News

Theatrical licensor Music Theatre International has announced that the musical The Magician’s Elephant is now available for licensing. Adapted from the award-winning children’s novel by Kate Dicamillo and featuring music and lyrics from Marc Teitler and book and lyrics from Nancy Harris, The Magician’s Elephant tells the story of a town recovering from war and the people affected by its wake. In Baltese, people have lost all faith in life and each other. Peter, a young orphan is told by a mysterious stranger that his sister is still alive, and he will find her through ‘the elephant’. There has never been such a creature in Baltese, a town where nothing extraordinary ever happens. Then one day,...

Netflix's ‘The Magician's Elephant’ is a captivating adaptation of Kate Dicamillo's beloved novel, brought to life through breathtaking visuals and a talented cast. The film is a whimsical and magical journey that will delight viewers of all ages. The story follows a young orphan boy named Peter who is on a quest to find his long-lost sister. Along the way, he meets a mysterious fortune teller who promises to help him in his search. After being told by the fortune teller to follow the elephant, it creates confusion for him. How can an orphan stuck in the country of the United Kingdom ever get the chance to see an elephant? On the night of a magic show, a low-skilled magician accidentally summons an elephant to his show, causing a city-wide panic. However, in everyone’s fear and perception of doom, Peter seizes the opportunity and follows the elephant.

Classic children's books like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and The Tale of Despereaux are still beloved by all ages. Children's literature shapes young minds and prompts adults to reflect on their favorite childhood media. Modern children's literature, with whimsical worlds and deep stories, demonstrates the genre's evolution for all audiences.

Plenty of children's fantasy books appeal to adults as well as children, whether they are reading it for the first time or returning to a childhood favorite. People are thinking about children's fantasy books that deserve TV shows in the wake of some successful adaptations, prompting discourse about what makes them suitable for all ages. Children's literature is typically categorized as such because of arbitrary criteria concerning what content can be included when the story and themes are still very mature.

Several classic kids' books from the '90s are still worth reading, arguably representing the golden age of children's fantasy literature.

Kids books evolve with society: Many 2000s favorites face criticism today for outdated concepts. Diverse voices needed: Children's literature should represent all backgrounds to reflect our world. Classics vs. Fades: Not all beloved books age well, but studying past kids' lit helps us grow.

Children's books can define the lives of the kids who read them, but some that came out in the 2000s haven't aged well and are remembered differently today. A change in a book's reputation can occur for many reasons and doesn't necessarily mean that the piece of literature should be put away forever. Expectations for representation and fairness in children's novels have evolved, leading to an influx of amazing books from a wide range of authors in recent years. Kids' books should feature just as many diverse voices as any other type of content.

A book could still be compelling and tell a strong story but...

Leo is an animated musical comedy film directed by Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, and David Wachtenheim, from a screenplay by Robert Smigel, Paul Sado, and Adam Sandler. The Netflix film revolves around Leo the Lizard who has been stuck in the same Florida school for over seven decades, and when he finds out that he only has a year to live but instead he ends up helping the students. Leo has a very talented star cast giving their voices to the characters including Sandler’s whole family, Bill Burr, Rob Schneider, Jason Alexander, and Cecily Strong. So, if you loved the Netflix film, here are some similar animated movies you could watch next.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Disney+) Credit – Disney+

Synopsis: Greg Heffley is a scrawny but ambitious kid with an active imagination and big plans to be rich and famous – he just has to survive middle school first.

Netflix has released its weekly Top 10 global streaming charts for the week of March 13, which includes both original productions and other films and series airing on the streamer across the globe.

Idris Elba‘s “Luther: The Fallen Sun” remained atop the charts of English-language films with another 69.5 million hours viewed. That comes to 62 million views over the film’s first two weeks on the streamer, dividing the 135.5 million hours viewed by the film’s 2.2-hour runtime. The movie remained in the Top 10 for 93 countries and was #1 in a good amount of them, showing the global appeal of Elba’s character.

Vanessa Jopp‘s dramedy “Faraway” was once again in second place with 14.8 million hours viewed, while Netflix’s animated film “The Magician’s Elephant,” based on Kate Dicamillo‘s novel, entered the charts in third place with 13.7 million hours viewed, both of those in the Top 10 for 70+ countries. Meanwhile, maybe it...

Currently available to stream on Netflix, The Magician's Elephant centers around a boy named Peter who is determined to reunite with his little sister. When a fortune teller simply advises him to "follow the elephant," her ominous words lead to more than he bargained for. Challenged by the king himself, Peter must complete a series of impossible tasks if he hopes to discover the truth about the family he thought he lost.

