Sony Pictures Animation Announces Film Slate Through 2018

Sony Pictures Animation Unveils Varied Upcoming Slate

Julia Roberts, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry and Sir Patrick Stewart Join Studio's Voice Roster

Animated Films from Phil Lord & Christopher Miller and Lin-Manuel Miranda on the Horizon

Culver City, CA – Making good on the commitment to increase overall output while continuing to offer its distinctive mix of family films, Sony Pictures Animation today released the project details on its upcoming roster of titles through 2018, along with additional highly anticipated future feature film projects, including one from Pulitzer Prize-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Kristine Belson, President of Sony Pictures Animation, says, "We are proud of the artist-driven titles we have coming to the marketplace. The abundance, variety and quality of the features are a testament to the wealth of creative talents who call Sony Pictures Animation their home."

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE (April 7, 2017 release)

Newly announced voice cast includes: Michelle Rodriguez (SmurfStorm), Ellie Kemper (SmurfBlossom), Ariel Winter (SmurfLily) and Julia Roberts (SmurfWillow), all residents of the title's Lost Village. Special voice cameos to include: Gordon Ramsay (Baker), Gabriel Iglesias (Jokey), Tituss Burgess (Vanity), Jeff Dunham (Farmer), Jake Johnson (Grouchy), and director Kelly Asbury (Nosey).

Previously announced voice cast includes Demi Lovato (Smurfette), Rainn Wilson (Gargamel), Joe Manganiello (Hefty), Jack McBrayer (Clumsy), Danny Pudi (Brainy), and Mandy Patinkin (Papa).

The feature is directed by Kelly Asbury (SHREK 2), produced by Jordan Kerner (CHARLOTTE'S WEB) and Mary Ellen Bauder Andrews (HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA), and written by Stacey Harman and Pamela Ribon, based on the characters and works of Peyo. Digital animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!

THE EMOJI MOVIE (August 4, 2017 release)

Newly announced voice cast: Jennifer Coolidge (Gene's mother, Mary Meh), Maya Rudolph (Smiler), Jake T. Austin (Alex), and Sir Patrick Stewart (Poop).

Previously announced voice cast includes T.J. Miller (Gene), James Corden (Hi-5), Ilana Glazer (Jailbreak), Steven Wright (Gene's father, Mel Meh).

The feature is directed by Tony Leondis, produced by Michelle Raimo Kouyate, and written by Tony Leondis & Eric Siegel and Mike White. Digital animation by Sony Pictures Imageworks.

THE EMOJI MOVIE unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone's user. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become "normal" like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak. Together, they embark on an epic "app-venture" through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it's deleted forever.

THE STAR (November 10, 2017 release)

The voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anthony Anderson (Zach the goat), Gabriel Iglesias (Rufus the dog), Ving Rhames (Thaddeus the dog), Delilah Rene (Elizabeth), Kris Kristofferson (Old Donkey), Gina Rodriguez (Mary), Zachary Levi (Joseph), with Oprah Winfrey (Deborah), Tyler Perry (Cyrus) and Tracy Morgan (Felix) as the three camels, and Christopher Plummer (King Herod).

THE STAR is directed by Academy Award® nominated writer/director Timothy Reckart (HEAD OVER HEELS); executive-produced by DeVon Franklin (MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN), Lisa Henson and Brian Henson (The Jim Henson Company); produced by Jenni Magee Cook; with a story by Carlos Kotkin and Simon Moore; and screenplay by Carlos Kotkin. Digital animation by Cinesite Studios.

A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill. One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams. On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations. Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 3 (September 21, 2018 release)

Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else's vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac's Pack cannot resist going along and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain Ericka. Now it's Mavis' turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his "too good to be true" love interest is actually a descendent of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!

The voice ensemble of favorites returns, including Adam Sandler (Dracula), Selena Gomez (Mavis) and Andy Samberg (Johnny).

Director Genndy Tartakovsky (SAMURAI JACK, STAR WARS: CLONE WARS) is back in the director's chair, along with Michelle Murdocca back producing and Adam Sandler executive-producing, with a screenplay by Genndy Tartakovsky and Michael McCullers (AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME).

