22 April 2024 – Netflix will return to Annecy with an action-packed agenda, featuring a variety of bold films and series, off the back of nominations for Nimona at this year’s Oscars, for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget at the BAFTAs, and multiple wins for Blue Eye Samurai at the Annies. In just five years since releasing its first animated feature, Netflix has earned its first Best Animated Feature Oscar for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and landed the largest animated film debut for the Adam Sandler comedy, Leo.

Annecy highlights will include an on-stage presentation, Next on Netflix Animation: From Twilight of the Gods to Wallace & Gromit, spotlighting world-class filmmakers and sneak peeks of highly anticipated films and series. Plus the world premiere of the family adventure based on the iconic Japanese character, Ultraman: Rising, from director Shannon Tindle and ​​co-director John Aoshima. A full rundown of Netflix’s Annecy activity includes:

Next on Netflix Animation: From Twilight of the Gods to Wallace & Gromit, taking place on Weds 12 June will feature the award-winning Aardman team, directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham, offering a sneak peek at the highly anticipated untitled Wallace & Gromit film, and fan-favorite director, Zack Snyder, and executive producer, Deborah Snyder along with Xilam Animation Director Slimane Aniss unveiling clips from the adult animated series, Twilight of the Gods. Audiences will also be treated to material from The Twits and Skydance Animation’s Spellbound.

Ultraman: Rising, will have its world premiere on Weds 12 June.

Work-in-progress sessions exploring the various stages of production will feature award-winning writer Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), animation veteran and director Simon Otto (Love, Death & Robots, How to Train Your Dragon), Nicole Hearon (producer) and Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn (production designer) discussing That Christmas on Tues 11 June.

On Thurs 13 June, Making Of Sessions will go behind the scenes of the final creative processes of Ultraman: Rising, with, Shannon Tindle (director), John Aoshima (co-director), Sunmin Inn (art director), Hayden Jones (VFX supervisor), Scot Stafford (composer) and Big Mouth as Nick Kroll (co-creator, EP, voice cast), Andrew Goldberg (co-creator, EP), Jennifer Flackett (co-creator, EP) and Mark Levin (co-creator, EP) celebrate the final series of this comedic hit. Arcane’s session will be on Weds 12 June and will feature Showrunner Christian Linke (Riot), Scriptwriter Amanda Overton (Riot), Senior Concept Artist Arnaud Baudry (Riot), Director Bart Maunoury (Fortiche), and Producer Christine Ponzevera (Fortiche).

A Wallace & Gromit Exhibition featuring some of the puppets from Aardman’s new film will take center stage and celebrate these beloved stop-motion characters.

In addition, Blue Eye Samurai and Pokemon Concierge will be in official competition.

FILM:

ULTRAMAN: RISING

Launch date: June 14, 2024

With Tokyo under siege from rising monster attacks, baseball star Ken Sato reluctantly returns home to take on the mantle of Ultraman. But the titanic superhero meets his match when he reluctantly adopts a 35-foot-tall, fire-breathing baby kaiju. Sato must rise above his ego to balance work and parenthood while protecting the baby from forces bent on exploiting her for their own dark plans. In partnership with Netflix, Tsuburaya Productions, and Industrial Light & Magic, Ultraman: Rising is written by Shannon Tindle and Marc Haimes, directed by Shannon Tindle, and co-directed by John Aoshima.

Director: Shannon Tindle

Co-director: ​​John Aoshima

Written by: Shannon Tindle, Marc Haimes

Produced by: Tom Knott, Lisa M. Poole

Cast: Christopher Sean (You, Hawaii Five-O), Gedde Watanabe (Sixteen Candles), Tamlyn Tomita (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Keone Young (Men in Black 3, Star Wars Rebels), Julia Harriman (Camp Rock)

SPELLBOUND

Launch date: 2024

Spellbound follows the adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters. Spellbound is directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek) with original score from EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast) and lyrics by Glenn Slater (Tangled). A Netflix Film from Skydance Animation, Spellbound boasts an all-star voice cast led by Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess. Spellbound is written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda and produced by John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation.

