Twenty Fourteen

And so in a matter of hours, a new year comes… Another batch of assorted animated entertainments will be making the waves from the cold January to the equally cold December. Our big studios, minus three, are ready to roll their work to the cinemas.

Disney Animation will take us to the action-packed streets of San Fransokyo in their first Marvel film, Big Hero 6. DreamWorks will take us back in time with two classic characters that were seen on the small screens in the late 1950s with Mr. Peabody & Sherman, revisit Berk for more fiery action with How To Train Your Dragon 2 and then introduce us to the alien Boov of distant planet Smekland in Home. Blue Sky will head on over to the Amazon with their fun feathered friends for Rio 2.

Pixar, Illumination and Sony Pictures Animation don't have any trips to take us on in 2014. Pixar pushed their prehistoric epic The Good Dinosaur back to late 2015, Sony Animation shuffled Genndy Tartakovsky's cool-sounding take on Popeye to the "to be determined" section of their slate, Illumination moved the Minions to summer 2015.

It's a shame in some ways, but given many circumstances, it's easy for me to swallow. Again, I'm used to waiting for Pixar films and I know that the "one a year" thing may be detrimental to the development of their productions. I'd rather them take their time than rush out a film, so we don't get a not-so-great film and hear more doomsday naysayers crying. Minions does not really intrigue me, so I could care less that it's been moved. (I'm more interested in Illumination's upcoming original film that they have slated for 2016!) Sony has two films I am not interested in coming in 2015; The Smurfs 3 and Hotel Transylvania 2.

Thankfully, others will be there to fill the void.

Reel FX, makers of Free Birds, are going to do a complete 180 from their goofy turkey movie and give us the potentially awesome The Book of Life. A fantasy-adventure about a young man who must face his fears while traveling through three fantasy worlds that's told through a plethora of songs, it's said to be unlike any computer animated film we've seen over the years. Warner Bros. finally makes a return to feature animation after years of duds, bad decisions and one-trick ponies, thanks to the hilarious-looking The Lego Movie, which offers a lot of promise thanks to its fun trailers, the fact that Phil Lord and Chris Miller are directing and the fact that it's… Well… Lego! Then LAIKA also comes to save the day with another stop-motion masterpiece in the making, The BoxTrolls, which will plunge us into a Victorian setting and take us to a world beneath ours, a world full of quirky little trolls.

We also have the North American releases of Hayao Miyazaki's swan song The Wind Rises and the French traditionally-animated charmer Ernest & Celestine arriving soon. Hopefully these two films are modestly successful, and help motivate studios to invest in unique smaller-scale animation and animation from all around the world.

No Pixar? No Sony? No Illumination? No problem. We have others to make up for that, and they'll return in 2015. Other than these mainstream releases, there's The Nut Job, which looks derivative as hell. Planes: Fire & Rescue, I can do without. Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return? Eh.

That's only the theatrical front… Hopefully a majority of the films have good writing and character work, and are at least unique. Of course, this passing year is teaching a lesson. Diversity wins, and you need to give audiences something new if you want to get ahead. Copying Pixar or Disney or the family-friendly formula can only get you so far, so hopefully a good amount of people take note!

Television animation should more or less be the same; Cartoon Network will probably continue investing in weird, surreal shows while Nickelodeon will continue to try following in their footsteps. Disney seems to be on-and-off with television animation, but they'll keep their successful entries going whilst trying to launch new ones. Maybe we'll see more Wander Over Yanders next year, and see them do well. Adult Swim will give us the usual that they've been giving us for nearly a decade, Fox will continue with Seth McFarlane derivatives and "throw 'em against the wall and see if they stick" experiments. Netflix and other venues will expand television animation, as DreamWorks' TV unit already jumped in with their Turbo F.A.S.T. and tons of other content that'll soon arrive.

Pixar will still be around throughout the year. Even though they don't have a feature film for the big screen coming, they'll have a short film out in Party Central, a Monsters University-based film that oddly doesn't have a release date for some reason. Another Toy Story television special is definitely coming, it was announced back in 2012 that a second special would show up sometime around springtime 2014. An Easter special, perhaps? Or will we wait till late 2014 and end up getting a Christmas special? In addition to these productions, we'll see more Toy Story Toons and Cars Toons.

But of course, what was going on this year - with more independent animation slowly rising and things like Kickstarter helping projects get off the ground - should make this year even better. Glen Keane's Motorola project should be out, too. We'll see a lot of unique things make the waves as well, alongside the big stuff.

I think this year will be a pretty good one. What do you think? Does what 2014 have in store excite you? Or are you disappointed? Sound off below!

Another Year, Another Race

It's that time again, people. The studios have submitted their animated features to the Academy Awards… 19 to be exact...

The players, and they chances they have at being nominated:

The Apostle - No, not the world's very first animated feature film ever made (it's lost forever) that happened to be unearthed, but rather a Spanish stop-motion (!) animated film from last year, a visually interesting one to boot. But it being an awesome film does not guarantee a nomination that easy. 30% chance…

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 - While it wasn't as warmly received as the first film, it still got good reception thus it has a chance to get a nomination. The first didn't get one, though - 2009 was a very, very strong year for animation. 40% chance...

The Croods - Reviews were generally positive but mixed for this film, audiences and animation fans on the other hand really seemed to love it. (The acclaim it's getting from those circles truly baffles me.) It has a good chance at getting a nomination, since competition isn't that strong this year. Rise of the Guardians and Madagascar 3 had a lot to go up against last year. This year, one of those two definitely would've gotten in. 40% chance...

Despicable Me 2 - The first film was shut out of the 2010 race because of the amount of nominations, I'm not sure if this will make the cut either. It could make it, because it did get good reviews and was a really big success. 40% chance...

Epic - One animated film of quite a few that got middling reception this year. Blue Sky only had one nominee in their history, Ice Age. I don't think this will make the cut. 20% chance...

Ernest and Celestine - This will be the Cat in Paris/Chico & Rita of 2013. It's gotten a lot of acclaim, but there is one thing… The Academy didn't nominate a single non-US/UK film last year, despite some strong entries like The Rabbi's Cat and The Painting… But the offerings on the American front are mostly underwhelming, so this does have a very, very good shot. 85% chance...

The Fake - A South Korean-produced drama (hand-drawn, obviously), but the Academy is picky when it comes to foreign films. 35% chance...

Free Birds - Fat chance, given the film's poor critical reception. 0% chance...

Frozen - Very high chance, given Disney's recent streak of good films (Tangled would have definitely been nominated in 2010 had their been five slots) and the very positive early reception. Pretty much a guarantee at this point. This may be the one to take it home, if it's better received than Monsters University, the best-received American animated film of the year. 100% chance...

Khumba - The studio behind Zambezia made this film (that was a runner last year), it's actually their second film. Again, given the Academy's picky ways of choosing foreign films if choosing any at all, this probably won't make it in. I will say, the character design is nice. 10% chance...

The Legend of Sarila - A Canadian-produced computer animated film about Inuits trying to find a new home so they don't starve… The story seems okay, but the animation looks very dated. I got an Ice Age vibe from seeing the human characters. 10% chance...

A Letter to Momo - The second feature-length film from Hiroyuki Okiura, who worked on many well-known anime films from Ghost in the Shell to Paprika to Metropolis. But no Japanese animated film outside of Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli has a chance at getting nominated, but with the rule changes, it could sneak its way in. 40% chance...

