Independent distributor Viva Kids has acquired the animated films Treasure Trekkers, Space Cadet and Maw and the Legend of the Red Ruby and added them to its upcoming release calendar. Specific dates will be announced later.
Treasure Trekkers is based on J.S. Friedman’s children’s book series, Maurice Valais, and tells the story of “the adventures of a young explorer as he travels around the world.” It was directed by Kevin Munro and features a voice cast that includes Alan Cumming, Jack McBrayer, Greg Sipes, Tara Strong, Meredith Bull, and John DiMaggio.
“Space Cadet,” directed by Kid Koala (Eric Sun) and starring Karen and Emiliana Torrini, is about “astronaut Celeste, who takes off into space on her first solo mission to meet Roland, the guardian who raised her.” Leaving the bots behind, each of them must confront the meaning of letting go. Her memories become her only compass as she faces unexpected dangers in the vastness of space.
Based on Kirsten Boyer’s children’s book “Seeloiber Moses,” “The Legend of Pirate Maw and the Red Ruby” is “an adventure filled with heart, guts, and hope for a better world, led by a young girl whose goodness is matched only by her goodness.” The director of this film is Florian Westermann.
The contract negotiations were handled by Mayank Jalani of Viva Pictures, Jason Bressand of Treasure Trekkers, Florencia Gil of Space Cadet, and Gamze Celik of Maw and the Red Ruby.
Thursday, June 18th
Crayola Studios Names Nicole Graves Winner of Kids Content Development Initiative
Crayola Studios, Crayola’s children’s and family entertainment content division, has partnered with Geena Davis and the Bentonville Film Festival to name Nicole Graves as the inaugural recipient of its Kids Content Development Initiative.
Mr. Graves will receive $10,000 and the opportunity to develop the winning concept for the series “ImagINN” by Crayola Studios. The animated series for kids ages 6 to 11 checks into a colorful hotel and helps kids navigate big emotions through imagination, creativity, and self-expression.
Sabrina, EVP and Head of Crayola Studios “We were blown away by the imagination, heart and originality of the applicants to this new initiative, which aims to create opportunities for creators with fresh perspectives and original ideas to inspire the next generation,” said Wiewel. “All five finalists created such strong and interesting proposals that it was difficult to choose just one, but we were completely captivated by (the winners’) presentations, which perfectly aligned with Crayola’s work.” We look forward to working together to develop this idea into new content that will engage and inspire young audiences. ”
Crayola Studios also announced a development agreement with Kickstart Entertainment for Create the Impossible, a new live-action STEAM series for kids co-created by astronaut and MIT engineer turned Emmy-nominated science television host Emily Calandrelli and multi-Emmy and Peabody Award-winning executive Maria Pepin.
“We’re excited to partner with Kickstart Entertainment and Crayola Studios on Create the Impossible,” said Emily Calandrelli. “It’s the perfect partner for a show that celebrates big ideas. Together, we challenge kids to dream boldly, be curious, and discover what happens when art and engineering collide.”
Wagner Moura and Greta Lee fight for survival in ‘The Last House’ trailer
Netflix has released the trailer for The Last House, starring Greta Lee and Wagner Moura.
According to the official description, this sci-fi thriller directed by Louis Leterrier is about “a family of four who are suddenly trapped in their house with no escape. They must work together to survive both their dwindling resources and the mysterious threat that keeps them trapped.”
Gabriel Barbosa, Emma Ho, Noah Alexander Sosnowski, and Riley Cheung round out the cast.
The Last House is Moura’s first film since the Academy Award-nominated film The Secret Agent. Lee, best known for his work on Past Lives and starring in Toy Story 5 this month, adds the film to his body of work exploring identity, relationships and personal growth.
The film will have its worldwide premiere on Netflix on August 7th.
Watch the trailer below.
Wednesday June 17th
Jimmy Stewart biopic ‘Jimmy’ opens Heartland Film Festival
Jimmy Stewart’s new biopic “Jimmy” is scheduled to open at the Heartland Film Festival on October 8th.
With Oscar-winning actor KJ Apa leading the cast, “Jimmy” tells the untold story of Stewart’s life, tracing his experiences from the filming of “The Philadelphia Story” to his enlistment in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the early days of World War II. The film was directed and produced by Aaron Burns. The screenplay was written by Justin Strawhand and stars Max Casella as “It’s a Wonderful Life” director Frank Capra, Kara Kilmer as Lady Julia, and Variety’s Mark Malkin as Glenn Miller.
“We’re thrilled to have the world premiere of ‘Jimmy’ at the Heartland Film Festival ahead of its national release,” producer Angela Gargani Sullivan said in a statement. “Jimmy Stewart’s spirit has long been celebrated in the Heartland, and for good reason. Although he was a Hollywood legend, he remained at heart a small-town Pennsylvania kid shaped by service, humility, faith, and community. There is no better place to share his story with the world.”
“Jimmy” will be released in theaters on November 6th by Fathom Entertainment. The Heartland Film Festival will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana from October 8th to 18th.
*
Art Directors Guild once again honors Beverly Hilton with February’s Outstanding Production Design Award
The Art Directors Guild has announced that its 31st Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards will be held on February 27th at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.
According to a statement, the ADG Awards “celebrate excellence in production design and recognize the creative vision and artistry of production designers, art directors, set designers, title artists, graphic artists, illustrators, matte artists, model makers, set designers, and other design professionals who help shape the visual language of film, television, commercials, music videos, and animated works.”
This year’s ceremony is produced by ADG’s Megan Elizabeth Bell and ADG’s Kate Weddle. The 2027 event will mark the Guild’s return to hotels and feature updated award rules, including an enhanced code of conduct and new submission guidance for projects based on non-disclosure agreements.
“The 31st Annual Excellence in Production Design Awards celebrates extraordinary artists whose creativity, collaboration and vision have helped define the way audiences experience the visual world on screen,” said Dina Lipton, president of the Art Directors Guild. “Production design is at the heart of visual storytelling and these awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of our members across film, television, commercials, music videos and animation. We are proud to continue this tradition of recognizing excellence and are delighted that Megan Elizabeth Bell and Kate Weddle will lead the production team for this year’s awards.”
Tuesday June 16th
Kahyun Kim and Nick Ballard added to cast of psychological thriller ‘Eternal Property’
Kahyun Kim and Nick Ballard have boarded the psychological science fiction thriller ‘Eternal Properties.’
Kim, best known for starring in “St. Denis Medical,” and Ballard, known for “Rosary,” join a cast that also includes Betsy Hume, Nils Stewart, Travis Lincoln Cox, and Michael Guarsasi. Eternal Properties, currently filming in Carmel, California, follows Sabrina (Kim), a private nurse, as she grows to the same age her mother was when she died of ovarian cancer.
“Her latest patient, Julian Milton (Ballard), is an eccentric technology entrepreneur running a longevity experiment known as Project Paradigm on a remote coastal property,” the official synopsis reads. “When he offers Sabrina the chance to participate in the trial as the first female participant, she can’t resist. But Sabrina soon learns that cheating comes with a dangerous price.”
Maceo Greenberg will direct from a script by Laura Picklesimer, based on characters from her new novel. Greenberg and Picklesimmer are producing under their Story Well Productions banner, along with Hannah Mendelsohn and co-producer Cameron Hahn.
