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Emilia Clarke’s Top Five Underrated Films(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Emilia Clarke kicked off her career in 2009 and became one of Hollywood’s most successful and talented actresses despite struggling with medical issues at the peak of her career. Although she is known for leading the globally acclaimed series Game of Thrones, where she played Daenerys Targaryen, she has also appeared in other movies. But GoT gave her the boost she needed to become one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

Clarke is also known for her performance in Me Before You, a romantic drama. However, this article will discuss her most underrated and unknown performances. So, scroll ahead to find all the details about these five underrated movies of her career.

5. Terminator Genisys (2015) Streaming On: Prime Video, Apple TV+ Rt Score: 26% Director: Alan Taylor

Plot: In Terminator Genisys, Emilia Clarke played Sarah Connor’s role. This one was another...

Paul McCartney will voice a walrus in High In The Clouds, Gaumont Animation’s feature that is currently in production ahead of a 2027 release.

McCartney has been trying to make the adaptation of his book for 15 years; it is now moving forward with Gaumont, which presented stills and artwork from the feature today at Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

High In The Clouds follows Wirral the squirrel, a young creature living with his mother, who has lost her voice due to the devilish dictator Gretch, who has banned all music from their town. Wirral must team with members of a rebellion called the Underground,...

Audiences at the Annecy Animation Festival got a first look at the upcoming CG-animated film “High in the Clouds,” based on Paul McCartney’s book of the same name that features the voices of McCartney, Ringo Starr, Lionel Richie, Céline Dion and more.

Director Toby Genkel and project supervisor Christian De Vita joined Gaumont’s president of global animation, Terry Kalagian, to talk about the arduous eight-year process of bringing the story to the screen as well as collaborating with McCartney on the film. “It shouldn’t be about me,” Genkel recalls McCartney saying early on. “Yeah, Ok, my name is all over the poster, but you get the point.”

The film, set to be released sometime in 2027, reimagines McCartney’s 2005 book as a story of a young squirrel named Wirral (voiced by Himesh Patel) who embarks on a journey to bring back his mother’s voice after it was...

UK production company Cantilever Media is partnering with international VFX and animation firm ReDefine Originals on a first-look co-production deal, for animated feature films for the kids and family market.

Both companies will bring projects to the combined venture with the aim of producing two to three features per year, over an initial three-year period.

ReDefine will be the studio for the projects, with Cantilever Media producing and Cantilever’s distribution company Kazoo Films taking UK rights.

ReDefine Originals is owned by UK-Indian VFX giant Dneg, with fellow Dneg Group company Prime Focus Studios serving as co-producing partner on the slate of features.

A preview of writer/director Dean DeBlois’ upcoming live action reimaging of “How to Train Your Dragon” from Universal has been added to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival lineup.

Dreamworks Animation’s 2010 original, based on Cressida Cowell’s book series, was written and directed by DeBlois and Chris Sandlers, and DeBlois wrote and helmed the following two movies to complete the trilogy. The new film will screen at Annecy on June 11, in advance of its June 13 U.S. release.

A Paramount & Nickelodeon Animation presentation has also been added to the festival schedule, featuring upcoming “Smurfs,” directed by Chris Miller (“Puss in Boots”) and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,” helmed by Derek Drymon. A pair of shorts, “SpongeBob: Order Up,” directed by Sean Charmatz and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey,” directed by Kent Seki, will also highlight the June 10 session.

A first look...

Gaumont has assembled a starry voice cast for Paul McCartney’s 3D-animated High in the Clouds including Celine Dion, Idris Elba, Lionel Richie, Hannah Waddingham, Ringo Starr, Jimmy Fallon, Clemence Poesy, Pom Klementieff and Alain Chabat.

Himesh Patel stars as the film’s main character, a teenage squirrel named Wirral who embarks on an extraordinary journey to set music free after accidentally sparking a revolution against a bossy diva-owl who has banned all music from his town.

The story about the power of family and freedom of expression through music is inspired by the children’s adventure book by McCartney,...

High in the Clouds, the animated film derived from Paul McCartney’s children’s book, has enlisted a star-studded voice cast. Legendary singer Celine Dion, Himesh Patel, and Hannah Waddingham are leading the cast based on the book of the same name. Stars such as Idris Elba, Lionel Richie, Beatle bandmate Ringo Starr, Jimmy Fallon, Clémence Poésy, Pom Klementieff, and Alain Chabat will also contribute to the film.

The film is directed by Tony Genkel (of the Amazing Maurice), with a script co-crafted by Jon Crocker and Toby Genkel. The...

Gold Derby's top news stories for May 5, 2025.