Monsters University - It's Pixar and it got positive reception (the best of an any American animated film released this year so far), enough said. Winning chances are also very high. 100% chance…

Planes - Definite no. The polar opposite of this year's Disney and Pixar offerings. Received as a mediocre film, and it's a film that was meant to be a direct-to-video release. 0% chance...

Puella Magi Madoka Magica The Movie Part III: The Rebellion Story - That title is a mouthful, but this is an anime film based on a magical girl series. 10% chance...

Rio 2096: A Story of Love and Fury - This adult-oriented offering expectedly comes from Brazil. Visually interesting, that's for sure. 25% chance...

The Smurfs 2 - As the old saying goes, "When pigs fly…" 0% chance...

Turbo - It got okay critical reception, but I think the Academy would prefer The Croods if they wanted to pick one DreamWorks film. 20% chance...

The Wind Rises - Being Hayao Miyazaki's swan song, a definite yes. It may even just win given the rather underwhelming critical reception given to most of the American animation released this year, but it's not certain just yet because Frozen may be the best-received American animated film of the year. Anyways, this was a weak year in general so this is definitely landing itself in the nomination pool. 100% chance...

In all, I think this is what will end up happening…

Ernest and Celestine

Frozen

Monsters University

The Wind Rises

A Letter to Momo

The winner? Right now, I think it's down to two films: Frozen and The Wind Rises. Monsters University, if you ask me, won't easily win because the rules have changed. It's possible that the voters will have actually watched the non-Pixar films before the ceremony; if that were the case last year, Brave would not have won.

Ernest and Celestine could possibly get it, but when's the last time the Academy gave the little gold statue to an animated film released outside of the US and UK? Spirited Away got it for 2002, and that's it. But with them actually watching it, it could… It could…

A Letter to Momo is the least likely to win, it's there because a lot of the American competition was weak. I can see them choosing that over other 40% chance nominees like The Croods and Cloudy 2.

What do you think? What are your animated Oscar predictions? Sound off below and cast your vote in the poll!

"Free Birds" Doesn't Fly

Reel FX's foray into the world of feature animation opened rather softly… But it is in good shape...

With an unremarkable marketing campaign behind it, Free Birds had a hard time appealing to audiences. It looked too cutesy and inconsequential for adults; others balked at the plot, fearing that it was vegetarian and/or liberal propaganda. (This happens to animation quite a lot, doesn't it?) It grossed a pretty weak $16 million over the weekend, but since it has most of November to itself until Frozen hits theaters, it should grow some legs and make like other animated films that opened with around the same amount.

Fortunately for Reel FX, Free Birds only cost $35 million to make. I admire the studio's strategy, because the animation in the film does look pretty good for something made with that amount of money. Unfortunately, the film was panned by critics and received a particularly toxic 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. But that doesn't matter, because Reel FX shows that they have good talent there and their next slate of films will be a bit more on the experimental side.

From day one, I figured that they would do something like Free Birds first. It was pretty safe, it was marketable, it had enough cutesy characters and wacky humor to satisfy kids and possibly their parents. It looked like your typical animated film from the previous trailer, but now that it's out of the way, they can move on to more ambitious stuff. I mean, you can't tell me that The Book of Life doesn't at least sound interesting. Stylistically and story-wise, it's a real 180 from this film and we haven't even seen any footage yet. It doesn't sound like something many of the big studios are thinking of making, like I said a few months back, it seems more in line with Rango than anything. Beasts and Burden happens to be based on a graphic novel that isn't really family-friendly, so you can't say that they don't have any ambitions.

If somebody else like Illumination took on The Book of Life, it would be a pretty big risk given the fact that they spend more on their features. But since Reel FX isn't doing that, a project like that is perfectly suited for them. Like I said, we need more small studios experimenting because with a lower budget, they have something of a safety net if things do not go over too well. LAIKA's Coraline made a decent amount, but it didn't have a huge marketing campaign behind it. Not too many major tie-ins and whatnot. Meanwhile, a studio like Illumination has outlets like IHOP and McDonald's to please in addition to doubling the production budget. This film really only had promotional tie-ins with Chuck E. Cheese's of all things. (After all, Reel FX created the current version of Chuck E. Cheese himself.)

So a sort of lower budget, not too hyped up animated film is ideal in today's animation world - especially with some films from the big guns underperforming. We need more studios like Reel FX making these kinds of films, it's good for the industry, it gets animators jobs and it can blossom some game-changing stuff. LAIKA already succeeded, Rango was the rare case where something experimental was big budget, released by a major distributor and backed with a big marketing campaign. Free Birds is apparently not an earth-shattering film that will change mainstream animation as we know it, but The Book of Life sounds like it could definitely be. Ditto Beasts of Burden and W.I.S.H. Police. Like I said, they got the safe, market-friendly film out of the way so they can tackle the riskier stuff.

I wouldn't be surprised if The Book of Life brings about some big changes for mainstream animation. In the mean time, Free Birds ought to make a tidy profit before Frozen comes crashing in. I have not seen the film so I can't say whether the critics are right or if it's actually decent, but it should be a success. Thus, we can get the real goods from this growing studio.

October Animation Tidbits [#4]

Another round of tidbits…

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An adaptation of Captain Underpants has been on DreamWorks' docket for a long while, and given its commercial potential, it's understandably moving forward. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that a director has been attached, and a writer. Rob Letterman, who co-directed Shark Tale and Monsters vs. Aliens - will helm it, Nicholas Stoller (writer of The Muppets and its upcoming sequel) will pen the screenplay. Seems like the right duo for this kind of film.

Of course, when I was young, the books were a staple at my elementary school's annual book fairs and I imagine they were huge with every other school too. While I didn't really bother with the series back then, it'd be interesting to see how it's pulled off in feature-length form. It will be DreamWorks' first potty humor-loaded flick since the Shrek 2 days, which will make it a draw for kids and fans... Anyone else? Maybe not, making it kind of a gamble for DreamWorks.

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Even though this film is not out until next summer, a teaser is already up... Yep, Planes: Fire and Rescue...

I will admit, it's nice that this won't be Cars with airplanes like the first film was (I didn't see Planes and I don't really plan to), plus the animation does look like nice for a roughly $50 million DisneyToon production.



Yeah, surprisingly, it doesn't look half bad. Yes, the Planes films are mostly for kids, they are pretty harmless as a result. I thought the first one looked positively lame, this one just looks... Okay. Not that I plan on seeing it or anything, but please oh pretty please Disney, this stuff shouldn't be theatrical. Keep it out of the cinemas!

Other than that, its existence doesn't really bother me in the slightest. What bothers me, personally, is how furious and enraged some people are getting over this franchise. Listening to some people, you would've thought that the Cars series is the worst thing since cancer or something...

Whoever is angry needs to consider that Pixar isn't making these films, neither is Disney Animation. They've both got cool stuff in the works, these little cash grab flicks aren't really affecting them or animation that much; why worry about this when you can anticipate something like Big Hero 6 or Inside Out?

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Well, whaddaya know? More Frozen stills, straight from Stitch Kingdom...

