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Warner Bros has just made some razor-sharp release-date changes ahead of CinemaCon, ones that could potentially keep the Burbank, CA lot more toward the black this year than in the red.

In a year when there were four $100 million-plus auteur-driven movies — one of which, Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17, recently misfired — Warners Bros distribution has taken the pressure off the studios’ schedule in that regard, and even placed a potential tentpole into the year: Zach Cregger’s anticipated genre movie Weapons on August 8.

Cregger’s next movie after Barbarian was previously scheduled for MLK weekend 2026, on January 16. What kept Warners from moving the pic starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner and Alden Ehrenreich was that the theatrical release was tied to Imax screens — can’t give up those auditoriums. In fact, what made all of the release-date changes feasible for Warners was that each was tied to Imax bookings. As...

Holy waiting game, Batman! Yes, the good news is the highly anticipated Robin animated film titled Dynamic Duo appears to have received a release window from Warner Bros. But the bad news is the Dick Grayson (the first Robin) and Jason Todd (the second Boy Wonder) flick wont be released until the spring of 2028 (per Collider). The announcement came during this years LightBox Expo (Lbx) in Pasadena, California, but its still unclear if Dynamic Duo will fit within the confines of the Dcu, or if it will be designated an Elseworlds project.

The Warner Bros. Pictures Animation (Wbpa) presentation included the Robin films director, Arthur Mintz, as one of its panelists, and footage from Dynamic Duo was reportedly shown, even though the film wont drop for four more years. According to a separate story published by Collider, the Wbpa President, Bill Damaschke, served as the panels moderator.

Alessandro Carloni and...

The biggest year in animation, especially in regards to movies, is coming very soon. 2024 has had and continues to have several standout releases and upcoming films in the animation category, including Kung Fu Panda 4, Inside Out 2, and The Wild Robot. While not every release, such as The Garfield Movie, was successful with audiences and critics, this year still showcased some strong new stories and the return of many iconic animated movie characters.

That being said, 2026 is an exciting year for animated movies as several franchises expand their stories with upcoming installments that could add new narrative layers. Several animation studios have announced the continuation of many of their popular titles, keeping a lot of these stories alive for new generations. Others lack specific details about their casts and main storylines, but are still exciting possible additions to the lineup nonetheless. All of these, in short, make 2026 a huge...

Exclusive: Former UTA agent Anna Berthold-Zuk has joined Stampede Ventures as Executive Vice President of Animation and Kids & Family, the company’s President Chris Bosco announced on Thursday.

In her new role, Berthold-Zuk will guide Stampede’s existing kids & family initiatives and oversee expansion in this space as she continues to build out additional creator-driven ventures aimed at launching new franchises. Additionally, she will work to find ways to overcome current hurdles in the kids & family business by building out strategic ventures necessary to support the launch of said franchises in the wake of continual constriction within the industry.

Berthold-Zuk’s appointment bolsters Stampede’s ability to expand its Kids & Family reach in tandem with their existing ventures including Mo Willems’s Hidden Pigeon Company with RedBird Capital Partners and HappyNest Entertainment, a co-venture with UTA, which Berthold-Zuk helped put together. Looking ahead, she will work closely with Sadaf Cohen Muncy,...

Bill Hader is been cast in a Dr. Seuss movie!

The 45-year-old Emmy-winning actor will be voicing the titular character in Warner Bros. upcoming animated adaption of The Cat in the Hat, which will be directed and written by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, Deadline reports.

Fellow stars voicing characters in the new movie include Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, and Paula Pell.

Keep reading to find out more…As of right now, The Cat in the Hat is scheduled to hit theaters on March 6, 2026 and will follow The Cat as he cheers on a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town.

“We are overjoyed to partner with our friends at Dr. Seuss to take audiences of all ages on an adventure into the beloved world of The Cat in the Hat, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President Bill Damaschke shared in a statement.

Quinta Brunson and Bill Hader Photo: Rodin Eckenroth Bill Hader and Quinta Brunson created two of TV’s best comedies, albeit in very different ways, of the past decade. The creators and stars of Barry and Abbott Elementary, respectively, are now teaming up for another project. Sadly, it’s not an enticing,...

Quinta Brunson and Bill HaderPhoto: Rodin Eckenroth (Getty Images)

Bill Hader and Quinta Brunson created two of TV’s best comedies, albeit in very different ways, of the past decade. The creators and stars of Barry and Abbott Elementary, respectively, are now teaming up for another project. Sadly, it’s not an enticing,...