Kate Dicamillo joins forces with producer Julia Pistor and director Wendy Rogers to adapt her 2009 book into a full-length feature. Dicamillo is a two-time Newbery Award winner and is most well-known for her novel Because of Winn-Dixie. Pistor has produced other animated films such as Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, while Rogers has worked on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian as a visual effects supervisor. The main cast includes Noah Jupe, Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French,...

Based on the novel of the same name by Kate Dicamillo, The Magician’s Elephant is an endearing, whimsical tale about one boy's quest to find his lost sister and the town he inspires to believe in magic again. In Netflix’s latest animated film, directed by Wendy Rogers from a screenplay by Martin Hynes, the story has less to do with magic and is more focused on the feeling attached to magic.

In the vaguely European town of Baltese, war has brought in clouds of despair. The once vibrant town is now plagued with melancholy, with very few citizens willing to hope. Enter Peter (Noah Jupe), a young orphan who happens upon a tent one day. He meets a fortuneteller who speaks in riddles — until she gives him the answer he needs to set off on an adventure to find his lost sister. Believing she was dead for so many years,...

Based on the book by Newbery Award-winning author, Kate Dicamillo, The Magician’s Elephant will be available to stream on Netflix beginning Friday, March 17th. The animated film centers around a young orphan boy named Peter, who learns from a fortune teller that his sister may still be alive. Desperate to be reunited, Peter heeds the woman's advice to "follow the elephant" that has mysteriously appeared in town. But if he hopes to free the animal and discover the truth about his family, Peter must undergo a series of impossible tasks.

Noah Jupe stars as the voice of Peter and has several acting credits dating back to 2015. However, he is most well known for playing Marcus Abbott in A Quiet Place. Cast members also include Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, and Benedict Wong.

Related: A Quiet Place...

Painterly animation gets a new twist in Netflix’s “The Magician’s Elephant” (currently streaming), directed by VFX supervisor Wendy Rogers. Adapted from Kate Dicamillo’s 2009 children’s book about two siblings separated by war, the first-time director sought a soft aesthetic to help convey magical realism.

“When I came to the project, it already had producer Julia Pistor [‘Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events’], and they switched from live action to animation,” Rogers told IndieWire. “I met Julia and pitched my vision to Netflix and was lucky to get it.” Rogers wanted the world and overall animation style to be physically grounded, while the soft cloud-filled sky and painted texturing served as part of the magical realism.

“I think the themes that are in the book — belief in the impossible and taking action on that belief through curiosity and always questioning the world — are inspiring,” she added.

When young Peter (Noah Jupe) asks a fortune teller...

With the 95th Academy Awards in the rearview, this week is light on new-to-streaming releases that could credibly contend for future awards. Our top pick this week was a contender – it was nominated for an Oscar, but didn’t win. It’s still very much worth watching once it hits HBO and HBO Max this weekend.

The contender to watch this weekend: “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”

This documentary was nominated for Best Documentary Feature this year, losing to “Navalny.” It comes from acclaimed director Laura Poitras – a previous Oscar winner for “Citizenfour” – and follows artist and activist Nan Goldin’s righteous crusade to hold Oxycontin manufacturer Purdue Pharma and the controlling Sackler family responsible for the company’s role in creating the opioid crisis. The Sacklers were big funders of art institutions, and Goldin’s pressure campaign successfully got their names off many donor rolls. The documentary comes...

An orphan must perform three impossible tasks in order to find his lost sister in an earnest animation made watchable by a brilliant turn from Aasif Mandvi

‘Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it”: this is the blah-blah-bland message of this family movie, adapted from Kate Dicamillo’s popular kids’ novel. It’s heartfelt and sweetly earnest, but humdrum and disappointingly unmagical. The animation doesn’t help: characters speak with blank paralysed faces as if they’ve had botched Botox.

The setting is a war-weary town called Baltese where Peter (Noah Jupe) is a young orphan being raised in the school of hard knocks by a gruff retired soldier (Mandy Patinkin), who has him practising military drills day and night. But Peter is a dreamer not a fighter. One day he visits a fortune-teller who reveals that the sister he has always believed died as a baby,...

The Magician’s Elephant is an animation movie directed by Wendy Rogers, and based on a novel written by Kate Dicamillo.

The Magician’s Elephant is a children’s film that aims for the highest “Disney” spirit (that of some years ago): but more tender, childish and somewhat naive, and that, woven by magic, achieves exactly the result it intends to – a film of the old school that, if we let ourselves go, will certainly be charming.