All fine-looking, and they give you a good idea of what this film is like. That, and the current trailer that's out. That being said, the stills showcase the fine animation and art direction. It does have a bit of a Tangled-esque look, but of course it'll be different in the story department and what not.

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Some reviews for Reel FX's debut film Free Birds are in… And they are unfortunately not so positive… (Though it'll be interesting to see where it lands, I thought the first teaser had some pretty funny bits.)

Rotten Tomatoes holds three rotten reviews, plus recent screening results have been pretty negative. A real shame, because I'm rooting for Reel FX and I do hope this one makes them enough so that they can embrace the risky stuff that they have in their pipeline.

I figured for a while that Free Birds was meant to be a sort of safe film, one that would do well enough and secure them enough financial backing to make The Book of Life, which sounds intriguing from what I've been hearing. Of course, as you all may know, they have two other films in the works: An adaptation of the not-so-family-friendly Beasts of Burden and a rather dark-sounding film called W.I.S.H. Police, the latter appropriately being from the directors of Nocturna.

I have a feeling that Reel FX's future works will be more akin to Rango (especially The Book of Life) and LAIKA's films, rather than stuff from Sony Animation or Illumination. They seem to have that ambition, so we'll see how that all plays out - cute family-friendly turkey movie notwithstanding.

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What's your take on a Captain Underpants movie? What do you think of the Planes: Fire and Rescue teaser? Bad? Evil? Okay? Meh? What do you think of the Frozen stills? Do you think Free Birds will be a dud? Or surprisingly decent? Sound off below!

October Animation Tidbits [#3]

Tidbits on time-travel, three fantastical worlds

and shadows...

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USA Today gives us our first look at DreamWorks' Mr. Peabody & Sherman, which opens March 7th. The trailer, according to director Rob Minkoff (The Lion King), will be released just in time for the debut of Free Birds this come November. Check out the images and see what you think!

Personally, I like the design of the Egyptian setting and the WABAC Machine's interior, but I like that the film is going to have the character design style and simplistic charm of the original segments, but in the world of computer animation. The rest of it, art direction-wise, looks very nice. It's also nice to see that Ancient Egypt will be prominent setting, judging by the selection of stills they have picked.

Also, I think - going by what I've read and what I'm currently seeing - this will be a bounce back for DreamWorks. The Croods was a letdown for me, I have not seen Turbo but I'm not dying to see it either, this looks like it'll be DreamWorks' first good film since Rise of the Guardians. (Hey, with the pipeline they have, not everything will be up to par.) I know that's a radical opinion, because it seems like everyone adored The Croods. Oh well, I wasn't too fond of it.

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The big news today for me concerns Reel FX's second animated feature (their first is Free Birds), The Book of Life. Recently, distributor Fox moved it from October 3, 2014 back to the October 17th spot, as opposed to the film's original October 10th spot. My Rotoscoper comrade Morgan got this bit of news earlier today; the plot and the full cast!

"An animated comedy with a unique visual style, The Book of Life is the journey of Manolo, a young man who is torn between fulfilling the expectations of his family and following his heart. Before choosing which path to follow, he embarks on an incredible adventure that spans three fantastical worlds where he must face his greatest fears. Rich with a fresh take on pop music favorites, The Book of Life encourages us to celebrate the past while looking forward to the future."

I'm surprised that there's no mention of the Day of the Dead backdrop (it's possible that it's been removed in order to not make it seem similar to Pixar's upcoming similarly-themed film) or the Romeo & Juliet-style story, but three fantastical worlds? I wonder if they'll come in different unique animation styles, the synopsis alone promises an animation style like no other. Aron Warner, who is producing Free Birds, also noted this a while back. Remember when I compared it to Rango? Yeah, I'm pretty it will definitely be the next Rango for the computer animation medium.

Also, a "fresh take on pop music favorites"? Are we talking pop classics? Or more recent stuff? I hope it's classics, and it'll definitely be interesting because, as Morgan pointed out, it could go a Moulin Rouge!-esque route or something of the sort. Crafting a story around many songs sounds like a great idea, I just wonder what songs they will use.

The cast consists of Channing Tatum, Zoe Saldana, Diego Luna, Christina Applegate, Ice Cube, Kate del Castillo, Ron Perlman, Cheech Marin,  Hector Elizondo Placido Domingo, Ana de la Reguera, Eugenio Derbez, Gabriel Iglesias, Ricardo (“El Mandril”) Sanchez, Danny Trejo...

Ice Cube? Channing Tatum? A bit star-studded, don't you think? Oh well, hopefully all of them are invested in their roles because I'm tired of animated films having casts with celebrities who are only in it for the paycheck (*cough* Epic *cough*) and sound so uninterested in the film itself. On the other hand, there's a lot of top talent here and unexpected faces. Quite the mix!

But I'm still excited nonetheless, it sounds wicked and wildly different... Just what I expected!

I'm glad they are hyping it now, which may mean that a trailer will be attached to Free Birds. Cross your fingers!

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Henry Selick's The Shadow King can't seem to catch a break...

Originally, this stop motion film was going to be released by Walt Disney Pictures this month, but after Alan Horn was named Chairman of the company last summer, the plug was pulled. Apparently Selick and crew were way behind schedule, though supposedly the film is actually halfway done. Selick then shopped it to LAIKA, since he directed Coraline for them, but they strangely rejected it! Earlier in the year, K5 International had picked up the film but we have not heard anything since...

Now, it seems like it's not on the schedule anymore. Selick is now off to direct a live action film based on Adam Gitwiz's A Tale Dark and Grimm, a Hansel and Gretel continuation where they enter eight other Grimm fairy tales. A pretty cool idea, but if you ask me, that should be an animated film - it screams animated. He also has an adaptation of The Graveyard Book in the works for Disney, so I assume that we won't be seeing his next stop motion film anytime soon. What a bummer...

That is, if someone picks it up... I hope it happens...

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What do you think of the Mr. Peabody & Sherman stills? Are you looking forward to the film? Or not? Does The Book of Life excite you? What do you think of the plot and the cast? Do you Henry Selick will ever get The Shadow King completed any time soon?

Sound off below!

2015... The Real Big Year

Earlier in the year, I talked about how 2014 would not only be a better year for animation than this year, but also just a great one in general. The best one since the bursting-with-goodness 2010...

Things have changed since then, with some big changes taking place recently. It seems like 2015 is now going to be that great year (and such a big year for blockbusters and must-see movies in general), but 2014 is not without merit. Many potentially fine films are opening that year: How To Train Your Dragon 2, The BoxTrolls, Book of Life, Big Hero 6. The likes of Mr. Peabody & Sherman and Home also sound good, there's some of the usual (Rio 2), and then some potentially poor by-the-books stuff (The Nut Job).

It's just that the year was kind of gutted, mostly because of Pixar's The Good Dinosaur's migration to the autumn 2015 spot and Sony Animation's Popeye going to the TBD pit. Minions was pushed to 2015, Disney's long-gestating Phineas and Ferb film went from a potential 2014 release to an undecided one. Losing the Pixar film did a good number on the year, losing Popeye, for me, was also disappointing. Minions? I'm okay with that film moving, and I hope the Phineas and Ferb film finds a date soon. (Show co-creator Jeff "Swampy" Marsh says it's just "on hold".)

Anyways, what does 2015 have to offer?

The Big Studio Offerings

For starters, the Emeryville crew will release two original films...

