animations in 2011
Insight
Hoodwinked Too
Hoodwinked was definitely not the best looking animation when it came out. But it was surprisingly funny, for young and old.
Judging by the first Hoodwinked Too trailer, it looks like the team hasn’t lost its special touch.
It won’t surpass Pixar in looks, but it might in laughs.
producer
Kanbar Entertainment
director
Mike Disa
voices
Bill Hader
Amy Poehler
Bill Murray
Joan Cusack
3D
Yes
release date
April 29th, 2011
Kung Fu Panda 2
The first Kung Fu Panda had great success, becoming the highest grossing non-Shrek film by Dreamworks Animation.
Was it the promotion at Cannes — pictures of Jack Black emulating Angelina Jolie’s pregnant belly were all over the news. I don’t know.
Can they do it again this year? Maybe, news about Jolie’s pregnancy is about to break any day now.
producer
Dreamworks Animation
director
John Stevenson
Mark Osborne
voices
Jack Black
Dustin Hoffman
Jackie Chan
Angelina Jolie
3D
Yes (IMAX)
release date
May 26th, 2011
Puss in Boots
The Booted Cat is back with his own story.
The bold, but brave Puss teams up with Humpty Dumpty (voiced by Zach Galifianakis) to steal the famous Goose that lays Golden Eggs.
Meanwhile he develops a love interest in the Tuxedo feline Kitty (voiced by Salma Hayek).
producer
Dreamworks Animation
director
Chris Miller
voices
Antonio Banderas
Salma Hayek
Zach Galifianakis
Billy Bob Thornton
3D
Yes (IMAX)
release date
November 4th, 2011
Rio
Blue Sky Studios has great success with the Ice Age franchise, but less so with other animated films. And Blu has to change that.
Blu is the last male bird of his kind. But he can’t fly. This is a major problem — he’s a bird after all. But how can he fix his problem?
Looks like it’s mainly targeted at kids, but there might be some fun parts for adults as well.
producer
Blue Sky Studios
director
Carlos Saldanha
voices
Jesse Eisenberg
Anne Hathaway
Leslie Mann
3D
Yes
release date
April 15th, 2011
Cars 2
In Cars 2 Lightning McQueen and Mater compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, but soon end up in an espionage plot.
So far it looks like what you’d expect from a sequel — which wouldn’t be too much. But the first Cars film didn’t look that special at first either.
Never underestimate a Pixar.
producer
Pixar
director
John Lasseter
Brad Lewis
voices
Owen Wilson
Michael Caine
Emily Mortimer
3D
Yes (IMAX)
release date
June 24th, 2011
Arthur Christmas
Sony Pictures Animation is capitalizing on Christmas this year. The creators of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs are back with Arthur Christmas. A British film with James McAvoy in the lead.
The animation follows Arhur, the son of Santa, on a secret mission on the night before Christmas.
The first trailer looks mildly amusing.
producer
Sony Pictures Animation
director
Sarah Smith
Barry Cook
voices
James McAvoy
Hugh Laurie
Jim Broadbent
Bill Nighy
3D
Yes
release date
November 23rd, 2011
Winnie the Pooh
Winnie the Pooh needs no introduction, as most of us grew up watching Pooh Bear — at least a couple of times.
It’s basically the group we all know — and possibly love. No 3D or fancy CGI. But don’t expect an ordinary film either. The film will be scored by Hans Zimmer and Zooey Deschanel will sing a new version of the theme song.
producer
Disney
director
Stephen Anderson
Don Hall
voices
Jim Cummings
Craig Ferguson
John Cleese
3D
No
release date
June 15th, 2011
Happy Feet 2
2006 was a great year for animations. We had Cars, the comeback of Ice Age and... Happy Feet.
The tapping penguin was a surprise hit amongst young and old and won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Not much is known about the sequel, but it has the potential to be one of the best animations of the year.
producer
Warner Bros.
director
George Miller
voices
Elijah Wood
Robin Williams
Brad Pitt
Matt Damon
3D
Yes
release date
November 18th, 2011
The Goon
Between all these happy colorful animations, The Goon doesn’t really fit in — not that it would want to. But it’s still an animation.
The Goon has zombies, hobos and skunk apes — somekind of enormous sasquatch-like monster with a rotten odor.
Producer by David Fincher and voiced by Paul Giamatti, this is an animation unlike any other this year.
producer
Blur Studio
director
Jeff Fowler
Tim Miller
voices
Paul Giamatti
Clancy Brown
3D
No
release date
TBD
Rango
It’s not easy being Rango. Swept out of his habitat, having an identity crisis and ending up in a town in the middle of the desert.
But there’s hope when he meets Beans, a girl with a weird tick.
Check out our 3-page article on Rango over here.
producer
Nickelodeon
director
Gore Verbinski
voices
Johnny Depp
Isla Fisher
Abigail Breslin
3D
No
release date
March 12th, 2011
Film On Air Magazine #1
- Magazine #1 Cover
- Magazine #1 Contents
- How to make a Sucker Punch
Animations in 2011
- Water for Elephants
- Mad Men, the next victim of its own success?
- Win Win by Tom McCarthy
- An Introduction to Rango
- Capturing Rango's Emotion
- Rango, Alone in the Desert
- The Last Word on Tron: Legacy
- The Adjustment Bureau
- The Oscars in Pictures
