Warner Bros. Discovery has unveiled their programming plans for the upcoming edition of the Annecy animation festival.
There’s numerous highlights including a first look at the company’s upcoming Lord of the Rings animated feature and the reboot of Amazing World of Gumball, as well as a making-of session around the forthcoming DC event series Creature Commandos, but the exciting announcement for many will be the world premiere of The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie.
With all of the drama surrounding the studio’s other completed Looney Tunes feature Coyote vs. Acme, it’s reassuring to learn that The Day the Earth Blew Up isn’t following the same path of uncertainty. An important distinction: this Daffy/Porky pic is a much-cheaper 2d animated film compared to pricier hybrid cg/live-action productions. Warner Bros. has farmed out global theatrical sales of the film to a third-party, U.K. distribution company GFM Animation, which is an unusual approach for the company, but one that is helping to get the film out there.
Marking the feature directorial debut of Pete Browngardt, who oversaw the excellent revival of short-form Looney Tunes cartoons as well as created Uncle Grandpa, the buddy-comedy makes Porky Pig and Daffy Duck the Earth’s only hope against the threat of alien invasion.
Here’s the other announced WBD programming at Annecy:
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – Filmmaker Conversation and Exclusive Extended Look with Special Guest Andy Serkis: Philippa Boyens, Kenji Kamiyama, and producer Joseph Chou will unveil the first footage from the new anime feature, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. In a special appearance, Andy Serkis will join the filmmakers as they reflect on their creative journey in translating Middle-earth through anime. Produced by Tokyo’s Sola Entertainment, the film will be released by New Line Cinema in December.
- Creature Commandos – Making of Session – A session around the Max Original animated event series, based on DC characters and produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, which follows Amanda Waller as she forms a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners. Presenters are Rick Morales (supervising producer) and Yves Balak (supervising director).
- The Amazing World of Gumball – Making of Session – A look at the reboot of The Amazing World of Gumball (working title) with Ben Bocquelet (creator/executive producer), Matthew Layzell (executive producer), Emma Fernando (series producer), Xav Clarke (composer), and Sarah Fell (svp, series, Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe).
- There will be two studio focuses. The first is on Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe, while a second focus will be on the growing adult animation activities at Warner Bros. Discovery, with Michael Ouweleen (president, Adult Swim), Suzanna Makkos (head of adult animation, Adult Swim), and Peter Girardi (executive vce president, alternative programming, Warner Bros. Animation).
- 100 Years of Shorts – Annecy Classics Screening – A curated program of short-form animation produced by Warner Bros. Animation, Hanna-Barbera, and Cartoon Network Studios featuring animated shorts from Friz Freleng, Tex Avery, Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera, Chuck Jones, and Genndy Tartakovsky, among others.