About the Film

Good animation on the technical side that – without being Pixar – takes us along the path of The Sea Beast (another Netflix animation): classicism in form, plot and overall style.

Is it one of those movies for young and old to watch? Absolutely, and with a lot of quality to it. If it sticks to what’s an”easy” approach, it’s a debate that, surely, we shouldn’t get into...

"The Magician's Elephant" is a new CG-animated fantasy adventure feature, directed by Wendy Rogers, based on the 2009 novel by Kate Dicamillo, starring Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou, Benedict Wong, Miranda Richardson and Aasif Mandvi, streaming March 17, 2023 on Netflix:

"...'Peter' searches for his long-lost sister 'Adele'. To accomplish this. a fortune teller tells him to find a magician with an elephant..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Is there an animal better suited to the big screen than the elephant? From Topsy (Rip) to Dumbo, these magnificent creatures have been especially prominent in documentaries and animation. Continuing this long tradition is “The Magician’s Elephant,” in which a boy (voiced by Noah Jupe) must complete three seemingly impossible tasks to find the younger sister he thought died at birth.

Netflix Animation’s latest offering uses the concept of magic to express the idea that nothing is impossible if your heart is in the right place and you believe in yourself. While the movie itself is more whimsical than magical, it does have a few tricks up its sleeve.

The three trials Peter must complete aren’t edicts from the movie’s eponymous magician, who barely factors into the narrative beyond conjuring the elephant out of thin air, but rather a royal decree from an eccentric king (Aasif Mandavi...

"The Magician's Elephant" is a new CG-animated fantasy adventure feature, directed by Wendy Rogers, based on the 2009 novel by Kate Dicamillo, starring Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou, Benedict Wong, Miranda Richardson and Aasif Mandvi, streaming March 17, 2023 on Netflix:

"...'Peter' searches for his long-lost sister 'Adele'. To accomplish this. a fortune teller tells him to find a magician with an elephant..."

Click the images to enlarge...

"My sister lives! And I will find her." Netflix has revealed the official trailer for an animated movie titled The Magician's Elephant, arriving for streaming this March. It's adapted from two-time Newbery Award winning author Kate Dicamillo's classic novel, as a "joyful animated reimagining." When young Peter sets out to find his sister, his optimistic spirit guides him through an unexpected encounter with an elephant and three seemingly impossible tasks, also giving hope to his town along the way. The director: "I am forever grateful for our brilliant crew at Netflix and Animal Logic that collectively designed and crafted a beautiful, surreal yet tangible world in which our compellingly layered and diverse cast of characters flourishes." The voice cast includes Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry, Noah Jupe, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Benedict Wong, and Miranda Richardson. This looks a bit wonky,...

Netflix has released the first trailer for their upcoming animated film, The Magician's Elephant. The movie is an adaptation of Kate Dicamillo's 2009 novel of the same name, which tells the story of Peter (voiced in the film by Noah Jupe), a boy who is looking for his long-lost sister, Adele (Pixie Davies). A fortune teller advises Peter to follow the titular magician's elephant in order to find his sibling, leaving the boy confused. One day, after an elephant accidentally falls from the sky at a magic show, Peter is determined to follow it wherever it goes, so it can lead him to Adele.

The first trailer for Netflix’s upcoming animated adventure The Magician’s Elephant teases an enchanting adaptation of Newbery-winning author Kate Dicamillo’s 2009 novel.

In a nearly two-minute first look at the animated feature premiering globally on March 17 and helmed by first-time director and animation and vfx veteran Wendy Rogers (Puss in Boots, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian), the streamer promises an emotionally heartfelt and visually stunning coming-of-age fable about the desire to connect and belong, embracing possibility and the power of hope and compassion.

“The first time I watched the movie, I was struck by the sheer beauty of it — it is a gorgeous film visually,” Dicamillo says of the Rogers-helmed adaptation. “But also, there is a real, genuine heart to the film. It is deeply moving. That is the true magic of it.”

Coming more than a decade after an adaptation was first announced with producer Julia Pistor...

Season 2 of “Ginny & Georgia” is back and better than ever with a bevy of pop culture references and a killer soundtrack. Ginny’s love of literature, reading and writing was established in Season 1, and references to classic books and authors continue to thread through the show’s sophomore season.

