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From its inception in 1908 with Émile Cohl’s Fantasmagorie, film animation has always been a medium that esteems the conveyance of visuals, by its very definition. As animation as we know it has evolved in its 116 years of official existence, animators have consistently used the medium as an incubator for...

Some days ago, Disney quietly pulled the plug on Mahershala Ali’s Blade film and decided to put it on hold for the time being. Naturally, fans were quite nervous and worried about the character’s future.

Kevin Feige | Credits: Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons

After days of silence with no comments on the future of the movie, Marvel president Kevin Feige decided to stand up. Feige said exactly what every Marvel fan wanted to hear, that Mahershala Ali’s Blade is coming.

Mahershala Ali’s Blade is Coming to the MCU

Yeah, we have heard it for a long time and when the film was in production, fans were even excited to see Mahershala Ali’s Blade joining the MCU. With the film put on an indefinite hold, fans were disappointed with an uncertain future.

Wesley Snipes in Blade | Credits: Marvel Enterprises

Taking the opportunity to time it correctly,...

Genndy Tartakovsky is an animation legend, having worked on several hit cartoon shows of the 1990s and early 2000s. The animator delivered one of his most popular shows Primal, which is expected to return with a third installment. He has also worked with Marvel Studios on one of their blockbuster movies.

Genndy Tartakovsky once pitched a Marvel series (Credit: Wired | YouTube).

Tartakovsky recently appeared at a convention where he discussed various aspects of his career. At the same time, the animator talked about his stint with Marvel Studios which often goes under the radar, and how he received the opportunity to work with the hit machine studio in the first place. Here is what Tartakovsky had to say about working on a Marvel movie.

Samurai Jack Creator Genndy Tartakovsky Revealed How He Became Involved With Iron Man 2

Genndy Tartakovsky has worked on hit cartoon shows such as Samurai Jack and The Powerpuff Girls.

Looking for a Halloween movie for kids, adults, and everyone in between? There’s a whole roster of animated seasonal favorites that hit the sweet spot and most of the greats are available to watch on streaming this year.

Where can you find them? We’ve got the guide you need so you can watch your favorites without wasting time, because sometimes, nothing hits quite like an animated Halloween movie when you’re trying to tap into that sense of child-like holiday spirit.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Disney)

Streaming On: Disney+

The Goat and the one that paved the way for a lot of the subsequent movies on this list, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is the perfect film to carry you through the holiday season, from Halloween to Christmas. Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? Folks like to debate that one, but it’s there in stunning stop motion,...

The best way to adapt comic books to cinema is through animation. At least that's my personal opinion. It's much smoother to put characters from one hand-drawn medium to another than it is trying to weld reality into a setting that was never meant to resemble it. Japanese cartoonists understand this, hence the overflowing manga to anime adaptation pipeline.

But here in America, the biggest superhero movies are the live-action ones that rarely reach the style of the comics they pull from. The Marvel Cinematic Universe hasn't had the greatest success at becoming a multimedia project (their Disney+ shows look ever more like a failed experiment), and a story from the studio's early days shows they missed an early shot.

Genndy Tartakovsky, the acclaimed creator of "Dexter's Laboratory" and "Samurai Jack," did storyboarding work on "Iron Man 2." But he didn't get the job by applying directly for it. No,...

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Dystopia is one of those sub-genres that lends itself to some interesting philosophical ideas and TV show creators take full advantage of that. In the history of cinema, many great directors and storytellers have created some of the most iconic movies set in dystopian societies like Blade Runner and Total Recall. Max (formerly known as HBO Max) hosts almost all of the brilliant HBO and Max shows and some of those are great dystopian shows. So, we decided to compile a list of the best dystopian shows you can watch on Max right now.

Station Eleven Credit – HBO Max

Station Eleven is a post-apocalyptic dystopian drama series created by Patrick Somerville. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by author Emily St. John Mandel, the HBO Max series is set twenty years after a flu pandemic destroyed...

Finally making the jump to animation this year is Zack Snyder, and the result is bloody, beautiful, and boundless. With Jay Oliva, Eric Carassco, and an army of animators, producers, and more, Snyder’s Norse-inspired saga Twilight of the Gods is ready to rage on Netflix for a revenge tale as epic as the gods themselves.