Many people are disheartened that Pixar doesn't have a film ready for release next year, but the good thing is, two films in one year will more than make up for it... Two original films...

Of course, we all know that The Good Dinosaur (opening November 25, 2015) ran into some major problems. The director had to be removed, the producer left the project and things seemed to going haywire at Pixar. But instead of hastily getting it ready for next May, Pixar opted to delay the film to the autumn of 2015 so they can not only get a new director but also fix the problems that they have with it. With more than two years to do that, we may actually get an excellent film in the end.

Pete Docter's Inside Out remains in the summer 2015 spot - June 19th to be exact. Sequel Finding Dory originally had The Good Dinosaur's current release date, but now that's been moved to make way for the recouping dinosaur film. People may say the studio is on the decline, but what would be a better "comeback" than two back-to-back great, original, non-sequel films? These two films don't sound like what we've seen before: A world where dinosaurs don't go extinct and what goes on inside your mind? Pure Pixar...

Pixar has made 2015 a much bigger year than it was for animation.

What's next?

DreamWorks has three projects ready for 2015. The Penguins of Madagascar (opening March 27, 2015) is probably the least interesting of the trio for me, since it's really just a cash grab though a full-length Penguins film could deliver a lot of fun. I just hope that it's a one-time thing, because I really can't see the Penguins being part of a big, enthralling story. It's pretty much a franchise film in my eyes, but since Madagascar 3 was marked improvement over the first two, anything is possible.

B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations (opening June 5, 2015) should be another good original story, one that suggests a more spooky atmosphere than the other DreamWorks films. Maybe it won't be some giddy, goofy comedy about ghosts... But rather something better. Horror is so well done in animation, and recent examples like ParaNorman prove that... But B.O.O. is probably just going to be a comedy "for fun" kind of film, but it's possible that it may dip into some darker waters. Kung Fu Panda 2 wasn't afraid to do so, then again Guillermo del Toro was working on that film.

Kung Fu Panda 3 is the one I'm really anticipating, given the quality of the second film and how much potential it has. I'm sure DreamWorks will make it a grand finale, unless a second trilogy is a go. With how big the sequel was in scope in comparison to the original will ensure that this will be even bigger, and hopefully it's a little darker much like how the second film. Raise the stakes, develop Po more and even give the Furious Five some major development (something I felt was kind of lacking in the second film), balance the humor and drama, and you'll have a fine third entry. I think DreamWorks can do it.

Of course, with DreamWorks, something could change. Their schedule is always shuffling and changing, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of these films ended up in 2016 with a 2016 film ending up in 2015. You never know, but for now, that's a decent trio of films.

But the other big studios don't have much to offer in my eyes.

Blue Sky's Peanuts? Pass for now, because I fear they'll go the Chipmunks/Smurfs route with it, only spitting on the beloved creations of Charles Schulz. Paramount Animation enters the ring with SpongeBob SquarePants 2 and Monster Trucks. Neither one really piques my interest, because another SpongeBob film seems too safe and the other one (for now) sounds like a commercial for a toyline, though Chris Wedge is directing the latter. I'll be surprised if Monster Trucks ends up sounding like something cool. Illumination's got Minions, I'm not really interested in that one either, or most of their upcoming films in general. Sony Animation? The Smurfs 3 and Hotel Transylvania 2. *yawn*

Walt Disney Animation Studios is sitting out for the year, as 2014's Big Hero 6 will be followed by Zootopia in March 2016.

Warner Bros. Animation may or may not have Storks ready for 2015, their second film from their revived feature animation studio. To be directed by former Pixarian Doug Sweetland, it sounds like it has potential, but very little is known about it. Will it make it to 2015?

It's also likely that DisneyToon will make a third Planes for a summer 2015 release. Ugh...

Most of 2015's most exciting animation releases, for me, are the ones from the smaller studios and the ones that aren't the big guns.

Aardman returns - with a stop-motion film no less - with Shaun the Sheep. Aardman's never made a poor quality film, even Flushed Away managed to be good despite the DreamWorks meddling. Their last film The Pirates! Band of Misfits was an irreverent, overlooked treat. Arthur Christmas was also very good, a fine Christmas film and a fine film overall. Shaun the Sheep should be another charmer from the studio, plus it'll probably be silent for the most part. Another plus!

Sony wants the Ratchet and Clank movie out in 2015, and that has so much potential being based on the long-running video game series. (Personally, I'd like to see someone make a Jak and Daxter animated film!) They'll get away with a lot too since the games aren't exactly family-friendly. Again, we need more adult-oriented animation like this. Other than that, so much potential lies in this because the games do call for an animated feature adaptation. It should do what several live action films based on video games have failed to do, and then some.

If Reel FX Creative Studios has a "one-film-a-year" plan, then Beasts of Burden should be out in 2015 as well. Based on the graphic novel of the same name, it'll be very different and not like your usual animated fare. More animated horror, and one that'll certainly not be for all ages! Their 2014 offering, Book of Life, also sounds very fresh and exciting. Reel FX plans to take some big risks for their future endeavors, and I like that.

Paul McCartney recently announced an animated feature based on a children's book he wrote with two others: High in the Clouds. That's expected to be released in 2015, and since Paul is no stranger to animation, this ought to be great. And of course, different and original. A lot of the animation that Paul has been involved with in his post-Beatles career is fresh, unique and exciting to 21st century eyes. Imagine a whole film based around his ideas and music? Just... Awesome...

The Adventures of Tintin's sequel should also arrive in 2015 as well, since Peter Jackson will be done with The Hobbit by late 2014. One can hope, right? The first film was a solid fine action film that was rooted in classic Spielberg escapism and it was also definitely more on the adult-oriented side. Thankfully it did recoup its costs with its big overseas grosses. I'm all for another round of good old-fashioned action-adventure fun, but of course another round of the hilarious Captain Haddock and various hijinks.

Then we have Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's R-rated comedy Sausage Party, which could either open up the door for more theatrical adult-oriented animation or it will only inspire suits to invest in similarly raunch fare that sets adult animation back 15 years. Either way, the film itself sounds like it could be weirdly hilarious and perhaps a send-up of Pixar's approach to filmmaking. This Is The End was rip-roaringly hilarious and fresh, this ought to be as well.

Now this last film is a possibility... Henry Selick's The Shadow King was canned by Disney when it was halfway done, and LAIKA sadly rejected the half-complete stop motion film. It was acquired by K5 International earlier in the year, and it doesn't seem like it'll come out in 2014 (The BoxTrolls and Book of Life occupy the ideal spots for this film). Maybe 2015, perhaps?

Since a lot of these films don't have release dates, it's possible that not all of them will debut in 2015, but it seems likely that they will at the moment.

So... In 2015, we'll be getting some good/great stuff along with some competent and unexciting stuff from the big studios - the usual. It looks like the smaller studios will rule the creative roost, but will their efforts pay off at the box office? I sure hope so! Last year gave us three rather unconventional stop-motion films, this year will give us more than three eclectic films.

Do you think 2015 will be that big year for animation? Does it excite you? What films are you looking forward to?

Sound off below!

More From the Animated Birds

More stuff on Free Birds and Rio 2...

The theatrical trailer for Turkeys... I mean, um... Free Birds, arrived yesterday alongside Frozen's trailer...