Let the Squid Game begin (again)

The rebellion failed, but the game isn't over. Netflix has dropped the teaser trailer for the third and final season of the streamer's international sensation Squid Game. Following the events of Season 2, in which the Front Man shut down Player 456 (Emmy winner Lee Jung-jae) and his allies, the contest is set to resume with the usual deadly consequences. The final run of episodes will drop June 27.

Read: How Lee Jung-jae and the rest of the Season 2 ‘Squid Game’ squad are submitting for Emmy acting categories

Jenna Ortega and Robert De Niro team up for David O. Russell

The biggest stars of Gen Z and the Silent Generation are teaming up for an American hustle. Jenna Ortega and Robert De Niro are set to star in Shutout, from director David O. Russell (The Silver Linings Playbook) and prominent indie producer Black Bear.

Celine Dion, Himesh Patel and Hannah Waddingham will lead the voice cast of “High in the Clouds,” Paul McCartney’s anticipated 3D animated film which Gaumont (“Ballerina”) is producing and repping internationally.

Inspired by the children’s adventure book by Paul McCartney, Geoff Dunbar and Philip Ardagh, “High in the Clouds” will also bring together Idris Elba, Lionel Richie, Ringo Starr, Jimmy Fallon, Clémence Poésy, Pom Klementieff and Alain Chabat.

Celebrated independent animation filmmaker Toby Genkel (“The Amazing Maurice”) is directing the feature, from a script by Jon Crocker (“Paddington 2”), and production design by Patrick Hanenberger.

Gaumont has already pre-sold “High in the Clouds” to top distributors in major territories, including the U.K. (Sky UK Ltd.), German-speaking territories (Constantin Film), Eastern Europe (Vertical/Monolith/Aqs), Latin America (Imagem), Cis (Mint Films), Middle East (Four Star), South-East Asia/Taiwan/Hk (A Really Good Film), Greece (Tanweer), Portugal (Cinemundo), Israel...

German sales outfit Epsilon has closed a raft of sales on two titles on its AFM slate: animated features Mimi & Harold - Out Of Frame and Brave Heart Yakari.

Mimi & Harold - Out Of Frame, produced by Ulysses Filmproduktion and directed by Toby Genkel, has gone to Poland (Kino Swiat), Hungary, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria (Prorom Media), ex-Yugoslavia (Karantanija), Baltics (Gpi), Ukraine (Svoe Kino), Russia (Arna Media), Israel (Red Cape Distribution), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co), Turkey (Tme), Portugal (Pris Audiovisuais), Greece (Rosenbud), Vietnam (Mockingbird) and Taiwan (Swallow Wings). The German release is being handled by Dcm.

Meanwhile,...

German sales outfit Epsilon has taken world sales rights for TheAmazing Maurice - The Waters Of Life, a follow-up to last year’s animated movie hit The Amazing Maurice.

The original feature was adapted from the 2001 Terry Pratchett novel The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents and sold to multiple territories, grossing more than $20m at the international box office.

Epsilon will launch pre-sales talks with buyers at AFM (November 5-10), with the new film due to be delivered by 2027.

The English-language feature, again being made as a Sky Original, reunites the creative team behind the first feature: director Toby Genkel and producers Emely Christians,...

Finalists have been announced for the 2024 British Animation Awards, which will take place on March 7 at London’s BFI Southbank.

Contending for best feature film are “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” “A Cat Called Dom,” “Kensuke’s Kingdom,” “Puffin Rock and The New Friends” and “The Amazing Maurice.”

“Christopher at Sea,” “The Debutante” and “All Gucci My Broski” are nominated in the short film category.

Adjoa Andoh, Benedict Cumberbatch, Emilia Clarke, Idris Elba, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander and Hugh Laurie are among the ensemble cast members nominated for best voice performance for “Mog’s Christmas” “The Amazing Maurice” and “The Boy, the Mole, The Fox and the Horse.”

Baa also acknowledges achievement in television, with “Tweedy & Fluff,” “The Sound Collector – Harp Strings,” “The Rubbish World of Dave Spud – Moonbreaker” and “Lloyd of the Flies” nominated for best children’s series.

For best original music, composer David Arnold is nominated for “Mog’s Christmas...

The ceremony kicks off live from Berlin today (December 9) at 19:30 Cet.

The European Film Awards is taking place in Berlin tonight (December 9), and Screen will be revealing the winners live from the ceremony, kicking off at 19:30 Cet.

German actor Britta Steffenhagen is hosting the awards, which will take place at the Arena Berlin.

Screen will be live-streaming the ceremony below, or you can refresh the page and scroll down to read the winners as they are announced.

Three of the best European film nominees world premiered at Cannes. Justine Triet’s Palme d’Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall...

Jonathan Glazer’s harrowing Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest leads the nominations for this year’s European Film Awards (EFAs), picking up five nominations, including for best film and best director, in nominations announced via video on Tuesday.