Something is going Bump at Warner Bros. Animation, with President Bill Damaschke looking to turn the studio’s reputation around with an exciting announcement. A new animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat wants to play at WB, and cast members are already creating chaos and giving nervous fish a panic attack. Saturday Night Live and Barry star Bill Hader plays the Cat, with Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry and Paula Pell starring as primary cast members.

Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja direct the new feature version of The Cat in the Hat from a script they wrote. Hoping to cause family-friendly havoc in theaters on March 6, 2026, The Cat in the Hat focuses on an imaginative cat trying to cheer up a pair of siblings who’ve moved to a new town. As the adventure unfolds, the Cat introduces the children to his friends,...

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's upcoming The Cat in the Hat movie, based on the beloved Dr. Seuss book, has found its voice cast.

Per Deadline, Saturday Night Live alum Bill Hader will voice the title character, with Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live), Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Matt Berry (What We Do in The Shadows), and Paula Pell (Girls5eva) rounding out the ensemble cast in undisclosed roles. Hader's casting was first reported by InSneider.

Related Report: Jurassic League Movie in Development Under James Gunn's Dcu DC Studios is reportedly developing a Jurassic League feature film with James Gunn set to produce.

"We are overjoyed to partner with our friends at Dr. Seuss to take audiences of all ages on an adventure into the beloved world of The Cat in the Hat," said Warner Bros. Pictures Animation President Bill Damaschke in a statement.

Bill Hader is going from playing a hitman turned actor to leading the voice cast of an animated remake of Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat.

The movie will open in theaters on March 6th, 2026, with Hader’s The Cat joined by Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, and Paula Pell. Written and directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, The Cat in the Hat is a joint effort between Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises.

First published in 1957, The Cat in the Hat revolves around the titular anthropomorphic cat, known for his red-and-white striped top hat and red bow tie. In the book, he attempts to entertain a girl named Sally and her brother but wrecks their house in the process.

“We are overjoyed to partner with our friends at Dr. Seuss to take audiences of all ages on an adventure into the beloved...

Bill Hader is set to star as “The Cat in the Hat” for an upcoming animated feature film from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, the companies announced on Monday.

The animated feature will hit theaters worldwide on Mar. 6, 2026.

Along with Hader, the all-star voice cast includes Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Bowen Yang (“SNL”), Xochitl Gomez (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”), Matt Berry (“What We Do in the Shadows”) and Paula Pell (“Girls5eva”).

The official logline for the new animated movie is as follows: In the wonderfully whimsical tradition of Dr. Seuss, “The Cat in the Hat” comes to the big screen in his animated theatrical feature film debut, doing what he does best — spreading joy to “happyless” kids. In the film, The Cat takes on his toughest assignment yet … to cheer a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town.

“The Cat in the Hat...

Bill Hader or, at least, an animated character that he voices, will don a red-and-white striped top hat in a new adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat.”

The “Barry” star will lead a vocal ensemble that also includes Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Bowen Yang (“SNL”), Xochitl Gomez (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”), Matt Berry (“What We Do in The Shadows”) and Paula Pell (“Girls5eva”). Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises officially announced the casting on Monday.

“The Cat in the Hat” will open in theaters on March 6, 2026. Although the book is a children’s classic, it has a checkered cinematic legacy. A 2003 live-action adaptation, starring Mike Myers as he was riding high off of “Austin Powers,” collapsed at the box office. It earned $134 million on a $109 million budget and became a money-loser when marketing and distribution costs were factored into the equation. It...

The new Warner Bros. Pictures Animation under President Bill Damaschke has booked the cast for their upcoming feature take of the Dr. Seuss classic, The Cat in the Hat, which they’re producing with Dr. Seuss Enterprises with SNL alum Bill Hader playing the title role. Joining him are Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Bowen Yang (SNL), Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Matt Berry (What We Do in The Shadows) and Paula Pell (Girls5eva).

A global theatrical release of March 6, 2026 has been set. In this new feature version, directed and written by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, The Cat takes on his toughest assignment yet… to cheer a pair of siblings struggling with their move to a new town.

Pic is produced by Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern. Hader and Susan Brandt, the President and CEO of Dr. Seuss Enterprises are EPs. Dneg Animation will be the animation studio partner.

Bill Hader is learning how to meow.

Warner Bros. announced Monday it will release its animated event pic The Cat in the Hat — based on the beloved Dr. Seuss tale — in theaters on March 6, 2026. It also revealed the movie’s voice cast for the first time. Hader, who will play The Cat, will star opposite Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Bowen Yang (SNL), Xochitl Gomez (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Matt Berry (What We Do in The Shadows) and Paula Pell (Girls5eva).