While I'm looking forward to this film, I think this trailer is just another typical animated film trailer that doesn't make the film look that good. In fact, I think the first trailer is much better in terms of the editing and structure. Also, the "Hold Onto Your Nuggets" tagline? Please...

Oh well, that's typical animation marketing. I have a feeling that this film will surprise me in some way. What do you think of the trailer? Are you looking forward to this film? Or not?

USA also gave us a first look at Rio 2 earlier this week...

From the images and plot details, it sounds decent. There's probably going to be lots of wacky comedy and whatnot (expected from a Blue Sky film), and probably lots of pop music to go with the samba. Also, the daughter having an iPod (pictured above) only reminds me of the iPod's prominence in the studio's previous feature, Epic.

Anyways, it's great that they aren't completely rehashing the first film, which I did enjoy very much. I like the idea of more macaws and Nigel returning, he was one of the best things about the first film if you ask me. I'm not exactly sure if I'm looking forward to this sequel or not, given that 2014 has us animation fanatics spoiled with the likes of How To Train Your Dragon 2, The BoxTrolls, Book of Life, Big Hero 6. I guess if this was coming out this year, I'd be anticipating it more.

I'm just getting tired of the American animation marketplace being saturated with goofy family-friendly comedies, but Rio was one done right and maybe the sequel will be the same. What do you think?

'Book of Life'... The Next 'Rango'?

I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that Book of Life, an upcoming computer animated film from the Dallas-based Reel FX Creative Studios, will be the next Rango...

As you all know, I have nothing but high praise for that Gore Verbinski-directed western that came out over two years ago. It was a much-needed kick in the pants to the industry, showing audiences that you don't have to make a cutesy derivative adventure with the animated medium. It did what most of Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks' competitors don't do and it even tries a few things that those greats haven't tried yet. It was a pretty hard PG film, as it toyed with humor and violence that caused controversy. The character designs were the antithesis of what you see in the marketplace, from Disney to Illumination. Nothing cute, marketable or ready-made for toys. The story is complex but it locks together quite well by the time the third act rolls in, with fun twists and turns. On top of that, the quirkiness is right on the surface and its just a beautiful film to look at. It's an animated masterpiece in my eyes...

Now, why do I think that this Book of Life will be the next Rango? How will it be the next Rango?

Reel FX, as many of you may know, is entering the theatrical feature animation business with Jimmy Hayward's Free Birds this autumn. This film, directed by Jorge Guiterrez and produced by Guillermo del Toro, is set to follow it. The picture is currently slated for an October 3, 2014 release and is described as an "action-packed" take on Romeo and Juliet, but with a "Day of the Dead backdrop". Aron Warner, producer of Free Birds, says it's unlike any computer animated film out there.

Well, Rango was just that if you ask me. Design-wise, it was far removed from a lot of the big studio offerings. It certainly didn't feel like something you'd see from Blue Sky and Illumination, and even the likes of Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks. It was a rare breed, its own animal... Since it came out, I've been saying, "We need more films like that!" Its success should've been something of a wake-up call to studios and newcomers... It looks like Reel FX gets the message.

Today, animation directors are pointing out the problems with the animation industry and the sameness of many releases. People who don't know anything about animation go backwards and ask "Are there too many animated films?" The answer is simple: Diversify. Create a market for different kinds of animated films, rather than the family-friendly adventure or silly comedy. Animation is such a limitless medium, yet many of our studios don't really experiment with it. There's a reason people turn to the likes of Disney and Pixar, because they offer creative films that are also smart; films that don't talk down to the audience. Films that everyone can enjoy, no matter what age.

Look at anime, look at what they get to cover! In Japan, they don't have this ridiculous "animation is for children" prejudice going on. That's almost exclusive to North America since it was born there. They also don't spend over $100 million USD on a lot of their works, so with the budgets they have, they can explore and try many things that American animation hasn't touched yet. The same also applies to many studios in Europe, who prove that huge budgets don't make for great animated films, or successful ones.

Reel FX plans on making their films for reasonable costs, unlike a studio like DreamWorks who will pour over $130 million into every film they make. (Though to be fair, the production values and extra sparkle in their films kind of show that they go an extra mile.) Free Birds has good-looking animation, so Book of Life should look just fine. People will still see an animated film that isn't entirely dazzling in its look. Illumination's films cost under $75 million to make, and people go to see them. Audiences will show up for something good or something that looks good.

Here's where the risk lies... How do you make Book of Life appeal to mass audiences? Its subject matter may not appeal to audiences, regardless of whether the film is hand-drawn or CG or stop-motion. LAIKA's films, for instance, have a hard time catching on. Coraline and ParaNorman's spooky themes just didn't appeal, and their opening weekends were poor. Stop-motion could be popular if marketed right, and so can the subject matter. Now this is not definite. It's possible that Book of Life will look great to fickle audiences that don't gravitate towards weirder or more eccentric animation, but what if it doesn't?

Rango, however, was arguably just as hard of a sell. Again, it had pretty grotesque character designs, no flashy colors (given the Western setting and tone) or anything familiar. The trailers made use of the film's various jokes, and somehow the marketing successfully sold it. Paramount put their all into it though, you got to give them credit there. (At the same time, they slacked off on Kung Fu Panda 2.) Adults who are normally sick of the same ol' same ol' were thrilled to see something different, and the marketing did try to reach out to them. Attaching Nickelodeon's name also helped the film, as they could sell it to family audiences (they did the same with The Adventures of Tintin, but with much less success) as well as promoting it on a channel that tons of children watch. It was a smart strategy, and the film opened well enough and had good enough legs. It may not have doubled its budget, but Paramount was more than happy with its success. To put it in perspective, Rango sold 15 million tickets while the supposedly more popular Rio sold 17 million. The gross of that Blue Sky film was only higher because of 3D screenings.

But on the other hand, Rango did have the first week of March to its advantage. October really isn't blockbuster month yet, but if last year taught us anything, it can be. Fox is distributing this film, so they're going to have to put their all into it if they want it to be a hit, but there's a big dilemma here: Fox has four other animation releases that year - Blue Sky's Rio 2 and DreamWorks' Mr. Peabody & Sherman, How To Train Your Dragon 2 and Home. Will they put a good amount of effort into Book of Life's marketing? Or will they pull a Fantastic Mr. Fox on it, throw it out there with barely any marketing and let it just sit there?

This one is going to need some very good marketing behind it, and on top of that, Fox can try to make it appeal to mainstream audiences without pandering: ParaNorman's trailer and ads, if you ask me, committed that sin. That film's trailer made it seem like a kiddie flick to adults (I remember watching the trailer and couldn't help but be a bit skeptical, despite how great Coraline was) yet it featured scary images that may have been frightening to kiddies. You can't have it both ways, because by pandering to kids with something that wasn't entirely for the younger set and losing adults in the process is what stopped ParaNorman from being the hit it should have been. Rango did well enough because the marketing tried to appeal to both age groups.

Which brings me back to why I brought up Rango. Book of Life is essentially a Rango or ParaNorman-esque film. It's different and it knows it, yet it's still going to be a family film, but probably a pretty edgy one. But why the "next Rango" rather than the "next ParaNorman"? Well, Rango was successful and it was also a computer animated film. If Rango can prove that not all non-Pixar/Disney/DreamWorks computer animated films should be the same, this could make that argument as well. Only time will tell...

