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Television

Jack is Back in Black — and White

Animation World Network let us know: Dreamworks Animation have announced a new upcoming CGI animated TV series, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. And wouldn’t you know it, this new series features the return of none other than Jack Black as the voice of Po the panda. He’s been chatting about it on his socials. Here’s what Dreamworks says: “In the new series, when a mysterious pair of weasels set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons, Po must leave his home to embark on a globe-trotting quest for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. Together, these two mismatched warriors set out on an epic adventure to find the magical weapons first and save the world from destruction — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.” No word yet from Dreamworks on a release date, but stay tooned.

image cl 2022 Dreamworks Animation

Owl’s Well That Ends Well

We haven’t discussed it much, but since its creation in 2019 the “2.5D” animated series Odo has racked up more than one nomination for the Annie Awards. Here’s what Animation World Network said about it recently: “Odo, in which a diminutive, but determined, young owl demonstrates that there’s nothing you can’t do if you set your mind to it. Intended for kids aged three to five, Odo is a Polish-Northern Irish co-production that was designed and animated in the Letko studio in Warsaw. The series, which had its US premiere in December 2021 on HBO Max’s Cartoonito, has already won the hearts of young viewers in 151 countries… In the leafy playground of Forest Camp for Young Birds – whose diverse population of feathered creatures includes silly chickens, cheeky toucans, harmonious canaries, and a vain peacock, all under the loving and watchful supervision of Camp Leader, a supremely capable and good-natured eagle – Odo, with the help of his best friend Doodle (a thoughtful little bird of unknown species) positively tackles every challenge, no matter how big.”

image c. Cartoonito

There is Puppetry in my Neighborhood

We had not heard about this, but we should probably mention it now! Animation World Network just reported that PBS Kids has secured some really big grants to help fund new TV series created by Fred Rogers Productions (named after the late great creator of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, of course). And at least one of those series is of note to furry fans: “Inspired by the funny, quirky side of children’s television pioneer Fred Rogers, Donkey Hodie is an imaginative puppet series following the adventures of Donkey Hodie, an enthusiastic and charming go-getter who takes on each day with curiosity and resilience, and her pals Purple Panda, Duck Duck, and Bob Dog. Set in the whimsical land of Someplace Else, the social-emotional series is designed to empower children ages 3-5 to dream big and overcome obstacles in their own lives, to work hard and persevere in the face of failure, to be resourceful and discover they can solve problems on their own — and to laugh themselves silly along the way.”

image c. 2022 Fred Rogers Productions

Oop and Ack on TV!

The last time we saw Berke Breathed’s iconic comic strip series animated was the 1991 TV holiday special, A Wish For Wings That Work. And then, just this week, we get a new press release: “FOX Entertainment has announced the adaptation and development of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, screenwriter, producer, and children’s book author Berkeley Breathed’s acclaimed comic strip Bloom County into an animated series… Bento Box will serve as the animation studio on the project.” The article at Animation World Network has a lot more details. No word on a planned release date yet, or whether this will be for broadcast TV or streaming, but we do know that an animated film adaptation of Mr. Breathed’s book HitPig is supposed to be out in theaters later this year.

image c. 2022 FOX Entertainment

Kids, Cooking, and Kookiness

Looks as if people are still thinking up odd and interesting new takes on things… old and new. Try this on for size: “Perhaps one of the most memorable moments in Disney’s 1951 Alice in Wonderland was the Mad Hatter’s Mad Tea Party… It was certainly a deliciously humorous spectacle, so it’s no surprise Disney Television Animation has decided to create a heritage project where Alice’s great-granddaughter – also named Alice – has her own Wonderland bakery. ‘I started thinking about all the whimsy, the comedy, and the peculiar characters that are in the original movie and thought, wow, preschoolers are going to love this,’ remembers Emmy Award-winning writer Chelsea Beyl, creator and executive producer of the all-new series, Alice’s Wonderland Bakery… The series follows a new generation Alice (Libby Rue) as she wields her whisk in Wonderland to create wild cakes, muffins, and more in her enchanted, teapot-shaped bakery. Each 3D-animated episode is comprised of two 11-minute stories where Alice uses her baking skills to solve problems and bring people together in Wonderland.” The article at Animation World Network has a lot more, and the series has already premiered on Disney Channel and Disney Junior.

image c. 2022 Disney Television Animation

Swat Kats Return, Finally?

We’ve been hearing for a while now about a campaign by the original creators to rejuvenate the cult animated TV series Swat-Kats. Well now there’s this from Animation World Network: “The 1990’s cult classic animation Swat-Kats is set to make a comeback 28 years after the original series was produced. Show creators Christian and Yvon Tremblay have teamed up with Toonz Media Group to produce a brand-new series of the popular show featuring high-flying anthropomorphic feline fighters. The show is set in the fictional mega metropolis of Megakat City, where the two vigilante heroes fight off evil powers to keep their city from becoming a dystopian world.” Still no word on a release date, but this is a big step forward from the Kickstarter campaign.

image c. 2022 Toonz Media Group

Dog City By Day

Apple recently announced a new furry TV series, and Animation World Network helped spread the word: “Apple TV+ keeps on growing its top slate of kids and family shows with an all-new 3D/CG animated preschool series, Pretzel and the Puppies, premiering Friday, February 11. Based on the beloved canine from the classic book Pretzel by award-winning authors Margret Rey and H.A. Rey, creators of Curious George, the original series features a story about the modern dog family led by stay-at-home dad Pretzel, his five adorable Dachshund puppies, and mom Greta, the mayor of Muttgomery.” The article has more information about the show, and a link to the official trailer.

image c. 2022 Apple TV+

They’re Big — and They’re On TV?

John Scalzi’s next science fiction novel The Kaiju Preservation Society hasn’t even been released yet — it comes out in March — but word is out that Fox Entertainment have already optioned the book for a possible TV series adaptation. What’s it about? After New York City is devastated by a COVID outbreak, a bored food delivery driver who’s looking for a change meets up with an old school acquaintance. Turns out that his friend has a very special job — visiting a parallel dimension where giant monsters live and thrive, and seeing to their needs. Soon both these folks find themselves fighting to preserve the delicate balance between the monster’s dimension and our own… while unscrupulous forces work to bring about the destruction of both worlds.

image c. 2022 MacMillan Publishers

Finally To The Moon, Alice!

In 2019 (back in the Before Time!) we told you about Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, a new 2D animated TV series based on the popular Marvel comic. Like many things during the pandemic, it’s gone through delays. But recently the folks at Disney have released the first trailer for the new series, along with news that it will be coming to television in 2022. “The highly anticipated 2D animated series follows the adventures of 13-year-old super-genius Lunella Lafayette and her 10-ton T-Rex, Devil Dinosaur. After Lunella accidentally brings Devil Dinosaur into present-day New York City via a time vortex, the duo work together to protect the city’s Lower East Side from danger.” See you next summer!

image c. 2021 Walt Disney Television Animation