Directed by: Vicky Jenson

Written by: Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda

Produced by: John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bruce Anderson for Skydance Animation

Composed by: Alan Menken

Cast: Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, and Tituss Burgess

THAT CHRISTMAS

Launch date: 2024

Synopsis: Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! This heartwarming comedy from Locksmith Animation marks Curtis’ first foray into animation, serving as the film’s writer and executive producer, and also the feature directorial debut of renowned animation veteran Simon Otto (Love, Death & Robots, How to Train Your Dragon films). Nicole P. Hearon (Moana, Frozen) and Adam Tandy (The Thick of It, Detectorists) are producers

Directors: Simon Otto

Writers: Richard Curtis & Peter Souter

Produced by: Nicole P. Hearon p.g.a, Adam Tandy p.g.a

Executive Producers: Mary Coleman, Natalie Fischer, Julie Lockhart, Elisabeth Murdoch, Bonnie Arnold, Lara Breay, Sarah Smith, Rebecca Cobb, Richard Curtis, Colin Hopkins

Composer: John Powell

Cast: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, Ava Talbot, with Bill Nighy and Rhys Darby.

UNTITLED WALLACE & GROMIT FILM

Launch date: Coming Soon. The film will premiere exclusively on Netflix around the world except in the UK, where it will debut on the BBC before also coming to Netflix.

Synopsis: Gromit’s concern that Wallace has become over-dependant on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart gnome” that seems to develop a mind of its own…As events spiral out of control, it falls to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces – or Wallace may never be able to invent again!

Creator of Wallace & Gromit: Nick Park

Director: Nick Park & Merlin Crossingham

Story: Nick Park

Screenplay: Mark Burton

Producer: Richard Beek

THE TWITS

Launch date: Coming 2025

Synopsis: Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the meanest, smelliest, nastiest people in the world who also happen to own and operate the most disgusting, most dangerous, most idiotic amusement park in the world, Twitlandia. But when the Twits rise to power in their town, two brave orphans and a family of magical animals are forced to become as tricky as the Twits in order to save the city. A hysterically funny, wild ride of a film (chock-full of the Twits’ beloved tricks–from the Wormy Spaghetti to the Dreaded Shrinks), The Twits is also a story for our times, about the never-ending battle between cruelty and empathy.

Director: Phil Johnston

Co-Directors: Katie Shanahan, Todd Demong

Writers: Phil Johnston (Zootopia, Wreck-It Ralph), Meg Favreau

Produced by: Phil Johnston, Maggie Malone, Daisy West

SERIES

TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

Launch date: Coming This Fall

Synopsis: The animated series brings Zack Snyder’s daring and spectacular vision of ancient Norse mythology to life, and features the voices of Sylvia Hoeks, Stuart Martin, Pilou Asbaek, John Noble, Paterson Joseph, Rahul Kohli, Jamie Clayton, Kristopher Hivju, Peter Stormare, Jamie Chung, Lauren Cohan, and Corey Stoll, among others.

Created By: Zack Snyder, Jay Olivia, Eric Carrasco

Executive Producers: Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Wesley Coller, Jay Oliva

Directors: Zack Snyder (101 & 108); Jay Oliva (102 & 107); Tim Divar/Andrew Tamadl (103 & 105); Dave Hartman/Andrew Tamadl (104 & 106)

Animation Studio: Xilam Animation

Production Company: Stone Quarry Animation

ARCANE

Launch date: Coming this November

Studio: Riot Games

Animation: Fortiche Productions

Created by: Christian Linke, Alex Yee

Executive Producers: Christian Linke, Marc Merrill, Brandon Beck

Announced Voices: Hailee Steinfeld (Vi), Ella Purnell (Jinx) and Katie Leung (Caitlyn Kiramman), among others to be announced

BIG MOUTH (S8)

Launch date: Coming 2025

Synopsis: Big Mouth is a half-hour edgy adult animated comedy from real-life best friends Nick Kroll and Andrew Goldberg about the glorious nightmare that is teenage puberty.

Executive Producers: Nick Kroll, Andrew Goldberg, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin.

Cast: Nick Kroll, John Mulaney, Jessi Klein, Jason Mantzoukas, Ayo Edebiri, Maya Rudolph, Fred Armisen, Andrew Rannells, and Jordan Peele