In Twilight of the Gods, a warrior maiden of Jötunheimr swears revenge against Thor after the God of Thunder massacres her family in a rage of lightning, shattered bone, and arrogance. After surviving Thor’s onslaught, Sigrid assembles a hunting party alongside her beloved Leif to find Thor, kill him, and destroy anyone in their way. Prepare yourselves for a gratifying journey born from compelling characters, gorgeous realms, and enough violence to make Mortal Kombat fans blush.

Before the show’s Netflix release, we discussed Twilight of the Gods with Zack Snyder and executive producer Wesley Coller.

Movies based on animated series have a 50-50 chance of succeeding. The added pressure of a pre-established fanbase can either make or break the project. Genndy Tartakovsky is a legend in the animated world, with gems like Hotel Transylvania, Primal, Dexter’s Laboratory, and many more.

The Samurai Jack animated series which was released in 2001 became exponentially famous. However, most fans aren’t aware that there was once a live-action movie planned for the beloved series. One of the most famous faces in Hollywood, J.J. Abrams was approached to take on the task, but it unfortunately didn’t work out. Given the chance of the movie being planned again, action star Hiroyuki Sanada would be the best choice for the role.

Huge plans for the animated series: An unfortunate end

Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Samurai Jack series had over the years established its niche fanbase. The animated show became so popular that...

The new horror and science fiction anthology, “Deepest, Darkest,” has added yet another cast mate to its already stellar lineup of genre heavyweights.

Rahul Kohli, a beloved member of Mike Flanagan’s Flanaverse and essential teammate in the crime-solving “iZombie” series, has officially joined the star-studded cast of “Deepest, Darkest,” a new horror anthology from writer and director Marc Bernardin and actor Tiffany Smith.

“‘Deepest Darkest’ is an exciting project combining all my favorite genres and my favorite people. Joining this project was a no-brainer for me,” says Kohli, expressing his enthusiasm early in the process to Variety.

Kohli joins the previously announced cast of Smith (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”), Rosario Dawson, Ernie Hudson (“Ghostbusters”), Yetide Badaki (“American Gods”), Phil Lamarr and “Quantum Leap” stars Raymond Lee and Caitlin Bassett.

To top off that impressive lineup, the genre showcase is executive-produced by Akela Cooper and David Dastmalchian.

“Deepest,...

After Blood of Zeus decided to adapt Greek Mythology with a completely new twist, its take on Norse Mythology seems like it’s treading familiar ground, perhaps taking inspiration from a few popular video games, or so the plot of the show suggests.

Twilight of the Gods || Credit: Netflix

Twilight of the Gods is the latest offering by Zack Snyder, following a young woman on a quest for revenge against the gods, specifically, Thor. The plot of the show might be reminiscent of the original God of War, which similarly focused on one mortal’s roaring rampage of revenge on the gods. However, there seems to be a little more to the story that might be becoming a familiar trope for Zack Snyder’s works.

Twilight of the Gods might recycle a plot used in Rebel Moon Twilight of the Gods || Credit: Netflix

From what can be pieced together from the trailer of the show,...

Following the groundbreaking success of Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man, as Marvel Studios set out to make his sequel, they sought to push the boundaries of superhero cinema. And in their quest for innovation, they enlisted a secret weapon, the Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky.

Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man | image: Marvel Studios

Known for his iconic work in animation, Genndy Tartakovsky was tasked with storyboarding Iron Man 2’s electrifying action sequences. Thereafter, Tartakovsky’s influence on the film became hard to miss. Particularly, Iron Man and War Machine’s drone fight scene caught people’s attention for transforming it into nothing short of revolutionary.

Jon Favreau Hand-Picked Genndy Tartakovsky for Storyboarding Iron Man 2 Action Scenes

When Marvel Studios decided to expand Robert Downey Jr‘s Iron Man universe with its 2010 sequel, Iron Man 2, they knew they needed something extraordinary to elevate the film’s action sequences.

Blue Eye Samurai is an absolute gem of a show. Since its debut in November, this animated Netflix hit has become a major cult favorite, with many claiming it’s one of the best shows of its kind…well…ever? In it, Mizu, a female mixed-race blue-eyed samurai (voiced by Maya Erskine) seeks revenge against the four men (one of whom is her father) who did her wrong. With an all-star voice cast that includes George Takei, Kenneth Branagh, Masi Oka, and many others, it’s quickly become a favorite of our own Taylor James Johnson, who you may know as the host of one of our most enduringly popular series, Wtf Happened to this Celebrity, as well as the recent reboot of C’Mon Hollywood.