Beasts of Burden on the other hand will probably not be a family film given the source material, but nothing is set in stone for that film just yet. You know I'm rooting for that one as well, and I hope Reel FX announces something about it (casting, directors, possible release dates) soon. In the mean time, their second feature looks to be a game changer and one that may make a real impact like Verbinski's quirky critter western did.

August Animation Tidbits

More tidbits for ya...

Planes once again proves that animated films that don't have much adult appeal won't fare too, too well. Planes is unabashedly a children's film, so it didn't set the box office on fire over the weekend unlike something like Monsters University or Despicable Me 2. You know, animation that's both for kids and adults.

But others (such as are ever-so-accurate press) would lead you to believe that Turbo, The Smurfs 2 and Planes underperformed because there's "too much animation", implying that people are getting sick of feature animation... No, they are getting sick of bland animation and animation that's aimed at kids only... Plus, with all these films opening so close to each other, families got super-choosy. I hope this summer teaches distributors a lesson: Don't open so many animated films so close to each other. 2 or 3 is fine, but 5 or more? A big no-no.

Opening with a small $22 million, Planes already made Disney very happy since the film only cost $50 million to produce. Plus, it's bound to make a good amount overseas given some foreign locations they cover in this film. All I can say is... Ehhhhhhhhhh. Why oh why does the sequel have to be a theatrical release?

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DreamWorks, in a rather surprising move, pushed their highly anticipated How To Train Your Dragon 2 a week forward. The film is now set to open on June 13, 2014, but honestly... I can kind of see Kung Fu Panda 2 happening all over again. Sort of.

If you remember, Paramount and DreamWorks for some reason felt that the sequel to their 2008 blockbuster would put up a good fight against The Hangover Part II. But what happened? The teens and adults flocked to The Hangover Part II, leaving Kung Fu Panda 2 to rely on family audiences and those who have no interest in The Hangover franchise... The result was a very disappointing $47 million opening while The Hangover Part II took in $85 million for the weekend. Its opening was certainly no major take off, especially when you consider that its predecessor opened 3 years earlier with $60 million... Without 3D ticket prices!

What opens the same weekend as How To Train Your Dragon 2? 22 Jump Street...

Let's see... A sequel to a sleeper hit R-rated comedy? Need I say more?

How To Train Your Dragon 2's opening may not be spectacular unless Fox plays their cards right. The teaser for this was fabulous, unlike the lazy "staring contest" teaser for Kung Fu Panda 2. Its official trailer better deliver and make audiences want to see it opening weekend, because Kung Fu Panda 2's underwhelming trailers and marketing didn't succeed in doing that. Hopefully Fox's marketing shows audiences why they should definitely see DreamWorks' epic sequel to their very good film and make the audiences think, "Hmmm... Yeah I'll see that instead of 22 Jump Street!"

I mean, this is supposed to be a very big follow-up to the leggy original. The original was lucky to have many weeks all to itself, so that the incredibly strong word-of-mouth was able to help the film climb to $200 million at the domestic box office. This sequel underperforming and making less would be terrible, especially since it's supposed to be like the series' Empire Strikes Back. I wouldn't doubt that, because DreamWorks went the darker route for their sequel to Kung Fu Panda but yet the poor handled of that stalled it from doing better than its predecessor at the box office. Let's hope the same mistakes aren't made again with this sequel, because DreamWorks needs a big hit and I don't quite think Mr. Peabody & Sherman will be a box office bonanza.

But apparently Fox and DreamWorks are confident in this, so it's possible that the dragons may outwit the cops that summer weekend. Personally, I think these poor choices of release dates are what's are partially killing most animated films these days. (Bolt and Winnie the Pooh, anyone?)

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On the home media front, we got word of the postponed Tom and Jerry Golden Collection Volume 2 set. In case you didn't know, this series was meant to give us - the animation enthusiast - the complete, fully uncensored collection of the entire Tom and Jerry filmography from the Golden Age to the post-Hanna-Barbera films. Volume 1 delivered the goods and then some, everything on there was uncensored and there were even a couple lovely bonus features.

But this upcoming set is a disaster in the making. Warner Bros. legal department will not allow two particular Tom and Jerry cartoons to be released in any form. The problem is, both are supposed to be on Volume Two since the series is going in chronological order. Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat are the two shorts in question. The legal department want to avoid a PR nightmare, but they are hypocrites because Warner Bros. has released material that's just as offensive for general consumers, from the uncensored Looney Tunes collections to the uncensored Popeye sets to the first volume of this series... And they all have warnings saying that they're for the "adult collector", and they also give viewers an explanation of the content in these films: Again, some of the certain gags in these shorts are offensive, but censoring them out is just as offensive. They're a part of history. The first set and all their other adult-oriented cartoon collections from Warner make this very, very clear.

However, WB's legal department doesn't want these two particular shorts to see the light of day for some probably stupid reason, not even through the WB Archive, thus contradicting everything the other sets stood for. So we can't have those two shorts on an "adult collector" set, but yet we can have other offensive material. The legal department apparently thinks that we're children or something.

Let that all sink in for a minute...

PR nightmare, alright. They created a new one just by playing this game with us. We're adults, we know why these cartoons are the way are, so stop trying to hide them from us when you've released other equally offensive cartoons to general consumers, general consumers! Anyone who has seen Mouse Cleaning and Casanova Cat will tell you that they are no more offensive than The Milky Waif and The Truce Hurts, or any other Tom and Jerry cartoon with a blackface gag that's readily available uncensored in the US for general consumers. Warner Home Video really wants all of these pieces of history to be released, but no, the legal department has something against those two particular shorts...

Anyways, this pointless and unfair censorship lead to (much-deserved) backlash, and it's made the news, too! The set was then postponed, though a December 17th date somehow got out there. Jerry Beck (in case you don't know, he's a great animation historian and has worked on many of these sets, including this one) appeared on Stu's Show not too long ago. The set was brought up and he outright confirmed that WB's legal department is giving Warner Home Video trouble, and they're not going to let those two cartoons see any form of release in America (note: They're available uncensored in the UK). He says that we shouldn't expect the set until 2014 at the least. I'm not holding my breath for a complete set.

Insert rant here...

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Speaking of home media, on October 15th, the surprisingly very good and well-written Disney Channel animated series Gravity Falls will be hitting some form of home media... Unfortunately, it's a DVD-only release with six episodes. "Six Strange Tales"... Yeah, because we can't have our full season just yet. Or ever, maybe... Given Disney's track record when it comes to these things.

If Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network can give us the full seasons of shows like Adventure Time and Regular Show, Disney can damn well do the same for Gravity Falls. Heck, where are the full season sets for Phineas and Ferb?! What they're failing to realize is that like those two Cartoon Network shows, Gravity Falls has a teenaged and adult fanbase that makes it very successful. People would also scoop up a season boxset of Phineas and Ferb, from families to fans to many others. However, it is possible that this is a set geared towards the kids and that they're saving the goods for the fans. (Making this show an exception to their TV shows on home media business model.)

Well, maybe. Here's hoping they do the same for TRON: Uprising, since they did a good job sending that show to the grave. At least Blu-ray sales or the fact that it's on Netflix could gain the series new fans... Though the third TRON film doesn't seem to be a go anytime soon. Director Joseph Kosinski has signed on to direct The Twilight Zone movie. Looks like that franchise is slowing down once again...