Zone of Interest, the U.K. official entry for the 2024 Oscars in the best international feature category, also scored Efa nominations for best screenwriter, for Glazer, and best actress and best actor noms for leads Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel.

Hüller will be competing against herself in the best actress category, having picked up a second Efa nom for her starring role in Justine Triet’s courtroom drama Anatomy of a Fall. The Palme d’Or winner recieved four Efa noms, including for best European Film, best director for Triet and best screenplay for Triet and co-writer Arthur Harari.

Other best European film nominees include Matteo Garrone’s refugee drama Io Capitano from Italy,...

Restarted negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers that could mean an end to the actors strike have raised hopes for this year’s American Film Market, which runs Oct. 31-Nov, 5 in Santa Monica. What everyone is hoping for is, in the words of one leading indie producer, that “we can all get back to business.”

Even without a new SAG-AFTRA deal, there is a healthy batch of new titles on offer — a mix of international features and U.S. indie films that have secured interim agreements from the union to begin production. “In the last few days we’ve seen a waterfall of lineups,” says Nadiia Zaionchkovska, Cco of newly-founded Ukraine distributor Green Light Films, which will be making its market debut at this year’s AFM. “Lots of theatrical films, lots either in post or in pre-production, ready to shoot in the first...

Paul McCartney and Gaumont have assembled an all-star creative crew for “High in the Clouds,” the long-awaited feature adaptation of McCartney’s children’s adventure novel.

Boasting six original songs by McCartney, the family adventure movie, which is budgeted at €28 million, will be directed by Toby Genkel (“The Amazing Maurice”), scored by Michael Giacchino and penned by Jon Croker (“Paddington 2”), with Patrick Hanenberger tapped as production designer. McCartney will voice one of the main characters. Two other major music stars are in advanced talks to come on board.

Production will begin during the first quarter of 2024 and delivery is expected for the first quarter of 2026. Gaumont is producing with McCartney via his banner Mpl Communications.

The English-language feature follows the journey of a headstrong teenage squirrel, Wirral, who lives in Gretschville, a city where music has been banned by a diva-owl, Gretsch, who wants to be the only singer in town.

The Playmaker Munich has signed with producer Ulysses Films to handle international sales for its upcoming family animation project “Pirate Mo & the Legend of the Red Ruby,” which has a planned release of early 2026.

Ulysses produced animation box-office hits such as “The Amazing Maurice” and “Niko & the Way to the Stars.”

The script for “Pirate Mo,” which is based on Kirsten Boie’s bestselling novel, was written by Richie Conroy, and the director is Florian Westermann, co-director of “The Amazing Maurice.”

The Playmaker team will present “Pirate Mo” at the Marché du Film in Cannes, and will deliver the first teaser presentation at their booth, and at their upcoming highlights market screening on May 18.

Emely Christians, one of the film’s producers, and CEO of Ulysses, said: “I’m really happy that we’ve found a great ‘world sales port’ for our ‘Pirate Mo’ film. The project is very close to my heart.

Attendees at the 25th edition of the pitching and co-production forum returned to pre-pandemic levels.

The 25th edition of Cartoon Movie wrapped on March 9 in Bordeaux, returning to pre-pandemic levels of attendance - in spite of a French general strike.

The pitching and co-production forum for animated feature films registered 876 attendees, including 282 buyers from 35 different countries. 58 animated features were presented.

The pitching sessions that registered the highest attendance from buyers this year were: Back To Tomioka, lead-produced by France’s Foliascope­; Julián, a co-production led by Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon; and Ninn by France’s TeamTo.

Children’s animation Back...

Steve Hudson wrote & directs; ‘Amazing Maurice’ director Toby Genkel co-directs.

Asa Butterfield and Joel Fry will lead the voice cast of Stitch Head, an animated feature co-production from Gfm Animation, Gringo Films, Wild Bunch and Fabrique d’Images.

The film is currently in pre-production and will begin CG animation soon; Gfm Animation will launch worldwide sales on the title at this week’s European Film Market.

Stitch Head is based on the first book in the series of the same name by Guy Bass, first published in 2011. It tells the story of Stitch Head, a small creature awoken to almost-Life by...

The Amazing Maurice has more bite than its feline star might indicate. Terry Rossio adapted the animation from Terry Pratchett’s book, The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents, with Toby Genkel and Florian Westermann directing this children's tale that is quite the romp. Many films from this current era of animation look the same and the animation in The Amazing Maurice is no different. However, what it lacks in technical imagination it makes up for with an all-star cast and a fun story. With a witty take on a classic tale, The Amazing Maurice has a little something for everyone.