The film is being written and directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, with Daniela Mazzucato and Jared Stern producing. Susan Brandt, president-ceo of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, and Hader will executive produce. Dneg Animation will be the animation studio partner.

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are backing the feature, which centers on the fanciful feline as he tries to cheer up a pair...

Exclusive: As the Annecy Animation Film Festival gets underway this weekend, Warner Bros’ newly hired President of Feature Animation Bill Damaschke has announced a rebranding of the motion picture division with a focus on filmmakers.

Previously known as Wag, aka Warner Animation Group, the Burbank, CA lot’s feature toon unit will now be known as Warner Bros Pictures Animation.

“It’s honoring the past and rich history of the company. Warner Bros Pictures Animation released movies like Iron Giant, Space Jam, Corpse Bride, Polar Express, Happy Feet and The Lego Movie — benchmark films that broke new ground, new technology, new ways of telling stories and were successful, artistically and commercially. They last in people’s hearts, every one of those films,” said Damaschke about the label, which counts a filmmaker-driven original feature animated canon from such directors as Brad Bird, Tim Burton, George Miller, Robert Zemeckis, and Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

Everybody’s gonna be kung fu fighting — a fourth film in the “Kung Fu Panda” series will release in 2024, Universal Pictures announced Friday.

The film, which is slated for a March 8, 2024 release, will be the first film in the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise since 2016, when the DreamWorks Animation series concluded a planned trilogy. The films focus on Po (Jack Black), an excitable panda bear living in a fantasy version of ancient China. In the first film in the franchise, released in theaters in 2008, Po is chosen to become the “Dragon Warrior,” a prophesied kung fu master. Over the course of the film and its two sequels Po trains under the wise Master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman) and overcomes his doubts to grow into a capable hero, defeating several dangerous foes and eventually reuniting with his long-lost birth parents.

The first “Kung Fu Panda” film was DreamWorks’ highest-grossing original animated film, earning...

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There’s a lot riding on “Luck,” the debut feature from Skydance Animation and Apple Original Films. The fantasy comedy’s August 5 premiere on Apple TV+ not only signals a new animation player, but also the first new feature produced by John Lasseter after his departure from Pixar and Disney amid allegations of improper workplace conduct.

A sweet film about the unluckiest girl in the world, Sam (Eva Noblezada), and her journey into the magical Land of Luck, “Luck” was already in the works at Skydance prior to Lasseter coming aboard as the head of Skydance Animation. At the time, DreamWorks vets Alessandro Carloni (“Kung Fu Panda 3”) and Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (the “Kung Fu Panda” franchise) were attached as director and screenwriters. However, when Lasseter joined Skydance, he wanted a change in direction, turning to two women he had worked with at Disney and Pixar. Peggy Holmes...

Click here to read the full article.

Sam Greenfield (voiced by Hadestown’s Eva Noblezada) might just be the world’s unluckiest person. The 18-year-old protagonist of Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation’s wholesome film Luck is an expert in poor timing, unhappy accidents and minor disasters. (Sometimes major ones, too). Random objects fall on her head, she slips and trips, and almost everything she touches breaks. Despite her general misfortune, Sam is a perennial optimist — a woman who prefers to look on the brighter side.

Luck tells the story of how Sam momentarily comes into better fortunes, loses that opportunity and sets out to find it again. If Apple’s extensive marketing campaign has got you doing a double take, you aren’t alone. Luck is the kind of hopeful, detailed tale Pixar would release, but this is not a product of the animation behemoth — not really. It’s the brainchild of Skydance Animation,...

Click here to read the full article.

In early 2020 while preparing to direct Luck, Skydance Animation’s first feature film, Peggy Holmes met with some unlikely consultants on the story. The lead character in Luck, an unlucky yet indomitable young woman named Sam, has grown up in foster care, and so Holmes interviewed kids with similar experiences in Ventura County, California, to better understand their perspective and help find the emotional core of Sam’s story. “We met with these young people and they shared their stories with us, and we were so incredibly moved by their positivity, their generosity, their never-give-up kind of attitude,” Holmes says. “These are people who have had some real bad luck in their lives. We wanted to honor that bravery.”

It’s the kind of creativity-sparking, empathy-building research that became common in the field of animation after it gained currency at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios...