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Animated Views recently interviewed Jimmy Hayward and Aron Warner. Hayward, as you may know, is the director of Reel FX Creative Studios' debut theatrical feature-length animated film Free Birds (formerly known as Turkeys), which will hit theaters on November 1st. Warner is a big-time producer, and he's well-known for producing the Shrek films, as Free Birds' fun trailer mentions.

Hayward talked about some of its production history, and also said that the film's plot is "all in good fun" and that they aren't trying to send some PETA-esque "don't eat turkey" message. (Phew!) He also explained the title change, saying that they wanted something that would have international appeal. Then he also explained the release date change, the movie was pretty much in the can last summer and November 2014 was too much of a family film mine (Big Hero 6, Home, Night at the Museum 3, etc.)

Warner talked about Reel FX's plans, things I speculated about months ago. I'm in support of this studio because they've got risky things planned for the future (Hayward himself elaborated on that), and they also plan on spending reasonable budgets on their films. Hmmmm, maybe other studios should follow suit, yes? For the record, Free Birds has pretty good-looking animation if you ask me. See, I like this idea. Lower budgets mean greater risks can be taken, LAIKA and Aardman don't thrive for nothing.

He also mentioned a few things about Jorge Guiterrez's Book of Life...

"The movie is unlike any computer animated film I’ve ever seen. It looks different; it feels different; it sounds different. It’s definitely Jorge’s – it is so much a project from this guy’s heart."

Now see? That's what studios should be doing, making lower budget films that take some major-league creative risks. Book of Life might just change the industry if Free Birds is a hit, and prove that good computer animation can be done for less than $100 million and it doesn't have to come from someone like Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks. Again, Free Birds looks fun despite some formulaic elements, but it's a safer film for a reason. It's the debut, it's the kick-off feature. Safe film first, risks later!

No word on Beasts of Burden, though...

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What do you think of Reel FX? Do you think the studio has a lot of potential? Do you anticipate what they have to offer? Do you think Disney will eventually give us season box sets of shows like Gravity Falls, Phineas and Ferb and TRON: Uprising? Do you think Warner Home Video will triumph over the legal department? Or will they lose and all we'll end up getting is a censored set? Do you think DreamWorks and Fox moving How To Train Your Dragon 2 up a week was a good idea, or not?

Sound off below!

A Winner or a Turkey?

Well, we finally got the first trailer for Reel FX's debut theatrical animated feature film Free Birds, formerly known as Turkeys...

Despite the competent animation and the irreverent tone (which I particularly liked), I'm just not really impressed. Seems like it is what I feared it would be... I just don't like the whole plot. I mean, turkeys going back in time to stop people from eating turkey for Thanksgiving? Then again, why would a big mainstream animated film be a thinly-veiled 90-minute PETA video saying "Don't eat turkey"? I'm certain the writers will pull off something unexpected with this concept, but right now I'm just not feeling it.

What's your take on this trailer and the film itself?

June Animation Tidbits [#1]

Though we're only seven days into the month, some bits and pieces have been announced concerning the major animation studios...

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First up, Disney has unveiled the official poster for their upcoming hand-drawn Mickey Mouse short film Get A Horse!, which is delightfully retro and very reminiscent of the posters for short subjects during the Golden Age.

The short is being touted as "never-before-seen", as if it was some lost Walt-era film that happened to be unearthed recently. Set to premiere at the Annecy on the 11th, Get A Horse! will be the first theatrical traditional-length Mickey Mouse short film since 1995's Runaway Brain. I'm hoping it's a great one! Now, if only Disney would tell us if it's being attached to Frozen or not... In my opinion, it would be unwise of them to not attach it to screenings of the film.

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Reel FX Creative Studios' debut theatrical animated feature Free Birds is slowly but surely being hyped up. After a neat theater display and some details, we finally got some images from the film itself. The animation looks pretty good and the character designs are overall fun. I'm just hoping it's not... You know... A turkey. This could either be a very funny film or an outright disaster.

These images indicate that we'll be getting a trailer soon. Good timing too, since Monsters University is right around the corner.

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A while back, it was announced that Kung Fu Panda director Mark Osborne was at the helm of a $63 million animated adaptation of The Little Prince, a classic and famously philosophical children's book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. What studio will be making it? Apparently one in Europe, but the film now has a cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Marion Cotillard, Benicio del Toro, James Franco, Paul Giamatti and Rachel Adams. It's currently slated for release sometime in 2014, I presume it'll show up some time during the late summer or early autumn.

It's also going to be in 3D. Will it be a computer animated film or a stop motion film? I'm hoping for the latter, but it'll probably be the former. Here's hoping it's somewhat good!

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What do you think of the Get A Horse! poster? Do you think the short will be attached to Frozen? Or will Disney release it elsewhere? Do you think Free Birds can be a decent film? Or do you think it is a disaster in the making? Do you think the new adaptation of The Little Prince could work?

Sound off below!

A New Player?

The feature film field of the American animation industry is getting bigger? Why? A 20-year-old special effects company wants in!

Dallas-based Reel FX started out in the animation world in the early 2000s by producing short films and direct-to-video productions whilst contributing to several theatrical animated films such as The Wild, Everyone's Hero and TMNT. One of their most notable works was William Joyce's short The Man on the Moon, which was what DreamWorks' Rise of the Guardians was partially based on. They also did work on the Kung Fu Panda short Secrets of the Furious Five along with the recent Looney Tunes computer animated shorts. Their direct-to-video work includes the likes of two G.I. Joe films and the two Open Season sequels. Now, they plan on entering the world of animated feature film production. It was a shocking move for its time, considering what was going on earlier this year with the VFX and animation industries. Studios like Rhythm & Hues and Digital Domain filed for bankruptcy, layoffs happened (DreamWorks' laid off over 350 people!), protests ensued... And yet an FX house decides to go big and make animated feature-length films to compete with the heavy-hitters. Admirable.

We've heard a few things about Reel FX's plans to enter the feature animation business last autumn when it was announced that Relativity Media would distribute their debut theatrical animated feature film, the long-gestating Free Birds. Apparently this project, formerly known as Turkeys, has had trouble getting off the ground over the years. I remember hearing the name of it for quite a while now... Animation historian Jerry Beck always had it on his animated features list too.

Funny how Owen Wilson's character isn't the red one...

I haven't written much about this film, other than the fact that it was oddly moved from its planned November 2014 release date to this November back in February, because apparently it's really close to completion! When I read the synopsis for this film, I was not intrigued... In fact I was rather annoyed with it. The film is about two turkeys who team up to go back in time and prevent people from eating turkey for dinner every Thanksgiving. To me, it sounded like an animated film commissioned by PETA (no, not that one!) but without the shock value.

It's possible that the writers could pull this off in a fun way. Perhaps if Free Birds goes the Chicken Run route, it could actually be *gasp* good! Maybe what the turkeys do on their adventure might bring some good laughs, maybe the time machine throws them somewhere else entirely and they end up failing the mission. The film is being touted as irreverent, so are we going to get fresh jokes and ones that aren't... Well... Stale? Will it be a dark comedy of sorts? What if the turkeys succeed in their mission and yet screw up the world because of what they did? There's potentially good stuff in the "succeed in the mission/screw the future" idea, and I'd actually like to see them go that route. It would be interesting, you know?