Maurice (Hugh Laurie) is a talking, hustling cat and his partner in crime is a piper by the name of Keith (Himesh Patel). Together with their band of rats, they go from town to town scamming the residents into thinking they have a rat infestation and the only solution is Keith and Maurice.

This review originally ran January 23, 2023, in conjunction with the film’s US premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

The collected “Discworld” novels by Terry Pratchett are so weird and so imaginative and so wry that very few filmmakers have ever seriously tried to adapt them. We’ve had one short-lived live-action series, one short film, a few animated mini-series and three ambitious live-action mini-series.

But feature films have eluded the dwellers of “Discworld” until just about — actually wait, let me check my watch here — now.

“The Amazing Maurice,” based on the 2001 children’s book “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents,” features the voice of Hugh Laurie as the title character. He’s a cat who can talk in a world where cats don’t usually do that, even though magic is real, the living personification of Death walks among us and fairy-tale characters abound as well.

Then again, rats can’t talk either,...

In the 20-plus years since “Shrek” burned up the box office, the fairytale with a postmodern twist has become such a standardized genre, one wonders whether kids might be slightly thrown by one that plays out completely in earnest. They aren’t about to be tested in that regard by “The Amazing Maurice,” a loose, goofy riff on The Pied Piper of Hamelin that takes every available opportunity to draw viewers’ attention to the traditions being broken, or at least irreverently lampshaded. But courtesy of source material by offbeat fantasy maestro Terry Pratchett, it’s genuinely eccentric enough — with its sly talking cat, intrepid band of gold-hearted rats and chronic aversion to keeping the fourth wall intact — to come off as charming rather than smarmy.

Pratchett’s sensibility fuses comfortably with that of veteran screenwriter Terry Rossio — the man behind “Shrek,” among other blockbusters — in a film that tilts slightly...

February 2023 will see the release of some of this year’s most anticipated releases, such M. Night Shyamalan’s latest project, Mike Lane’s final dance, a gory take on a beloved bear, a bear who took too many drugs, and the newest adventure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As expected, January was a slow month when it comes to movie releases in theaters, but it still saw some interesting (and successful) titles, such as the sci-fi horror M3GAN, the comedy-drama A Man Named Otto, the thriller Alice, Darling, and the coming-of-age comedy-drama When You Finish Saving The World.

Unlike previous months, the movies released in theaters in January aren’t available to stream yet, but the wait will be more bearable with February’s releases, as there will be a variety of titles to enjoy, for all ages and tastes. February, then, will welcome a new psychological thriller by M.

Kicking off this Thursday, the 2023 Sundance Film Festival gives us a first glimpse at the year in cinema. Ahead of the fest, we’ve highlighted the films we’re most looking forward to and now we’re providing a trailer round-up for those interested in a preview of the lineup.

Ahead of our coverage, bookmark this page for a continually updated round-up of trailers and clips, kicking off with Polite Society, A Common Sequence, Infinity Pool, Rye Lane, Slow, and more.

Check out the trailers below thus far in alphabetical order and we’ll be publishing reviews soon, so follow along here.

The Amazing Maurice (Toby Genkel)

Blueback (Robert Connolly)

A Common Sequence (Mary Helena Clark and Mike Gibisser)

Deep Rising (Matthieu Rytz)

Divinity (Eddie Alcazar)

The Eight Mountains (Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch)

L’immensità (Emanuele Crialese)

Infinity Pool (Brandon Cronenberg)

Joyland (Saim Sadiq)

Mamacruz (Patricia Ortega)

Other...

"The Amazing Maurice" is the new CG animated fantasy comedy feature, directed by Toby Genkel and Florian Westermann, based on the book "The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents" by Sir Terry Pratchett, starring Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton, Hugh Bonneville and David Tennant, opening in theaters February 3, 2023:

"...'Maurice' is a goofy streetwise cat, who has the perfect money-making scam. 

"That's when he finds someone who plays a pipe...

"...and has his very own horde of rats, who are strangely literate..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Exclusive: Global Screen has unveiled a fresh round of deals for Sky Original animated feature The Amazing Maurice, featuring Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke in the voice cast.

The announcement follows in the wake of news that the family film had been selected for the Kids-Section of the upcoming Sundance Film Festival.

The animation revolves around the adventures of streetwise cat Maurice as he sets in motion what he believes to be a perfect money-making scam

In fresh deals, the film has sold to France (Kmbo), Benelux (Just4Kids), South Korea (Bluelabel), South America (Plus Films), South Africa (Empire Entertainment), Middle East (Grand Entertainment), Turkey (Yeni Bir Film), Greece (Zinos Panagiotidis) and Iceland (Sena).