As Ginny continues to unravel the layers of her mother Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) past, she still has to deal with an out-of-touch English professor who doesn’t exactly grasp the benefits of a diverse literary canon. Ginny’s bedroom is stocked full of classic and colorful book spines. Her dad Zion (Nathan Mitchell) also references a lot of literary figures.

Ginny’s English teacher Mr. Gitten (Johnathan Potts) challenges her to select a book to present for her AP English class; her selection should, in his words, be “anything that encompasses the Black experience in America.” The three options...

Exclusive: Amazon Studios has locked down film rights to the #1 New York Times bestseller The Beatryce Prophecy from two-time Newbery Medalist Kate Dicamillo, tapping two-time Emmy nominee Brad Copeland (Arrested Development) to script an adaptation.

Gil Netter will produce the fantasy pic for Netter Films, with the company’s VP of Development & Production Jennie Lee serving as exec producer.

Published by Candlewick in September of 2021 and featuring illustrations by Sophie Blackall, The Beatryce Prophecy is billed as a fantastical meditation on fate, love and the power of words to spell the world.

The book’s official synopsis goes as follows: In a time of war, a mysterious child appears at the monastery of the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing. Gentle Brother Edik finds the girl, Beatryce, curled in a stall, wracked with fever, coated in dirt and blood, and holding fast to the ear of Answelica the goat. As...

Netflix is acquiring Australian animation studio Animal Logic, which is producing films for the streamer including “The Magician’s Elephant,” directed by Wendy Rogers, and “The Shrinking of the Treehorns,” directed by Ron Howard.

Animal Logic has about 800 employees, mostly based in Sydney and Vancouver. The acquisition “will help us accelerate the development of our animation production capabilities and reinforces our commitment to build a world-class animation studio,” Netflix said in its Q2 letter to shareholders.

The company did not disclose the purchase price for Animal Logic but said it will fund the acquisition from cash on hand. Netflix expects to close the later this year, subject to certain regulatory approvals.

Click here to sign up for Variety‘s free Strictly Business newsletter covering earnings, financial and investment news, and more.

“Together, we’ll create an animation studio that will produce some of our largest animated feature films,” Netflix said in the shareholder letter.

Click here to read the full article.

Netflix Animation showcased a bevy of upcoming, diverse projects this week at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival: That included the unveiling of a scene from the anticipated Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; the world premiere of Oscar winner Chris Williams’ original The Sea Beast, which premieres July 8 on the streaming service; and new footage from Henry Selick and Jordan Peele’s stop-motion Wendell & Wild.

The animation arm has been closely watched since April, when during its first-quarter earnings announcement, Netflix reported it had lost 200,000 subscribers in the quarter and expected to lose an additional 2 million during the second quarter. Since then, its animation business was affected by layoffs and several cancelled projects, such as Meghan Markle’s Pearl.

At the the same time, Netflix Animation is the process of opening a new Burbank facility to house its original feature animation projects.

During Annecy,...

Beginning midday at the weeklong expo’s halfway mark, Netflix’s first ever animation showcase was in many ways the centerpiece event of this year’s Annecy Animation Film Festival.

Over the course of a ninety-minute presentation hosted by Variety’s Peter Debruge, executives and creative teams previewed upcoming films and series from the streamer’s adult, family, and preschool divisions while directors Henry Selick and David Fincher beamed in with behind-the-scenes looks at projects “Wendell & Wild” and “Love, Death & Robots” released episode “Bad Travelling” and rapper Kid Cudi made a surprise appearance to boost his visual-album “Entergalactic.”

And then Guillermo del Toro took the stage, receiving a hero’s greeting as he roared, “Animation is not a f—ng genre. Animation is film!” When the cheers died down, he world premiered eight minutes of footage, finished and unfinished, from his stop-motion fable about a wooden boy with a borrowed soul.

Horror fans are well catered to in this month’s slimmed-down selection of film premieres on Sky Cinema, with serial killer body-swap comedy Freaky, The Forever Purge, and Ben Wheatley’s pandemic weird-fest In the Earth. Joining those is the latest from Steven Soderbergh, whose Contagion enjoyed a surge of interest early on in the pandemic. His new feature is Kimi, a thriller starring Zoe Kravitz set during the time of Covid-19.

For half-term viewing with the kids off school, there’s Space Jam: A New Legacy and Dream Horse, as well as the many archive titles already available. Speaking of which, save Book of Love, there doesn’t seem to be a big Valentine’s night-in premiere this year, so perhaps look out one of our picks.

And here’s what else is coming to Sky Cinema in the UK this February.