In addition to this feature film, a new animated short, PUPPY, directed by HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA's Genndy Tartakovsky, will be debuting in theaters attached to THE EMOJI MOVIE in August 2017. In the short, the residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet! .

UNTITLED ANIMATED SPIDER-MAN (December 21, 2018 release)

From Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, the geniuses behind THE LEGO MOVIE, comes an animated SPIDER-MAN™ feature starring Miles Morales.

The feature is directed by Bob Persichetti (head of story on PUSS IN BOOTS and THE LITTLE PRINCE) and Peter Ramsey (RISE OF THE GUARDIANS). The film is written by Phil Lord. Avi Arad (IRON MAN, SPIDER-MAN™), Amy Pascal (SPIDER-MAN™: HOMECOMING), Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (Untitled HAN SOLO Movie) are executive producing; Christina Steinberg (TROLLHUNTERS) is producing.

VIVO (December 18, 2020 release)

Lin-Manuel Miranda, the award-winning (Emmy, Tony, Grammy, Olivier, Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur "Genius Grant" recipient) creative force behind the groundbreaking Broadway musical HAMILTON, writes new songs for this musical animated feature. Academy Award® nominated director Kirk De Micco (THE CROODS) is set to helm a script by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes (IN THE HEIGHTS). Academy Award® nominated producer Laurence Mark (DREAMGIRLS, JULIE & JULIA) serves as executive producer, and Lisa Stewart (ALMOST FAMOUS) produces.


ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the record-breaking monster comedies Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the fully animated reboot Smurfs: The Lost Village in April 2017; a surprising and comic take at the secret world inside our phones with The Emoji Movie in August 2017; the inspirational The Star in November 2017; Hotel Transylvania 3 in September 2018; and an animated Spider-Man™ feature from the minds of directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord in December 2018. The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film; a sequel entitled Surf's Up 2: WaveMania now available on DVD and digital. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise including the brand new Open Season: Scared Silly now available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray, was founded in 2002. Sony Pictures Animation is a division of the Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group.

--------------------

Mel Brooks Give Voice to "Vlad" in "Hotel Transylvania 2"

Comic Legend Mel Brooks To Voice Dracula’s Father In HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2

Sony Pictures Releasing International Also Casting Beloved Local Celebrities For The Voice Of Vlad

Sony Pictures Animation today announced the casting of Oscar®-, Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning writer, director, performer, composer and producer Mel Brooks in the sequel to the 2012 worldwide hit, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2. Brooks has been cast in the role of Vlad, the ancient, undead and incredibly grumpy father to Dracula (Adam Sandler). Dracula, Mavis, Jonathan and all of their monster friends are back in the brand new comedy adventure: when the old-old-old-fashioned vampire Vlad arrives at the hotel for an impromptu family get-together, Hotel Transylvania is in for a comic collision of supernatural old-school and modern day cool.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 is slated for a September 25, 2015 release, and is being directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, produced by Michelle Murdocca, executive-produced by Sandler, Allen Covert,and Ben Waisbren, and written by Robert Smigel.

Brooks – who takes on the role 40 years after helming the horror-comedy classic Young Frankenstein – said, "I’m having a wonderful time with the character Vlad. He’s been around for eons and he’s a pretty crabby guy. Basically, he reminds me of me."

Brooks isn’t the only icon who will be voicing Vlad, as Sony Pictures Releasing International is securing the talents of additional high-profile stars around the world to voice the ancient one for the non-English versions of the film. So far, these regional Vlads include: France’s Michel Galabru, the esteemed 92-year-old actor who has appeared in more than 200 films; Japan’s Junji Inagawa, whose voice is instantly recognizable as the "go to" narrator of horror films, radio programs and DVDs; Holland’s Bram Van Der Vlugt, who, for decades, was the most requested Dutch TV/film "Sinterklaas" (Saint Nicholas); and Belgium’s Jacques Vermeire, the well-known Flemish performer with decades of memorable comic television and feature film performances.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the 2012 monster hit comedy Hotel Transylvania, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the family comedies Hotel Transylvania 2scheduled in September 2015 and Untitled Smurfs Movie in August 2016. Sony Pictures Animation also released a critically acclaimed, brand new mini-movie on DVD and television last Fall, The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow. The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf's Up also received an Academy Award®: nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise, turned 10 in 2012. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions

Website: http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SONYPicturesAnimation
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sonyanimation
Tumblr: http://sonyanimation.tumblr.com/
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/SonyAnimation

---------------------

Negromancer News Bits and Bites for the Week of September 14th to September 20th, 2014 - Update #16

NEWS:

From CinemaBlend:  Some "news" about Star Trek 3.