In previously announced sales, it has also been acquired for Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (Flins y Piniculas), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Israel (Red Cape Distribution), Middle East (Selim Ramia & Co.), Australia and New Zealand...

Viva Kids has acquired North American distribution rights to the Sky Original animated adventure “The Amazing Maurice,” set to be released stateside and only in theaters on Jan. 13, 2023.

Featuring an ensemble cast led by Hugh Laurie (“House”) and Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”), “The Amazing Maurice” is based on Terry Pratchett’s popular children’s novel “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents.”

The film centers on Maurice, a streetwise cat voiced by Laurie, who has the perfect money-making scam. “The Amazing Maurice” also features the voices of Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”), Gemma Arterton (“Quantum of Solace”), Ariyon Bakare (“His Dark Materials”), David Tennant (“Doctor Who”), Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”), and Rob Brydon (“Holmes & Watson”).

The film was directed by Toby Genkel from a script by Terry Rossio. Produced by Emely Christians and Andrew Baker, the film will chase BAFTA nominations after it releases in the U.K. on Dec.

Rémi Chayé’s “Fleur,” Claude Barras’ “You’re Not the One I Expected” and Alberto Vázquez’s “Unicorn Wars” are some of the multiple potential standouts at the 24th edition of Cartoon Movie, Europe’s leading animated movie co-production event.

Scheduled to take place in Bordeaux, France, over March 8-10, the 2022 Cartoon Movie lineup features 57 projects, 15 hail from France, which is seven fewer than last year as animation grows in the rest of Europe but still marks its predominance in Europe as a producer of arthouse and crossover animated movies.

For the third year running, Spain has the second largest presence at Cartoon Movie with eight titles, a sign of its build as a significant animation producer and host of animation events such as Cartoon Springboard, confirmed last week, Cartoon Business and the Quirino Awards.

“You’re Not the One I Expected” marks the new project from Switzerland’s Claude Barras,...

David Tennant Joins Sky’s ‘The Amazing Maurice’

Former Doctor Who star David Tennant will join Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke in the cast of Sky’s The Amazing Maurice, an upcoming adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s best-selling children’s fantasy novel. It will mark the actor’s second turn in a Pratchett project, following on from his role as demon Crowley in 2019’s Good Omens from Amazon Studios. As well as Tennant, Sky confirmed additional cast for the project including Rob Brydon (Roald & Beatrix: The Tale of the Curious Mouse), Julie Atherton (Avenue Q), and YouTuber Joe Sugg. David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville also star. Story follows Maurice, a streetwise ginger cat who comes up with a money-making scam by befriending a group of self-taught talking rats. The con doesn’t go as planned when they meet a bookworm called Malicia. The project is co-produced by Sky,...

Exclusive: 3D Family animation Two By Two: Overboard (aka Ooops! The Adventure Continues) has sold to Momentum Pictures for the U.S. and Canada.

Toby Genkel directed the prequel to the box office success Ooops! Noah Is Gone (aka All Creatures Big And Small), which grossed $28M globally. The new film has already been released in the UK, where it topped the box office chart in November 2020, Germany, where it was in the top three last year, and Norway, where it has been number one for the last three weeks.

Momentum struck the deal with Munich-based sales company Global Screen. The latter has also struck fresh deals on the film for Australia and New Zealand (Rialto), Middle East (Selim Ramio & Co), Scandinavia (Selmer Media), Belgium/The Netherlands (Just4Kids), and Taiwan (Benchmark).

Two By Two: Overboard centers on the young Nestrian Finny and his best mate Leah, a Grymp, who are...

The family animation will be released by Leonine in Germany this May.

German sales outfit Arri Media International has been racking up deals on its family animation The Ogglies: Welcome To Smellville.

On the eve of EFM, contracts have been signed with the US and Canada (Viva Pictures), Middle East (Salim Ramia & Co), Hungary (Ads), Denmark and Norway (Another World Entertainment), and Spain (Vercine). The company is also in final negotiations with Latin America.

Directed by Jens Møller, and Toby Genkel, the animated yarn is set for a German theatrical release in May through Leonine. It was adapted for the screen by WunderWerk,...

French cinema saw its international box office receipts fall to €86.6 million ($105.4 million), a near 70% drop, in 2020, according to a study unveiled by French promotion org UniFrance during the virtual Rendez-Vous market.

The drastic decline is explained by the fact that theaters worldwide were closed for several months due to the pandemic. The number of French films released in foreign theaters fell by 30% to 611 titles.

International ticket sales, meanwhile, fell to 13.7 million, down 69.8% on 2019. The extent of the drop in overseas admissions mirrors the decline in admissions for French films at home, which were down 60.7% compared with 2019 levels. UniFrance also points to the absence of a major hit and the downturn in emerging markets such as China.