This year sees the release of "Luck," the debut film from Skydance Animation in collaboration with Apple TV+ that has had a less-than-lucky production history. In 2019, Skydance was quick to hire alleged sexual harasser and disgraced former head of Pixar, John Lasseter, to run the studio — replacing "Kung Fu Panda" producer Bill Damaschke. Shortly after, Emma Thompson resigned from doing a voice in "Luck" after refusing to work with Lasseter, and then in 2020 director Alessandro Carloni ("Kung Fu Panda 3") and screenwriters Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger were all quietly replaced with Peggy Holmes and Kiel Murray, a director and...

The post Luck Footage Reaction: Skydance Animation's First Movie Borrows From the Pixar Playbook [Annecy 2022] appeared first on /Film.

“Luck,” the debut feature from Skydance Animation and AppleTV+, finally has a release date. The animated original, which was previously scheduled for a February 18 bow, has a new date: August 5. (It will be released globally on AppleTV+.) Additionally, new details about the movie’s story and cast (including a role for a Pixar favorite) have been revealed.

According to the new synopsis, the film centers around Sam Greenfield, “the unluckiest person in the world.” “When she discovers the never-before-seen Land of Luck, Sam must unite with the magical creatures there to turn her luck around.” Eva Noblezada voices Sam, alongside Simon Pegg (as lucky black cat Bob), Whoopi Goldberg, Flula Borg, Jane Fonda, and Lil Rel Howery (as a flower shop owner where Sam gets her first job). Additional cast members include Colin O’Donoghue, and Adelynn Spoon.

Perhaps most notable is the inclusion of John Ratzenberger as Rootie, the mayor of Bad Luck,...

The John Lasseter-led Skydance Animation feature slate is coming together more than a year after he left Disney/Pixar amid workplace sexual harassment allegations, with director Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) helming a musical fantasy titled “Spellbound” (working title), about a young girl breaking the spell that has split her kingdom in two. Disney musical legend Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast”) has just been signed to compose the score and original songs, with a script by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (“Mulan”) and Linda Woolverton (“Beauty and the Beast”). Joining Menken is celebrated lyricist and frequent collaborator Glenn Slater (“Tangled”) and lauded music producer Chris Montan (former head of Walt Disney Music).

“Alan Menken’s music defines a generation and is loved by audiences around the world,” said Jenson. “From day one, we knew this magical world would be full of music, and we knew only Alan could bring it to life.

Skydance Animation's first feature film Luck is getting a big change behind the scenes. The picture is currently in production but will see a swap in the director's chair. Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) was primed to go from co-director to solo director on the pic, but creative differences have brought about a change. Now, Peggy Holmes (Secret of the Wings) will take over as director, per THR. Luck, described as "a comedy that pulls back the curtain on the millenia-old battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly affects our …...

A new director has been hired on the flagship feature film at Skydance Animation, a division of David Ellison’s company run by former Pixar chief John Lasseter.

Peggy Holmes, a name in the animation space who has directed and choreographed for years at Disney, has replaced Alessandro Carloni. Skydance and Carloni parted ways thanks to creative differences, insiders said.

“Peggy is an incredible creative talent and has already been a huge asset to our growing animation studio over the past year. We’re so happy to have her leading the team creating Luck. She has the perfect mix of experience and artistic vision to bring this exciting project to the screen,” said Skydance Animation president Holly Edwards in a statement.

Another individual close to the company noted production has not yet hit its stride — though “Luck” has faced other roadblocks on the way to completion. Actress Emma Thompson publicly...

Peggy Holmes has come aboard to direct Luck, Skydance Animation’s first animated feature that is currently in production.

Holmes takes up the mantle from Alessandro Carloni, the Kung Fu Panda 3 co-director who was due to make his solo helming debut with Luck and is now exiting the project over creative differences.

Holmes is a steady hand in animation circles. She shares directing credit on two of the most successful features from Disney’s Disneytoon division, the Fairies franchise entries Secret of the Wings and The Pirate Fairy, and made her debut with the home entertainment release The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning. Holmes ...

Peggy Holmes has come aboard to direct Luck, Skydance Animation’s first animated feature that is currently in production.

Holmes takes up the mantle from Alessandro Carloni, the Kung Fu Panda 3 co-director who was due to make his solo helming debut with Luck and is now exiting the project over creative differences.

Holmes is a steady hand in animation circles. She shares directing credit on two of the most successful features from Disney’s Disneytoon division, the Fairies franchise entries Secret of the Wings and The Pirate Fairy, and made her debut with the home entertainment release The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning. Holmes ...