Movie Premieres and Sky Originals

Freaky – 4th...

A specialty market dotted by holdovers as Oscar nods approach and gripped by Sundance fever debuts a compelling handful of new openers from Korean director Hong Sang-soo’s Introduction to Bhutan’s first ever entrant on the Academy Awards International feature shortlist, to a Ukrainian coming of age story and a Queen Latifa-starrring family film Tiger Rising based on the bestselling Kate Dicamillo book.

They come in a frame with two new wide releases: Faith-based romance Redeeming Love presented by Universal on 1,903 screens, and Sean McNamara’s family adventure The King’s Daughter at 2,170 locations, presented by Gravitas. (See below for more on both.)

The Avenue presents The Tiger Rising on 800+ screens, the weekend’s widest specialty release. Directed by Ray Giarratana from a screenplay he adapted based on the Dicamillo novel. With Christian Convery and Dennis Quaid. Lonely 12-year-old Rob Horton (Convery) discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home,...

“The Tiger Rising” spells out its entire plot and overarching theme from the get-go, bluntly articulating its inspirational modus operandi so viewers can remain perpetually ahead of its action. The fact that writer-director Ray Giarratana’s film is based on Kate Dicamillo’s children’s book — and thus intended for young audiences — is hardly an excuse for such stodgy storytelling, which plays out with no mystery, ambiguity or subtlety. when it debuts in theaters on Jan. 21 and on VOD on Feb. 8.

Designed for maximum corniness, “The Tiger Rising” peppers its action with enough references to God, upturned-to-the-heavens gazes and warm enveloping light to make clear its function as a homily. As overtly expressed by opening narration, the message here has to do with cages — namely, the figurative ones encasing grief-stricken adolescent Rob (Christian Convery) and furiously angry new friend Sistine (Madalen Mills), and the literal one surrounding a tiger that...

Written and directed by Ray Giarratana, The Tiger Rising stars an ensemble cast of Christian Convery (“Sweet Tooth”), Madalen Mills (Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story), Tony Award nominee Sam Trammell (“True Blood”), Katharine McPhee (“Smash”), Golden Globe nominee Dennis Quaid (Far From Heaven) and Academy Award® nominee Queen Latifah (Hairspray) who was as an executive producer on the film.

The Tiger Rising will be In Theaters – January 21, 2021 and On Demand and Digital – February 8, 2022. Here’s the trailer:

Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid star in this beloved tale based on the New York Times best-selling book by Kate Dicamillo. When 12-year-old Rob Horton (Christian Convery) discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home, his imagination runs wild and life begins to change in the most unexpected ways. With the help of a wise and mysterious maid, Willie May (Queen Latifah) and the stubborn new girl in school (Madalen Mills), he navigates through childhood memories,...

In November 2019, a crew of about 100 assembled in the small town of Thomasville, Georgia, to shoot The Tiger Rising, based on Kate Dicamillo’s 2001 children’s book about a 12-year-old boy who finds a caged tiger in the woods behind the motel where he lives with his father.

With a budget of $10 million and Dennis Quaid and Queen Latifah in starring roles, the independent film undoubtedly seemed like an appealing gig. But The Tiger Rising turned into an ordeal of broken promises, overdue bills and some union members still owed benefits nearly two years after the cameras stopped rolling. According ...

In November 2019, a crew of about 100 assembled in the small town of Thomasville, Georgia, to shoot The Tiger Rising, based on Kate Dicamillo’s 2001 children’s book about a 12-year-old boy who finds a caged tiger in the woods behind the motel where he lives with his father.

With a budget of $10 million and Dennis Quaid and Queen Latifah in starring roles, the independent film undoubtedly seemed like an appealing gig. But The Tiger Rising turned into an ordeal of broken promises, overdue bills and some union members still owed benefits nearly two years after the cameras stopped rolling. According ...

Before Netflix docuseries The Tiger King enthralled homebound audiences early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, actor Dennis Quaid had his own experience with a tiger.

“When you see a tiger up close, you are drawn towards it, at the same time of wanting to run away,” says Quaid of meeting a real-life tiger, with whom he shares the screen in the Cannes sales title The Tiger Rising.

Based on the children’s book of the same name by Kate Dicamillo, the story follows a 12-year-old who discovers a tiger in a cage in the woods behind the Florida motel where he ...

Before Netflix docuseries The Tiger King enthralled homebound audiences early on in the Covid-19 pandemic, actor Dennis Quaid had his own experience with a tiger.