Celine Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire,” Roman Polanski’s “An Officer and a Spy” and Ladj Ly’s “Les Miserables” were the three French films that sold the most admissions overseas...

Golden Globe-winning actor Hugh Laurie (“House”) and “Game of Thrones” actor Emilia Clarke will be part of the voice cast for animated feature “The Amazing Maurice.”

The voice cast also includes David Thewlis (“Wonder Woman”), Himesh Patel (“Yesterday”), Gemma Arterton (“Vita & Virginia”) and Hugh Bonneville (“Downton Abbey”). Toby Genkel (“Two by Two: Overboard!”) and Florian Westermann (“Little Dodo”) will co-direct.

The film will be an adaptation of bestselling author, the late Terry Pratchett’s 2001 book “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents,” which is part of his iconic Discworld series. The book is a take on the popular folk tale about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It won the Carnegie medal that recognizes the best children’s book in the U.K.

The story follows a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and also befriends his very own horde of talking rats.

David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville also join voice cast.

Sky is set to adapt Terry Pratchett’s The Amazing Maurice from the author’s Discworld book series as an animated feature.

Hugh Laurie leads the voice cast alongside Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville. The film is directed by Toby Genkel with Florian Westermann as co-director.

The project is a co-production with Germany’s Ulysses Filmproduktion and the UK’s Cantilever Media, and animation studios Studio Rakete (Hamburg) and Red Star Animation (Sheffield).

Sky Cinema will release the film in the...

Paris-based Bac Films has closed multiple territories across Europe and Africa as well as Canada on family adventure “Yakari,” an animated feature reboot of the cult 1970’s franchise.

Based on the French-Belgian comic strip first published in 1969 and created by Job, Derib and Dominique, “Yakari” has also been adapted into two popular TV series, the first in the 1980s and another one running from 2005. The comic book collection comprises 38 albums published between 1969 and 2014 that have sold 5 million units to date. One of Europe’s best known comic properties, “Yakari” strips have been translated into 19 languages and sold best in Scandinavia, China and Germany, according to Lombard, the French publishing house of “Yakari.”

Xavier Giacometti, who has directed the long-running animation series, wrote and helmed the movie with Toby Genkel. The film “emphasizes the importance of friendship, respecting animals and discovering the world through the eyes of a child, and it...

Entertainment One UK has launched the first trailer for the animated animal adventure ‘Two By Two: Overboard’.

Noah’s ark drifts on the open seas, with best friends Finny and Leah on board. But, after weeks with no land in sight, food stocks are running low. The fragile peace between carnivores and herbivores could break any second.

After a series of unfortunate events, the kids find themselves inadvertently washed overboard – along with the last of the food supplies! Leah and fellow castaway, their new friend Jelly, are marooned on a remote island. While Finny wakes in a strange colony filled with oddly familiar creatures living in harmony – under the threat of a menacing volcano!

In a race against time, tide and terrifying tremors, Finny must rescue his friends, reunite with his family and save a whole colony from total destruction.

Directed by Toby Genkel & Sean McCormack, the animation features a...

Munich-based sales agent Global Screen has sold 3D animated movie “Ooops — The Adventure Continues,” which has its market premiere at Cannes’ online market, to multiple territories. Variety has been given exclusive access to the film’s trailer.

The film is the follow-up to “Ooops Noah Is Gone,” which was the most successful German production in 2016 at the box office, with a worldwide gross of $28 million.

“Ooops — The Adventure Continues” has been sold to U.K. (eOne), France (Paradis/Orange Studios), Spain (Flins y Piniculas), Portugal (Pris), Greece (Rosebud), Israel (Five Stars), Turkey (Filmarti), Russia (Voxell), Baltics (Garsu), Ukraine (Ufd), Poland (Kino Swiat), former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Hungary (Vertigo), Bulgaria (Pro Films), Latin America (Leda Films), Korea (Company L), Vietnam (Lightning McQueen) and Malaysia (Suraya).

The film, directed by Toby Genkel and Sean McCormack, centers on Finny, a young Nestrian, and his best friend Leah, a Grymp, who accidentally fall out of...

Annecy 2020 Online’s second wave of special programming for its world-class French animation festival (June 15-30) will include a preview from the highly anticipated “Connected”, the latest feature from “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller, and a Masterclass from stop-motion director Henry Selick and composer Bruno Coulais, who collaborated on Netflix’s upcoming demon comedy, “Wendell & Wild”, and Laika’s “Coraline.”