Only nine women directors so far have ever been given a budget north of $100 million. Even fewer have done so without also having a male co-director or on projects that aren’t animated. That needs to change, and with “Captain Marvel” opening this weekend, hopefully that changes soon.

Kathryn Bigelow – “K:19 – The Widowmaker” (2002) – $100 Million

Before she became the first (and only) woman to win the Oscar for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman director to earn a $100 million budget for her 2002 submarine thriller “K-19: The Widowmaker.”

Jennifer Yuh Nelson – “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011) – $150 Million

Jennifer Yuh Nelson directed the $150 million sequel to “Kung Fu Panda.” She came back for the third film as well with a similar budget, but would then be paired with male director Alessandro Carloni.

Lana and Lilly Wachowski – “Cloud Atlas” (2012) and “Jupiter Ascending” (2016) – $128.5 Million and $176 Million

Lana Wachowski came out publicly as a transgender...

Emma Thompson explains in a scathing letter why she dropped out of the voice cast of Skydance Animation’s upcoming film “Luck.”

The British star, who did some recording for the movie, left the project in mid-January in the wake of John Lasseter’s hire to the top animation job at David Ellison’s studio. Her reps released a letter on Tuesday, first published in the Los Angeles Times, that Thompson sent to Skydance management last month. Skydance had no comment.

In the letter, Thompson said Lasseter’s hire made it impossible for her to continue working on “Luck”.

“It feels very odd to me that you and your company would consider hiring someone with Mr. Lasseter’s pattern of misconduct given the present climate in which people with the kind of power that you have can reasonably be expected to step up to the plate,” Thompson said in the letter,...

Emma Thompson said she left her voice-over role in Skydance Animation’s upcoming film Luck earlier this month because she didn’t want to work for John Lasseter. The Oscar-winning actor-producer has elaborated on her thoughts with a pointed letter that was published today in the Los Angeles Times, aimed directly at David Ellison’s company and its decision to hire the ex-Pixar chief who was forced out of Disney last year because of past sexual misconduct.

“It feels very odd to me that you and your company would consider hiring someone with Mr. Lasseter’s pattern of misconduct given the present climate in which people with the kind of power that you have can reasonably be expected to step up to the plate,” Thompson wrote.

She framed several questions in the letter about Skydance’s decision-making surrounding Lasseter, whose hire the company defended earlier this month after it...

Emma Thompson, who quit a Skydance Animation film this month after the company hired former Pixar head John Lasseter, challenged the company about why it was giving the executive “a second chance” after the multiple accusations of sexual misconduct in his previous gig.

In a letter to Skydance executives obtained by the L.A. Times, the Oscar-winning actress questioned why women should feel comfortable working under Lasseter. She also challenged a letter that Skydance CEO David Ellison has sent to staffers saying that Lasseter was contractually obligated to behave professionally.

“If a man has been touching women inappropriately for decades, why would a woman want to work for him if the only reason he’s not touching them inappropriately now is that it says in his contract that he must behave ‘professionally,'” Thompson wrote. “The message seems to be, “I am learning to feel respect for women so please...

As reported earlier this month, Emma Thompson decided to exit her voice role on the upcoming Skydance Animation movie “Luck” after the company hired John Lasseter as its head at the start of 2019. Lasseter came to Skydance after Disney severed ties with him over sexual misconduct allegations. Lasseter has admitted to making “missteps” while working at Disney, which included inappropriate hugging.

Thompson’s representatives tell the Los Angeles Times that the actress began conversations about leaving the project as soon as Lasseter’s hiring was announced January 9. The actress officially bowed out January 20. Not only did Thompson leave the project, but she also wrote a letter to Skydance management questioning both Lasseter’s hiring and the repercussions of the decision. The Times published Thompson’s letter in its entirety.

“As you know, I have pulled out of the production of ‘Luck’ — to be directed by the very wonderful Alessandro Carloni,...

Thompson pulled out of Skydance Animation project earlier this month.

Emma Thompson has confirmed she pulled out of a voice role in Skydance Animation’s Luck because former Pixar chief John Lasseter joined the production.

Lasseter was controversially hired to run Skydance Animation in January after leaving Disney amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

It was revealed earlier this month Thompson had dropped out of Luck, which is directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and set for a 2021 release.

In an excoriating letter, seen by the Los Angeles Times, which was sent to Skydance Management after she pulled out of the project,...

Thompson pulled out of Skydance Animation project earlier this month.