I know I'm probably speculating a little too much about this film, but apparently Reel FX is really confident in it. Marketing has already kicked off, but no trailer has surfaced yet. It's possible that we'll get one very soon, perhaps before Epic or Monsters University, because the film is not too far away. If the team makes a film that's actually funny and enjoyable, and not anti-meat, then it'll be okay in my book. Then again, who am I kidding? This is a wide release mainstream family-friendly animated film, 95% chance they won't make it that way.

If Reel FX's people say that they want a slate of "quality" animated films, then I guess Free Birds could be pretty decent. Again, it's an irreverent and there a few things that could really work. I'm just not confident in this one yet, but I want it to succeed because the two films that Reel FX has in their pipeline really intrigue me... More so than a lot of animated films that are coming out in the next few years: Book of Life and Beasts or Burden.

We don't know much about Book of Life other than the fact that it's a Dia De Los Muertos-flavored Romeo & Juliet story that's being produced by Guillermo del Toro himself. It will be directed by Jorge Gutierrez, the creator of Nickelodeon's short-lived El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera. We also know that it does have a release date - October 10, 2014. It'll also be computer animated, much like Free Birds. That's it, though... But the idea already sounds promising because with its Day of the Dead setting, it'll probably be more in line with the work of Tim Burton and Henry Selick. I kind of expect it to be a sort of computer animated LAIKA-esque film, but with its own unique style of course!

What's also interesting is that Fox Animation Studios will work with Reel FX on the film, the once defunct studio that was revived for the production of Fantastic Mr. Fox. 20th Century Fox keeps that studio alive for work like this. The film is also a real 180 from Free Birds, which is pretty much a buddy comedy with cutesy, funny fowl characters. See, this is what I like. Studios experimenting and trying new things with each new film. What this film will be like, I have no idea. All I can say is this: Day of the Dead setting, unconventional subject matter and spooky themes? Count me in!

There's one other project that's currently in the works, but no release date is set... Beasts of Burden.

Seriously, this film should be
done in hand-drawn animation!

Based on the horror-themed comic book series by Evan Dorkin, Beasts of Burden is about five dogs and a cat who battle paranormal and supernatural threats to protect their suburban home. I have not read the comics, but from what I've read about them, they certainly aren't family friendly in any sense. I've kept an eye out for this film because it could be another (mainstream) stab at adult-oriented feature animation. There have been so many failed attempts over the decades, so I'm hoping this one will turn out to be something of a success. Shane Acker, the director of the not-so-family-friendly 9, will be at the helm. Andrew Adamson, the director of the first two Shrek films and the first Chronicles of Narnia film, will produce.

Acker's 9 was actually one of a few failed films that tried to get PG-13/R-rated animation to appeal to mainstream audiences in the recent years, but despite its dark tone and wonderful visual style, it was sadly forgettable with a paper-thin plot. Focus Features marketed it to teenagers with embarrassingly awful ads that said "This isn't your little brother's animated film!" No wonder why it failed to double its small $30 million budget! How many times does the industry have to be told the same damn thing? Don't advertise animation to summer blockbuster-loving teenaged boys. They want to see stuff like Transformers and Fast & Furious, not a quirky post-apocalyptic "cartoon" about rag dolls!

I've been saying one thing for a while: Adult-oriented theatrical animated fare needs to co-exist with family-friendly fare in the American animation industry. I've said many times before that I'm totally fine with Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks making G/PG family films, because most of them are smart and they aren't films that make anyone older than the age of 10 cringe in the theater or on the couch. I don't understand how TV-14 and TV-MA rated shows (juvenile and smart shows) can successfully thrive alongside shows on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, but a good PG-13 or R-rated animated film can't do well in theaters. The industry needs to invest in "smart" adult animation, not adult animation that tries to be "adult" with gratuitous violence, cursing and juvenile pseudo-edgy humor.

Brave director Mark Andrews has been clamoring for more adult-oriented animated feature films as of late (he wants to make a PG-13/R film at Pixar!) along with many others in the animation field, and we did see some really hard PG family films (arguable) hit theaters over the last couple of years. Gore Verbinski's brilliant and eccentric Rango was truly a bold piece of animated cinema, but with Paramount's marketing machine behind it and generally good word of mouth, it did rather well at the box office. Oh, and it got a HUGE amount of flack from angry parents. The same thing happened to LAIKA's two sterling films, Coraline and ParaNorman, both of which contained dark content that certainly frightened children and left unsuspecting parents peeved, the latter of which also had edgy humor. Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox, though not a hit, was also a good adult-oriented animated film that still could appeal to a family audience... But its tone and subject matter were definitely not kid-friendly, but not necessarily inappropriate for kids. These films really pushed the PG rating, but they did it with style. They didn't cheaply "pretend" to be more adult-oriented animated films. We need more, and filmmakers can see what they can do with the medium with a PG-13 or R rating. The possibilities are endless! A lot of great adult-oriented works from Japan and Europe have proven this.

Beasts of Burden, if done right with smart writing and no reliance on cheap gimmicks (i.e. stupid things that teens consider "mature" or "adult"), could be a very successful adult-oriented animated film that could spark a new renaissance in that kind of fare. Perhaps it could motivate Reel FX to greenlight more projects like it, because that would really spice up the competition and artists will do what the other studios -  even Disney, Pixar and DreamWorks - aren't doing! Blue Sky, Sony and Illumination pretty much can't go against the grain, as they stick to making profitable and competent family films. After all, being bold could be a threat to them anyways. They don't have a massive empire (*cough* Disney *cough*) to back them up if a wild experiment were to fail. Just look at what happened when DreamWorks took a big chance and made the risky hard sell Rise of the Guardians, they took a box office beating and then doom-and-gloom in the press followed. (Speculation that they would go under and such.) In the end, the studio heads ended up laying off over 350 (!) members of the staff, delaying one of the films and canning a project that was probably already in production. The much safer and accessible Croods made quite a profit and then some.

Reel FX's future in feature animation will probably lie within Free Birds, so that film needs to make a profit. How much did it cost to make? I'm assuming it won't have a budget that's as big as Disney, Pixar or DreamWorks' films. If anything, it's in a good spot. There's no real competition until Disney's Frozen comes out and blows it away, and by then, it could do pretty well. If it's a halfway decent film, it should be a success. Book of Life and Beasts of Burden however, are massive risks. I'll be surprised if either of them come close to $50 million at the domestic box office. Free Birds distributor Relativity's highest grossing film (domestically) made $83 million, so who knows how they'll market this and the upcoming films. That stand for Free Birds is an indicator that they want to go all out with this, after all animated films can bring them the business that their small-scale live action films aren't bringing them.

Reel FX also plans on producing live action films too, such as Danny DeVito's Honeymoon with Dad and Monument 14 (based on the young adult novel series). These productions ought to keep them going as well if they are to do well. Adamson's own production company is one of the studios behind the latter, so Adamson may be involved with other animated productions.

All in all, I'm excited about Reel FX's plans and what they might bring to the table in the future. So, do you think Reel FX has a future in theatrical animation? Do any of their upcoming projects pique your interest? Sound off below!