“When you see a tiger up close, you are drawn towards it, at the same time of wanting to run away,” says Quaid of meeting a real-life tiger, with whom he shares the screen in the Cannes sales title The Tiger Rising.

Based on the children’s book of the same name by Kate Dicamillo, the story follows a 12-year-old who discovers a tiger in a cage in the woods behind the Florida motel where he ...

When the book Flora and Ulysses was released in 2013, it attracted Alyson Hannigan as a fan. Kate Dicamillo’s story about a girl and a superhero squirrel was a big hit both with Hannigan and her two daughters, so she took a very personal interest in getting the role of Flora’s mother in the movie. […]

The post Alyson Hannigan Had A Super-Strong Interest In ‘Ulysses’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

Flora & Ulysses is a hilarious and clever adaptation of famed author Kate Dicamillo's award-winning children's book. A cynical, friendless ten-year-old girl awakens a plucky squirrel's superhero powers after saving him from an accident. The film is loaded with CGI critter gags, but it's the human characters and subtle humor that steal the show. Flora & Ulysses addresses children with a degree of sophistication rarely seen in the genre. It becomes somewhat labored in the final act, but has already won you over with heartfelt goodness.

Flora Buckman, played brilliantly by Matilda Lawler, is a kid who's lost hope. Her parent's have recently separated and everyone is struggling in the aftermath. Flora's mom, Phyllis (Alyson Hannigan), is a romance novelist with writer's block. Her dad, George (Ben Schwartz), is a failed comic book artist who could never provide for his family. Flora sells her beloved comic collection. Superheroes are just foolish fantasies.

Is there any career more unfairly represented in children’s movies than that of the animal control officer? In the rowdy new Disney Plus original, “Flora & Ulysses,” Flora (Matilda Lawler) is a 10-year-old comic-book savant; Ulysses is her unusually gifted CG squirrel; and overzealous officer Miller (Danny Pudi) is the only thing that stands between this beautiful friendship and a macabre fate for this cutie-patootie super-pet.

Technically, the title duo is only slightly less destructive than your average tornado. Nearly all the movie’s set pieces involve breaking, spilling or otherwise upsetting tidy spaces, which is no doubt fun to watch if you are Flora’s age or younger, and the type of child who likes to play Godzilla with your Lego sets. It’s also somewhat impressive, if you pause to contemplate the task demanded of director Lena Khan, who had to orchestrate such pandemonium (involving lots of...

Don’t let self-professed cynic Flora Buckman fool you: This savvy 10-year-old still has a taste for magic underneath her world-weary outer shell. Tucked alongside all her distaste for things like “hope” — ew — the precocious kiddo (a charming Matilda Lawler) can’t quite shake her obsession with all things comic book and, more precisely, all things superheroic. Recent life events have dinged her optimism a bit, and while it may be easier to move through the world filled with nothing but suspicion, that only means that when good things do happen, they feel really, really good.

Such is the lesson of Lena Khan’s good-hearted “Flora & Ulysses,” a tonally faithful adaptation of Kate Dicamillo’s novel of the same name. Screenwriter Brad Copeland has altered some of the book’s dramas, though the overall look and feel of the story remains: Gussied up with the antics of an animated superhero squirrel,...

The magic Kate Dicamillo imbues within the pages of Flora & Ulysses is infectious. Not only is her book a smart and witty adventure that refuses to shy from the struggles with loneliness everyone faces (young and old), but it also seeks to use wordplay and vocabulary in a fun Phantom Tollbooth kind of way that entertains and educates in equal measure. My worry with Disney’s live-action adaptation was therefore whether or not it could do the material justice since the absurdly hyperbolic nature of the whole always felt better-suited for the imaginative flights of fancy animation provides. Things like Dicamillo switching perspective every couple chapters to her superhero squirrel wouldn’t be easy, but I still looked forward to seeing how director Lena Khan might achieve it anyway.

It sadly doesn’t take long to realize she’ll never actually get that chance, though. Not with the script Brad Copeland has written.

One of Disney’s most recent Disney+ original films set to stream on February 19 is Flora & Ulysses. Based on the charming best-selling children’s book of the same name by Kate Dicamillo, Flora & Ulysses is an unconventional superhero story that explores purpose, excitement, and the role of superheroes. There is no doubt that Flora & […]

The post Flora & Ulysses: A Great Book, An Okay Disney+ Original Film appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..