Emma Thompson has confirmed she pulled out of a voice role in Skydance Animation’s Luck because former Pixar chief John Lasseter joined the production.

Lasseter was controversially hired to run Skydance Animation in January after leaving Disney amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

It was revealed earlier this month Thompson had dropped out of Luck, which is directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and set for a 2021 release.

In an excoriating letter, seen by the Los Angeles Times, which was sent to Skydance Management after she pulled out of the project,...

Actress Emma Thompson has dropped out of new animated movie Luck because she didn't want to work with John Lasseter after his sexual harassment scandal.

Lasseter left Pixar Animation Studios because of sexual harassment allegations. And Skydance Animation, which is behind the movie Luck, defended their decision to hire the animator.?

Skydance Animation's CEO David Ellison said the decision to hire Lasseter hadn't been "entered into lightly" after the animator left Pixar because of a sexual harassment scandal, reports dailymail.co.uk.

However, a representative for Thompson, 59, said that she had dropped out "over concerns about working with John Lasseter when Skydance hired him".

A spokesperson for Thompson confirmed that she hadn't filmed any scenes for the animated movie.

Directed by Alessandro Carloni and set for release in 2021, Luck delves into a world about two opposing forces that control destiny and bad luck.

Emma Thompson has dropped out of the voice cast of Skydance Animation’s upcoming film “Luck,” a spokesperson for the actress told Variety.

The beloved British star did some recording for the project, but dropped out in January, following John Lasseter’s hire to the top animation job at David Ellison’s studio, an insider close to the film added.

Skydance Animation had no comment. Thompson had no comment beyond confirming her departure from the movie.

Lasseter’s hire made waves at the beginning of the year, as the former Disney-Pixar kingpin left his animation studio in a cloud of misconduct accusations before spending a year away from the business entirely.

At the time, Skydance CEO Ellison sent a lengthy internal memo to staff saying he’d conducted an independent investigation into the Lasseter accusations and was confident of his innocence. The studio also held a series of town hall meetings,...

Emma Thompson has dropped out of Skydance Animation’s animated project “Luck” over concerns about working with the division’s newly hired head John Lasseter, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

Lasseter joined Skydance in January, reporting directly to CEO David Ellison, after being forced out of Pixar and Disney last June after acknowledging “missteps” in his behavior with female staff members. In November 2017, shortly after the ouster of indie mogul Harvey Weinstein, Lasseter took a six-month sabbatical from Pixar after multiple accusations of misconduct.

Reps for Thompson and for Skydance had no comment.

Also Read: Amazon Nabs Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson Comedy 'Late Night' for $13 Million

Thompson and the rest of the voice cast had not officially been announced by Skydance, but the actress had attended several recording sessions and has now quietly left the film. “Luck,” which is directed by Alessandro Carloni (“Kung Fu Panda...

Emma Thompson is bowing out of her voice role in Skydance Animation’s “Luck” due to “concerns about working with the division’s head John Lasseter” (via Deadline). The studio has not yet announced the voice cast for “Luck,” but at the time of her exit Thompson had already started recording her role in the animated comedy. “Luck” takes inspiration from “Inside Out” in telling the story of teams of good luck and bad luck who compete to determine the outcome of everyday people’s fate. Thompson was voicing the role of one of the good luck characters. The film is directed by “Kung Fu Panda 3” co-director Alessandro Carloni.

Thompson’s departure is the first bit of star power blowback a Skydance project has received since the comedy announced at the start of January it was bringing in Lasseter to head its animation division. The position is Lasseter’s...

Deadline has confirmed that two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson is backing out of her voiceover role on the upcoming Skydance Animation movie Luck due to concerns about working with the division’s head John Lasseter.

The movie centers around the struggle between the organizations of bad luck and good luck, and Thompson began recording her role as the head of the latter group. Neither Skydance nor Thompson’s reps provided comment; the studio hasn’t officially announced the cast for Alessandro Carloni’s Luck yet.

Last week Deadline exclusively reported that Lasseter and Skydance boss David Ellison promoted Skydance Animation Head of Production Holly Edwards to the position of President of Skydance Animation. She will serve as Lasseter’s right-hand, leading all business aspects of production activities across all titles.

The move came just over a month after Ellison hired Lasseter to run Skydance’s animation division; Lasseter had been...

On Wednesday, the animation industry was rocked by two major events: Ousted Pixar/Disney leader John Lasseter resurfaced as head of upstart Skydance Animation, and DreamWorks Animation TV head Margie Cohn took over feature animation from Chris deFaria (who served as president for only two years). Her elevation should improve synergy at DreamWorks and create greater unity with Illumination, which has taken an active role in developing “Shrek” and “Puss in Boots” sequels.

