won Best Actress Oscars for, respectively, Olivier Dahan...

All the winners from Sunday’s 87th Academy Awards.

Show host Harris signs off with a chirpy, “Buenos noches!”

Sean Penn walks on. It’s time for the big one. Best film. Will it be Birdman or Boyhood? It’s Birdman! The movie ends the night tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel on four Oscars. Inarritu, referring to his pal Alfonso Cuaron who enjoyed success with Gravity at last year’s show, says, “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.” Slightly more seriously, Agi also calls on his fellow Mexicans to help build a strong future for his beloved country. Wow, a good night for Birdman and a surprisingly barren one for Boyhood. Pirates indeed, Ethan Hawke, but glorious pirates.

And now Matthew McConaughey saunters on stage to announce best actress. Julianne Moore, five times a nominee at the Oscars is the favourite. Will she get it this time for Still Alice? Yes she’s got...

Oscar Week at the Academy threw together the nominees for shorts on Tuesday (hosted by Sean Astin) and features on Thursday (hosted by "Frozen" directors Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee). Rites of passage and storytelling challenges were common talking points, but the discussions came alive when they divulged their eureka moments. 1. "Big Hero 6": In Don Hall's quest to find a unique, huggable robot, he discovered his inspiration while visiting Carnegie Mellon, where the robotics team had perfected inflatable, vinyl bots for health care assistance. Baymax was born and Hall had the linchpin for combining a story about grief with a superhero origin subplot. 2. "The Boxtrolls": The ambitious Dickensian look had to match the characters and it wasn't jelling for director Anthony Stacchi until he recruited head of story Graham Annable to be co-director. He had a wonderful handle on the trolls, thanks to a successful test, which became the most.

By Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson

This year there are 30 nominees in the animated category, between the Short and Features. “Don’t we love these people who bring us the magic?,” said Academy Governor Bill Kroyer as The Academy celebrated the Feature Animated films on Thursday.

The Academy presented their seventh annual event celebrating the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film.

Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, who won last year’s Animated Feature Film Oscar for Frozen, moderated the discussion with all the nominated filmmakers from Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How To Train Your Dragon 2, Song Of The Sea and The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya. This year’s nominated films come from around the world and encompass traditional animation, computer animation and stop-motion, and the evening also featured clips from each film.

Prior to the panel discussion, a few of the nominees spoke with Wamg.

Nominees Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold,...

When the first Academy Awards were handed out on May 16, 1929, at an Academy banquet in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, movies had just begun to talk. The attendance was 270 and guest tickets cost $5. It was a long banquet, filled with speeches, but presentation of the statuettes was handled expeditiously by Academy President Douglas Fairbanks.

The suspense that now touches most of the world at Oscar time was not always a characteristic of the Awards presentation. That first year, the award recipients were announced to the public three months ahead of the ceremony.

Today, Oscar pundits and fans alike avidly watch the precursor and guild awards to ultimately make their predictions in the 24 categories. Academy members have cast their ballots, so now it’s our turn for our Oscar picks.

Need some help in that office Oscar pool or at the party you’re throwing at home? Wamg is here to help.

From BAFTA to DGA, the Latest Winners this Awards Season

With the Oscars upon us, the awards season is almost over! But the last trek to the Academy Awards include many guild awards and of course, BAFTA! So here.s the latest congratulatory awards list of the winners from BAFTA to DGA, from Annie to Ace and everything in between!

Your full BAFTA winners (winners are highlighted):

Best Film

Birdman Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, James W. Skotchdopole

Boyhood Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland

The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson

The Imitation Game Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman

The Theory Of Everything Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten

Director

Birdman Alejandro G. Iñárritu

Boyhood Richard Linklater

The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson

The Theory Of Everything James Marsh

Whiplash Damien Chazelle

Leading Actor

Benedict Cumberbatch The Imitation Game

Eddie Redmayne The Theory of Everything...

Boyhood has been named best film at this year’s BAFTA awards, with Richard Linklater also awarded as best director and Patricia Arquette winning best supporting actress. With a total of five awards, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel is the evening’s most awarded film, recognised for its original screenplay, makeup/hair, both costume and production design, and for its music. The Theory of Everything won the award for outstanding British film as well as best adapted screenplay and best actor for Eddie Redmayne for his portrayal of the young Stephen Hawking. Winners of outstanding British debut are Stephen Beresford (writer) and David Livingstone (producer) for Pride, which was backed by the BFI Film Fund. The winners were announced at a ceremony at London’s Royal Opera House hosted by Stephen Fry. Explore the Best of BAFTA collection on BFI Player Best film Winner: Boyhood Birdman – Alejandro G. Iñárritu,...

BAFTA/Marc Hoberman

Known as the British Oscars, the Ee British Academy Awards were handed out on Sunday.