Disney+ released the trailer for their upcoming comedy-adventure Flora & Ulysses. The movie is all set to premiere exclusively on the streaming service Friday, February 19th, 2021. The footage teases a new kind of adventure with a furry little superhero who has definitely mastered the superhero landing pose. Ulysses has more than likely seen his fair share of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, thanks to Disney, because he appears to be doing a pretty good Iron Man impression when he lands.

Flora & Ulysses is based on the Newbery Award-winning book about 10-year old Flora, an avid comic book fan and a self-avowed cynic, whose parents have recently separated. She is seen flipping through the pages of Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel comic books in the trailer. After rescuing a squirrel, she names Ulysses, Flora is amazed to discover he possesses unique superhero powers, which take them on an adventure of humorous...

"Flora and Ulysses" is the new family comedy feature directed by Lena Khan, based on the novel of the same name by Kate Dicamillo, starring Matilda Lawler, Alyson Hannigan, Ben Schwartz, Benjamin Evan Ainsworth and Danny Pudi, streaming February 19, 2021 on Disney+:

"...'Flora Belle Buckman' bonds with a squirrel named 'Ulysses', who develops unusual intellectual and physically super capabilities after accidentally being sucked into a vacuum cleaner..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Netflix is making a new animated feature based on The Magician’s Elephant, the book from writer Kate Dicamillo. Featuring a voice cast that includes Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry, Noah Jupe, Aasif Mandvi, and Mandy Patinkin, the story follows a boy looking for his long-lost sister and having to find a […]

The post ‘The Magician’s Elephant’ Will Be a New Animated Feature From Netflix appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: Young actress Madalen Mills has signed with WME and Brillstein Entertainment for representation. The signing comes as Mills recently marked her feature acting debut in Netflix’s first original live-action musical, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, from writer and director David E. Talbert.

Mills stars alongside Oscar winner Forest Whitaker and is featured in two songs from the musical’s soundtrack. The holiday tale is set in the town of Cobbleton and follows legendary toymaker Jeronicus Jangle (Whitaker), whose fanciful inventions burst with whimsy and wonder. But when his trusted apprentice steals his most prized creation, it’s up to his equally bright and inventive granddaughter (Mills) and a long-forgotten invention to heal old wounds.

Up next, Mills stars opposite Queen Latifah and Dennis Quaid in The Tiger Rising, a film adaption based on Kate Dicamillo’s children’s book by the same name.

At age 9, Mills was the...

Netflix has unveiled the animated feature film “The Magician’s Elephant,” with a voice cast including Noah Jupe, Pixie Davies, Sian Clifford, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry and Benedict Wong.

“The Magician’s Elephant” is based on Newbery Award winner Kate Dicamillo’s novel of the same title. The film, currently in production, marks the directorial debut of visual effects veteran Wendy Rogers — whose credits include “Shrek,” “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” and “Puss in Boots” — and is produced by Julia Pistor.

The voice cast also includes Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, Cree Summer and Lorraine Toussaint.

“Toy Story 4” writer Martin Hynes has written the script. Animal Logic is handling the computer imagery for “The Magician’s Elephant.”

The story centers on Peter (voiced by Jupe), who is searching for his long-lost sister Adel (voiced by Pixie Davies). He crosses paths with a fortune teller...

Exclusive: Netflix has set an all-star voice cast and stellar creative team for new animation The Magician’s Elephant, we can reveal.

Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place), Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange), Sian Clifford (Fleabag), Pixie Davies (Mary Poppins Returns), Natasia Demetriou (What We Do In The Shadows), Dawn French (French & Saunders), Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Aasif Mandvi (Evil), Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), Miranda Richardson (Belle), Cree Summer (Vampirina) and Lorraine Toussaint (Concrete Cowboy) will voice the movie, which is currently in production.

Based on two-time Newbery Award-winner Kate Dicamillo’s novel of the same name, the film marks the directorial debut of veteran visual effects artist Wendy Rogers (Shrek) and is produced by animation vet Julia Pistor (The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie).

Script comes from Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4), production design from Max Boas (Abominable), art direction from Luri Lioi (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy), editing by...

“The Tiger Rising,” which is repped by Highland Film Group and based on Kate Dicamillo’s New York Times bestselling children’s book, centers on 10-year-old Rob (Christian Convery), who has just lost his mother, and who’s prone to allowing his imagination run wild. One fateful day, he encounters a Bengal tiger being held captive by Beauchamp (Dennis Quaid), a nefarious motel owner. With the help of an enigmatic maid (Queen Latifah) and a new schoolmate (Madalen Mills), Rob decides what to do about his potentially dangerous discovery. Latifah, who executive produced the film, which was directed by former visual effects supervisor Ray Giarratana, spoke with Variety about the project.