But the Lasseter hire was the most shocking update, as it found the disgraced animation guru instantly returning to a new senior leadership position after a string of sexual harassment allegations took him out of circulation.

It was unlikely that Lasseter would ever return to Disney and Pixar, the company he helped launch more than 30 years ago, or any other major studio. The post-Lasseter era at Pixar and Disney has already begun, with the promise of greater inclusion,...

The industry backlash to Skydance tapping former Walt Disney Animation/Pixar boss John Lasseter as its new head of Animation was immediate today from Time’s Up and Women and Hollywood. Both groups took great concern with the hasty forgiveness bestowed upon an executive with an alleged history of sexual harassment.

“I believe in second chances, and I believe we should push the dialogue forward,” said a rival animation exec about Lasseter’s situation in the #MeToo era, “but this is challenging for anyone, not just women.”

In the wake of #MeToo, some question whether there’s a way back for some of these men who’ve been accused (and who are apologetic), particularly a legacy executive such as Lasseter who possess an unprecedented track record — his Pixar slate has generated $13 billion at the global box office — and isn’t mired in criminal trials like Harvey Weinstein or, for that matter,...

Former Pixar Cco John Lasseter has been named Head of Skydance Animation after his exit from Disney following misconduct accusations.

He will report directly to Skydance CEO David Ellison and will start later this month. Skydance is just getting into animation, and gambled that the Oscar winner’s immense talent was worth the potential fallout of hiring a man who lost his Disney role over accusations of inappropriate workplace behavior.

“John is a singular creative and executive talent whose impact on the animation industry cannot be overstated,” Ellison said in a statement. “He was responsible for leading animation into the digital age, while telling incomparable stories that continue to inspire and entertain audiences around the globe.”

Also Read: End of an Era: Inside Pixar on the Eve of John Lasseter's Departure

Ellison added: “And yet we did not enter into this decision lightly. John has acknowledged and apologized for his mistakes and,...

Pixar co-founder and former Disney animation guru John Lasseter has been hired to run Skydance Animation. Skydance CEO David Ellison made the announcement via memo (read it in full below) about the move, which comes after Disney decided to part ways with the award-winning animation exec last year after putting him on a six-month leave of absence amid accusations of repeated misconduct and his admission of “missteps.”

The move puts back into circulation one of the animation industry’s most successful creative executives of all time. His films under the Pixar banner and at Walt Disney Animation — his title when he left at year’s end was Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and Principal Creative Advisor, Walt Disney Imagineering — began with 1995’s Toy Story (which he directed). He later directed A Bug’s Life (1998), Toy Story 2 (1999), Cars (2006) and Cars 2 (2011), and he executive produced all...

Annecy, France — Paramount Animation’s presentation of “Wonder Park” at the Annecy Festival packed a large interest. It was the first Annecy for DreamWorks Animation veteran Mireille Soria since she was appointed president of Paramount Animation by Jim Gianapaolos in July 2017. People were keen to know what she’d say about where she wanted to take the division.

Also, after several years absent from most international events, Spain animation made an impressive splash at March’s Cartoon Movie in Bordeaux. The big film missing there was Paramount Animation’s “Wonder Park,” whose animation vendor and co-producer – along with Nickelodeon Movies – was Madrid’s Ilion Animation Studios. Clips of “Wonder Park” and a song featured at cinema.con. But Annecy’s sneak peek promised a far deeper drill down.

Production on “Wonder Park” was initiated in September 2014, nearly three years before Mireille Soria took over at Paramount Animation. As it turned out,...

David Ellison’s Skydance Media is developing Jennifer L. Holm’s best-selling children’s book “The Fourteenth Goldfish” as an animated comedy movie.

Skydance announced on Friday that it had bought movie rights to “Goldfish,” and signed Ted Melfi and Kimberly Quinn to write and produce. Victor Maldonado and Alfredo Torres from Headless Productions will direct the film with Alessandro Carloni serving as executive producer.

“The Fourteenth Goldfish” centers on a 12-year-old girl whose middle-school life is made even more complicated when her estranged grandfather shows up at her door, having reversed his age to 14. Together, they must go on an adventure to stop the technology from falling into the wrong hands.

“We fell in love with ‘The Fourteenth Goldfish’ immediately and were passionate about telling this story featuring characters of all ages and the unique comedic circumstances that connects a young girl with her grandfather at an important time in both their lives,...