Also in the mix will be discussions with director Dean DeBlois (DreamWorks Animation’s “How to Train Your Dragon” trilogy), Disney’s legendary directing duo Ron Clements and John Musker, Disney’s chief creative officer/director Jennifer Lee and director Chris Buck on their upcoming Disney+ doc, “Into the Unknown: Making ‘Frozen 2′” (streaming June 26), the art of storyboarding at Cartoon Network Studios (“Summer Camp Island”), a 20th anniversary remembrance of “Chicken Run” with Aardman’s Nick Park and Peter Lord, and a conversation with the...

Netflix, Disney Sony, Cartoon Network Studios, Dean DeBlois and Aardman are reading presentations at France’s Annecy Film Festival — as 2020’s Annecy, even online, once more proves to be the biggest animation fest in the world and the international event with the largest Hollywood and now global platform presence.

Put together, Annecy’s latest big wave of programming announcement suggests that its move online will mean no world premiere of a potential Hollywood blockbuster – such as, in the past, the “Despicable Me” movie series. With more studio involvement most probably still to be announced, many of the good and great of the English-speaking animation world do look more than willing, however, to roll up their sleeves to update accredited festival viewers on upcoming releases such as, of titles now announced, Netflix’s “Wendell & Wild” and Sony Pictures Animation’s “Connected.”

Netflix

A masterclass between stop-motion luminary Henry Selick and composer...

Bac Films has closed several deals on Bernard Stora’s “The Case,” a psychological thriller set in the South of France starring Niels Arestrup. The film had its market premiere at the UniFrance Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in Paris, a five-day showcase of French movies wrapping on Jan. 20.

Arestrup stars in “The Case” as Luc Germon, a famous lawyer whose new client, Gilles Fontaine (Patrick Bruel) is a powerful business man suspected of having acquired his magnificent property on the French Riviera in a dubious condition. The movie was picked up for Spain (Vercine Distribución), China (Huanxi Media), Taiwan (Av-Jet) and Benelux (Athena Films).

Paul Hamy (“Sibyl”) and Michel Bouquet (“Renoir”) complete the cast. “The Case” was produced by Jpg Films and Bac Films which will release the movie during the second semester of this year.

During the UniFrance Rendez-Vous, Bac Films also hosted the market premieres of “Yakari, A Spectacular Journey,...

In its last funding session of 2019, the funding institution has handed out a total sum of €2.7 million. The Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein Film Fund (Ffhsh) has announced the recipients of the grants decided during its final funding session of 2019. A total sum of €2.7 million was split among 19 projects that are at different stages of production and six films in need of distribution support. Nine movies were selected to benefit from production support – namely, the animation Stichkopf by Steve Hudson and Toby Genkel, Sabrina Sarabi’s Niemand ist bei den Kälbern, Ayşe Polat’s thriller Eine Woche in Diyarbakir, Ali Beigy’s My Beautiful Country, Peter Meister’s Das schwarze Quadrat, the drama März by Constantin Hatz, Stefano Sollima’s adaptation of the Tom...

Global Screen has picked up worldwide distribution rights, excluding North America, the U.K. and German-speaking territories, to the English-language animated feature “The Amazing Maurice,” based on a Terry Pratchett novel.

The screenplay has been written by Terry Rossio, Oscar-nominated for “Shrek.” Rossio’s credits also include the animated movie “Aladdin” and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Carter Goodrich, who worked on “Ratatouille,” “The Croods” and “Despicable Me” is on board for the character design. The director is Toby Genkel, who directed hit animated movie “Ooops! Noah Is Gone.”

Global Screen will start preselling the film at the Afm with a script and promo in place. The film is planned to be ready for delivery in 2022.

The film is based on “The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents,” one of Pratchett’s “Discworld” novels, which have collectively sold more than 90 million copies. It is inspired by the Grimm’s...

Terry Pratchett’s “The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents” is set to become the first of the much-loved author’s books to be adapted as an animated movie. The Discworld novel, the 28th in the series and the first for children, has been optioned by Germany-based Ulysses Filmproduktion, which will make the film alongside Ireland’s Cantilever Media. U.S. writer Terry Rossio, whose extensive credits include “Shrek,” “Aladdin,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” has written the screenplay.

Carter Goodrich, who worked on “Ratatouille” and “Brave,” is on board for character design. Toby Genkel (“Ooops! Noah Is Gone…”) is attached to direct the €15 million ($17 million) movie.

Pratchett’s book, published by Doubleday in 2001, is a reworking of the classic tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It follows Maurice, a streetwise cat, who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a dumb-looking kid who plays a pipe and has...

Arri Media International has boarded WunderWerk’s animated family film “The Ogglies,” based on the hit German children’s book series about a group of creatures with unusual eating habits looking for a new home.

Helmed by Jens Møller, whose credits include the “Lego Star Wars” TV series, and Toby Genkel, director of animated hit “Ooops! Noah is Gone,” “The Ogglies” follows a family of green, smelly, garbage-eating yet good-natured little beings who find a new home in a city dump, only to face eviction when an unscrupulous contractor decides to build a wellness temple on the site.