What attracted you to “The Tiger Rising”?

I love the relatability of telling a story that expresses how different people deal with grief. And I particularly enjoy seeing that through the lens of children because of their active imagination.

Queen Latifah and Madalen Mills star in Ray Giarratana’s “The Tiger Rising.” The drama is based on Kate Dicamillo’s New York Times Bestselling children’s book and produced by Deborah Giarratana and Ryan Donnell Smith. Highland Film Group is handling worldwide sales, which are under at the European Film Market in Berlin.

The Tiger Rising” is set in rural Florida, where a reserved 10-year-old Rob Horton (Christian Convery) lets his imagination run wild, a contrast to his sad reality of a bullied boy who just lost his mother. One day, however, he comes across a Bengal tiger, hidden in the woods and held captive by a mean-spirited motel owner, Beauchamp (Dennis Quaid). With the help of a wise and mysterious maid, Willie May (Queen Latifah), and the stubborn new girl in school Sistine (Madalen Mills), Rob must decide if to set the tiger free and in turn uncage his emotional grief.

Filmmaker Lena Khan, who helmed The Tiger Hunter and the upcoming Disney+ movie Flora and Ulysses, has signed with UTA for worldwide representation.

Khan is in post-production on Flora & Ulysses, starring Alyson Hannigan, Ben Schwartz and Matilda Lawler. Based on the popular children’s book Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures by Kate Dicamillo, the story centers on the imaginative, creative and cynical 10-year-old Flora (Lawler), who could hardly predict that the little squirrel she saved from a tragic accident would be born anew and transformed into a superhero with the powers of strength, misspelled poetry and an uncanny knack for helping her and the lovable but broken people in her life become a family again. Gil Netter is producing, and Brad Copeland adapted the script.

Khan made her feature directing debut on The Tiger Hunter, which she co-wrote with Sameer Gardezi and Meera Simhan. It stars Danny Pudi as...

Exclusive: Sam Trammell, Katharine McPhee Foster and young actor Christian Convery are set to star alongside Queen Latifah, Dennis Quaid and Madalen Mills in The Tiger Rising. Ray Giarratana is directing the film from a screenplay he adapted based on the 2001 New York Times bestselling children’s book by Kate Dicamillo.

The story centers on Rob Horton (Convery), a 12-year-old who finds a caged tiger in the center of the woods near his home. Shortly after, Rob meets Sistine Bailey (Mills), a girl who shows her feelings as readily as Rob hides his. As they learn to trust each other and become friends, Rob and Sistine prove that some things – like memories, heartaches and tigers – can’t be locked up forever. Trammell and McPhee Foster will play Rob’s parents, Robert Horton Sr. and Caroline Horton.

Deborah and Ray Giarratana of Gg Filmz are producing with Ryan Smith, partner and president of Streamline Global.

Food Network is partnering with the Girl Scouts of the USA on a new competition series in which professional bakers are challenged to turn their favorite Girl Scout Cookies into new desserts.

“How I Met Your Mother” actress Alyson Hannigan, a former Girl Scout herself, is set to host “Girl Scout Cookie Championship” with Nacho Aguirre and Katie Lee serving as judges alongside a different third judge every episode, and chef Carla Hall serving as a panelist.

The four-episode competition series is currently in production and is slated to premiere in 2020 during Girl Scout Cookie season.

Also Read: 'Pioneer Woman' Ree Drummond Signs New Multi-Year Deal With Food Network

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Girl Scouts of the USA to celebrate the Girl Scout Cookie Program and those iconic cookies that are anticipated all year long,” said Food Network president Courtney White. “Now fans will be doubly rewarded with...

Dennis Quaid and newcomer Madalen Mills have joined the already cast Queen Latifah in the book to film adaptation of The Tiger Rising. The film is being directed by Ray Giarratana, who also wrote the screenplay, from the 2001 children’s book, written by Kate Dicamillo. Variety reports the following synopsis of the story:

“Tiger Rising” centers on a reserved 12-year-old boy who has just lost his mother and meets a full-grown Bengal tiger hidden in the Florida woods, held captive by the mean-spirited motel owner, played by Quaid. Latifah plays a mysterious maid and Mills will portray the stubborn new girl in school. The boy must decide whether to set the tiger free and in turn uncage his emotional grief.

No other casting has been reported at this time. The film is currently in pre-production. Are you interested in The Tiger Rising?...