Boyhood was the big winner at the BAFTAs with wins for Best Film, Best Director (Richard Linklater) and Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette).

The Theory Of Everything took Outstanding British Film, Adapted Screenplay and Leading Actor – Eddie Redmayne. Julianne Moore won Leading Actress for Still Alice.

Three wins went to Whiplash for Supporting Actor – J.K. Simmons, Editing and Sound.

The Grand Budapest Hotel won five awards for Costume Design, Production Design, Make Up & Hair and Original Music, with Wes Anderson winning his first BAFTA for Original Screenplay.

Emmanuel Lubezki received the BAFTA for Cinematography for Birdman, having won this category twice previously, most recently in 2014. On Saturday, Inarritu took home the top prize at the Directors’ Guild of America Awards for Birdman.

The Lego Movie received the BAFTA for Animated Film, and...

The 2015 Ee BAFTA Awards were handed out in London Sunday night and while the broadcast aired hours later in the United States, it didn't stop us from chronicling the twists and turns of a show often seen as a bellwether for the Academy Awards. It took home only three BAFTAs, but "Boyhood" was the biggest winner of the night as it won Best Film and Richard Linklater earned Director honors. "The Grand Budapest Hotel" took home five statues including Original Screenplay for Wes Anderson, Production Design, Costumes, Original Music and Make Up & Hair. "Whiplash" earned three BAFTAs including J.K. Simmons for Supporting Actor, Editing and a somewhat surprising win in Sound. Expected Oscar winners Julianne Moore took Leading Actress and Patricia Arquette took Supporting Actress. Eddie Redmayne earned a key win over rival Michael Keaton by claiming the Lead Actor BAFTA for "The Theory of Everything." The latter also won...

Screen is at the awards ceremony in London, updating the winners as they are announced.

After months of voting and campaigning, the Ee British Academy Film Awards are finally here.

As the statues are handed out at London’s Royal Opera House, hosted by Stephen Fry, we will update the list below with the winners. The ceremony is due to begin at 6.45pm (GMT).

With 11 nods, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel has the most nominations for the British Academy Film Awards, just edging favourites The Theory of Everything and Birdman (with 10 apiece); and The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, with nine.

2014 Nominations

(presented in 2015)Best Film

Birdman Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, James W. Skotchdopole

Boyhood Richard Linklater, Cathleen Sutherland

The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson

The Imitation Game Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman

The Theory Of Everything Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, [link...

Beverly Hills — This year's Oscar-nominated actors and filmmakers convened at the Beverly Hills Hotel Monday afternoon for the Academy's annual Nominees Luncheon. It's a unique event that often finds a number of talented circuit staples in the same room for the first time as relationships are rekindled, new ones are forged and the reality of Oscar dreams really begins to crystallize. Take "Whiplash" writer/director Damien Chazelle, for instance, nominated for his screenplay. Here is a young man who was an Oscar geek for years, following the race annually, reading sites like In Contention (he was a big fan of the Oscar Talk podcast and skewered me over the weekend for folding it). Now he's standing on a set of risers next to Oprah Winfrey as…an Oscar nominee. His mind must have been blown. "Song of the Sea" director Tomm Moore, nominated for Best Animated Feature Film, was grinning...

Stars: Isaac Hempstead Wright, Ben Kingsley, Elle Fanning, Jared Harris, Nick Frost, Richard Ayoade, Tracy Morgan, Dee Bradley Baker, Steve Blum, Nika Futterman, Maurice Lamarche | Written by Irena Brignull, Adam Pava | Directed by Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi

Below the streets of Cheesebridge live the Boxtrolls, a community of cave-dwelling and cardboard box-wearing creatures, who are believed to pose a threat to the citizens of the town and their children. However, in truth, they really pose no such threat and have even raised an orphaned boy, Eggs (voice of Isaac Hempstead Wright), as one of their own. Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley), a local pest exterminator, hatches a plan to get rid of the Boxtrolls for good as a means of securing his place within the town’s cheese-loving elite. When the Boxtrolls hear of Archibald’s plan it then falls to Eggs to save the day, since he is the only...

Beneath the slick-wet streets of gothic London, a community of unusual creatures have abducted a child and decided to raise him as one of their own. What could have been the premise of a sick and twisted horror film instead fuels the imaginative stop-motion adventure The Boxtrolls, which is available on Blu-ray combo pack beginning today, January 20. To get you excited for the new release, we have this exclusive clip. Give it a spin: The best part of the above clip? It comes with commentary! Co-director Anthony Stacchi talks about the creative process that went in to the development of the villain of the film . Lord Portley .Rind (Jared Harris) and his henchmen, Pickles (Richard Ayoade) and Trout (Nick Frost). In addition, the clip boasts behind-the-scenes footage of the actors giving voice to their animated characters . something I always love watching . and shows us how the stop-motion animators built this...