---------------
From SpinoffCBR:  Sony releases the first clip from the upcoming Popeye animated film, directed by Genndy Tartakovsky ("Dexter's Lab," "Samurai Jack").  The film may be released in 2016.  Tartakovsky previously directed the hit film, Hotel Transylvania (2012), for Sony Pictures Animation.

----------------
From YahooMovies:  Jack Huston, the grandson of legendary director, John Huston, has been cast in the lead role in the upcoming remake of the 1959 best picture Oscar winner, Ben-Hur.  He is also the the nephew of Oscar-winning actress Anjelica Huston and Danny Huston.  Morgan Freeman has also been cast in the film.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:  TNT locked down the rights to broadcast five Marvel movies, beginning with "Avengers: Age of Ultron."  The movies will debut two years after their theatrical release.

-----------------
From HuffingtonPost:  Disney hopes to exploit Frozen better than it did The Little Mermaid.

------------------
From Gawker:  More on actress Daniele Watts run-in with the LAPD after kissing her white husband.

-------------------
From Variety:  The new film, No Good Deed," debuts at #1 for the September 12th - 14th, 2014 weekend box office, with an estimagted $24.5 million haul.  The film stars Taraji P. Henson and Idris Elba.  Meanwhile, Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy becomes the first film released in 2014 to cross the $300 million mark in domestic box office.  It has crossed $600 million in worldwide box office, and still has not been released in China.

------------------
From TheHollywoodReporter:  Django Unchained actress, Daniele Watts (who is black), was arrested by two Los Angeles police officers on Thursday, September 11, 2014.  She claims they thought she was a prostitute.  Watts also appears as Martin Lawrence's daughter on the FX comedy series, "Partners."

------------------
From CNN:  Bill Murray seems to have cause a stir with his suggestion of an all-female Ghostbusters reboot.


COMIC BOOKS - Books and Movies:

From Inquisitr:  Rumors about the plot and cast of "Thor 3."

------------------
From Mashable:  Aquaman apparently had a part in Man of Steel; details to be revealed in "Batman Vs. Superman."

----------------
From SpinoffCBR:  FOX sets "Deadpool" movie for February 12, 2016, and moves "Fantastic Four" reboot to from June 2016 to August 2016.

---------------
From YahooMovies:  Disney/Marvel releases the synopsis for Avengers: Age of Ultron.

----------------
From CinemaBlend:  Speculation about a fourth Iron Man film.

-----------------
From TheVox:  The business of killing Wolverine in the comic books.


STAR WARS:

From YahooMovies:  Rian Johnson, writer-director of Episode 8, talks about Lucasfilm's one big demand.

----------------
From SpinoffCBR:  JJ Abrams reveals the Millennium Falcon in a video... with some humor.

-----------------
From EW's InsideMovies:  A question and answer session with C-P3O, Anthony Daniels.

-----------------
From YahooMovies:  An article about EW's Anthony Daniels interview.

-----------------
From Inquisitr:  Possible set photos from Episode 7.

------------------
From InternationalBusinessTimes:  Supposed info about Luke Skywalker as he pertains to Episode 7.

-------------------
From InternationalBusinessTimes:  Supposedly, current James Bond, Daniel Craig, has a cameo in Episode 7.

-------------------
From CinemaBlend:  What Daisy Ridley could look like in Episode 7.



MISC:

From BuzzFeed:  See the Columbian Women Team's cycling uniforms.  They look nasty from a distance; the shadow cast at the crotch looks like pubic hair.  Close-up, the uniforms look like no big deal.

From TheConcourse:  Rob Harvilla on U2's new album.

From BuzzFlash:  More fun with the Palin Klan...err... I mean clan.