Arri Media will present a teaser of the 3D CGI-animated pic for the first time at the upcoming Cannes Film Market.

Erhard Dietl’s book series, which includes 34 titles, has been translated into more than 13 different languages and sold more than 5 million copies in Germany alone.

“The Ogglies” film is produced by...

‘Calm With Horses’ and “Death Of A Ladies Man’ received production backing.

To Hell Or Hibernia, a dark period comedy, and Trace, a drama about two female police officers tracking a suspected serial killer, are the first features to receive development funding from Ireland’s new regional Western Region Audiovisual Producer’s Fund (Wrap).

Developed by Mayo-based production company Hardy Films and written by Mike Cockayne and Vincent Cleghorne, To Hell Or Hibernia is about two convicts who attempt to flee their captors. Trace is being developed by Galway-based production company Magamedia and written by Ray Lawlor,

Wrap...

Munich-based world sales company Global Screen has picked up the rights to 3D animated feature “Stitch Head,” co-helmed by the director of box-office hit “Ooops! Noah Is Gone…” Global Screen will present the project to buyers at the Cannes Film Market next month.

The film gives a humorous twist to the Frankenstein story, in which the monsters are the good guys and the humans are scary. The movie, directed by Toby Genkel and Steve Hudson, is based on the children’s books by British author Guy Bass.

The film is set at Castle Grotteskew, high above the little town of Grubbers Nubbin, where a mad professor brings to life his monstrous creations, and then forgets about them. Looking after the castle and its monsters is Stitch Head – the professor’s first creation.

Terrified that even the smallest sign of monstrousness will turn the townsfolk of Grubbers Nubbin into an angry...

Produced by Germany’s Gringo Films, “Stitch Head” will pitch at March’s Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux, a leading European event for animation coming down the pipeline. Fellow German studios Lavalabs and Studio Rakete co-produce.

“Stitch Head” will be a stereoscopic 3D animated feature directed by Toby Genkel, co-director –alongside Reza Memari– of the successful “A Stork’s Journey,” a German production from Ulysses Filmproduktion which secured a U.S. release through Grindstone and Lionsgate, and was sold by Global Screen.

“Stitch Head” is a family entertainment adventure-comedy intended for mainstream audiences. According to its producers, it’s a fun take on the Frankenstein myth, where the monsters are the good guys, and the humans are scary.

“It’s based on a simple premise: If a mad professor is obsessively bringing monstrous creatures to Almost-Life in his castle’s laboratory… then who takes care of the monsters? Who keeps them fed and clean?...

France Televisions, the Paris-headquartered public broadcaster which ranks as the leading backer of European animation, announced Wednesday four new animated features and dozens of series at Annecy Film Festival.

The broadcaster, which invested 30 million euros – more than 50% of which were invested in original French content in 2017 — is co-producing Remi Chayé’s “Calamity,”Tanguy de Kermel’s “SamSam,” Eric Tosti, David Alaux and Jean-Francois Tosti’s “Terra Willy” (pictured), and Toby Genkel and Xavier Giacometti’s “Yakari.”

“Yakari,” based on the character of the popular series and the comic books by Derib & Job, follows a Sioux boy who lives a great adventure every day in the wilderness with his best friends. The series is produced by Dargaud Media, Wunderwerk, Belvision, France 3 Cinema, Bac Films Production, Universum Film and Gao Shan Pictures.

Set in 1863 in the Wild West, “Calamity” follows Jane, a 10-year-old in the year after both parents died. The...

Titles include action thriller Spider In The Web and BBC drama series Baptiste.

Belgian audiovisual fund Screen Flanders is investing €1.99m ($2.3m) across ten projects as part of its first funding call of 2018.

The chosen projects include six international co-productions. Amongst them are Spider In The Web, an action thriller from Eran Riklis (The Syrian Bride) which stars Ben Kingsley and Monica Bellucci. Telling the story of an elderly Mossad agent on his last mission, the film was shot mainly on location in Antwerp.

Also receiving funding is BBC series Baptiste, which is a spin-off of hit drama series The Missing,...

€5m funding is shared between 17 fiction, 2 animation and 1 documentary films.

Following its 150th meeting in Yerevan, Armenia from March 13-16, European cinema body Eurimages has awarded funding to 20 film projects.

Of the supported titles, 17 are fiction, two are animated and one is a documentary. 30% of those receiving support have female directors, who cumulatively receive 34% of the total money awarded.

See below for the full list of projects

Among the projects are Bergman Island, the next film from French director Mia Hansen-Løve (Things To Come). Launched at Cannes last year, the story centres on an American filmmaking couple who find the...