Skydance Media has acquired rights to The Fourteenth Goldfish, Jennifer L. Holm’s bestselling 2014 children’s book, and has attached husband-wife producing partners Ted Melfi and Kimberly Quinn to write and produce an animated film. Victor Maldonado and Alfredo Torres will direct, and Alessandro Carloni will be executive producer. The plot centers on a 12-year-old girl whose middle school life is made even more complicated when her estranged grandfather shows up at her door having reversed his age to 14 years old. Together, they must go on an adventure to stop the technology from falling into the wrong hands. This is the fourth recent deal for Skydance’s Animation and Family Entertainment division, joining Luck, directed by Carloni and written by Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger; Split (working title), directed by Vicky Jenson and written by Linda Woolverton; and Powerless (working title), directed by Nathan Greno.

James Marsden and American Housewife kid...

Two months ago at Bordeaux’s Cartoon Movie, Europe’s biggest animated movie showcase, no country made a larger impact than Spain.

A sneak peek of footage from Raul de la Fuente’s “Another Day of Life,” capturing war correspondent Ryszard Kapuściński’s life-haunting experience in Angola’s civil war, dazzled Cartoon Movie with the verve of its animation/live-action mix. The $20 million “Dragonkeeper,” about a feisty washer-girl slave turned dragon protector, sparked enthusiasm for its story and Western-Chinese animation meld. Alberto Vázquez (“Birdboy: The Forgotten Children”) drew the showcase’s second-biggest audience for in-the-works “Unicorn Wars,” about an ancestral battle between Teddy bears and unicorns. And Madrid-based Latido Films won Distributor of the Year for “Buñuel in the Labyrinth of Turtles,” about Luis Buñuel’s shooting of 1933’s “Land Without Bread.”

Spanish animation’s strong showing at Cartoon Movie was no fluke. Animation accounted for the highest-grossing Spanish hit...

Initial animation roster includes Luck, Split, and Powerless.

Skydance Media has hired four senior figures from DreamWorks Animation as David Ellison builds his nascent animation studio.

The move comes after Ellison (pictured) launched the animation division last year to make features and television series in partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios. President of animation and family entertainment Bill Damaschke, the former DreamWorks Animation chief creative officer who joined last October, announced the hires on Tuesday (February 27).

Holly Edwards has been named head of production, animation; Kim Mackey head of talent acquisitions and talent development; Jessie Carbonaro director of talent acquisitions and talent development; and Matthew Burke director of finance.

Edwards, a 20-year veteran of feature films who joined DreamWorks Animation in 2002, will work closely with Damaschke and individual producers on animation projects and help establish the studio’s growth plan.

At DreamWorks Animation she managed films across three intercontinental locations. Prior to that she...

Simon Brew Oct 17, 2017

Ron's Gone Wrong is a big new animated movie, set to be produced in the middle of London...

New British animation studio Locksmith Animation has followed up its announcement of a deal with 20th Century Fox with the news of its first movie. The film will be called Ron’s Gone Wrong, and will be produced in London, in conjunction with effects house Double Negative.

The movie is to be directed by J P Vine (of Pixar vintage) and Alessandro Carloni (the co-director of Kung Fu Panda 3), and the script has been penned by Peter Baynham and Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith.

Furthermore, a release date of November 6th 2020 has been confirmed.

As for story details, here’s what we know about Ron’s Gone Wrong, courtesy of the official synopsis…

Ron’S Gone Wrong tells the story of the wonderful walking, talking, digitally connected bot that sweeps...

20th Century Fox and UK-based animation studio Locksmith Animation have set Ron’s Gone Wrong as their inaugural animated feature since announcing the multi-year production partnership deal, which is expected to deliver one film every 12-18 months From directors Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Pixar Story vet J.P. Vine (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), the film’s release is slated for November 2020. It tells the story of the wonderful walking, talking, digitally…...

The first fruits of 20th Century Fox's new long-term co-production and development deal with new U.K. CG animation studio Locksmith Animation, unveiled last month, have been revealed.

Ron's Gone Wrong, being directed by Alessandro Carloni (Kung Fu Panda 3) and Pixar Story vet J.P. Vine (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur) and officially announced Thursday, is set for a November 2020 release and will be produced from Locksmith's major new London facilities, due to open in the coming weeks, with partner Double Negative providing digital production.

Set in a world where walking, talking, digitally connected bots have become children's best friends,...