Taylor recently sat down with the creators of Blue Eye Samurai (which is nominated for two Emmys including Outstanding Animated Program), Amber Noizumi & Michael Green...

Hundreds of members of the Animation Guild, along with fellow IATSE members joining in solidarity, gathered at the IATSE 80 headquarters in Burbank on Saturday ahead of Monday’s start of contract negotiations.

The crowd was over twice that of the Guild’s previous rally in 2022. Animation writer and negotiating committee member Joey Clift told TheWrap that the union had over 2,000 RSVPs as of Friday, doubling the number of the 2022 event. He estimated that nearly 2,500 people attended in the near 90-degree heat.

Mike Rianda, animator known for his work on “Gravity Falls,” emceed the festivities Saturday afternoon. Rianda kicked off the rally by bringing up six “animation avengers” to the stage to rally the crowd, including “Steven Universe” creator Rebecca Sugar, “Hotel Transylvania” and “Samurai Jack” creator Genndy Tartakovsky and legendary Disney and DreamWorks animator James Baxter.

Stand With Animation Rally on Aug. 11, 2024 (Credit: Tess Patton for TheWrap)

Attendees also heard from guild leaders,...

Sorry, millennials, but Warner Bros. Discovery does not care about your nostalgia. A week after announcing the sunsetting of the Boomerang website (effective September 30), Wbd has quietly shut down the Cartoon Network website. It now invites visitors to subscribe to Max for $9.99 a month.

Those who still have a cable subscription, however, can blithely continue watching Boomerang and Cartoon Network programming, making us question why we ever cut cords to begin with.

“We are focusing on the Cartoon Network shows and social media where we find consumers are the most engaged and there is a meaningful potential for growth,” a Cartoon Network spokesperson told IndieWire on August 9. “While we have closed some digital products, fans can continue to interact with Cartoon Network via the Cartoon Network app as well as select TV providers apps on platforms including mobile and connected devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon and via social platforms YouTube,...

Warner Bros. is snipping Genndy Tartakovsky‘s animated feature, Fixed, as part of a cost-cutting measure, as the studio has been doing recently. While WB is known for shelving projects fans want to see, the decision to scrap Tartakovsky’s Fixed is baffling. Tartakovsky is by many measures one of Cartoon Network’s premiere contributors, with hits like Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and Primal to his name. Tartakovsky is also one of the driving forces behind the Hotel Transylvania film series, which has done well for Sony with four films of varying success in the franchise.

Fixed‘s distribution rights will revert to Sony Pictures Animation, with the studio looking for new distribution. Fixed follows Bull, a bloodhound who embarks on a bucket list-type adventure after discovering he will be neutered. Adam Devine voices Bull, with Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Bobby Moynihan, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett,...

Deadline has confirmed that Warner Bros won’t be releasing Genndy Tartakovsky’s adult animated title Fixed. This the second animated movie after Coyote Vs. Acme that the David Zaslav-led administration at the studio has casted aside.

The movie reportedly centers around a canine’s ballsack bucket list.

Sony Pictures Animation made the movie, and they’re taking back distribution rights in hopes of the pic finding a new home. Netflix, a buyer of Sony Pictures Animation fare Vivo and The Mitchells vs. The Machines is one possible contender.

Tartakovsky has had a long run at Warner Bros, specifically Cartoon Network with hits such as Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack and Star Wars: Clone Wars. He has a multi-year exclusive deal with Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. The filmmaker has also been big for Sony having delivered three of their Hotel Transylvania pics which minted close to $1.4 billion at the global box office.

Warner Bros./New Line is no longer releasing Sony Pictures Animation’s “Fixed,” an adult animated comedy from writer/director Genndy Tartakovsky, Variety has learned. The distribution rights are back with Sony Pictures Animation, which is looking at a new distribution plan for the film.

Warner Bros. Discovery dropping a Tartakovsky animated title is shocking, as he is probably the biggest star to come from the company’s Cartoon Network system and was integral in its early and long-term success, having created “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack,” “Star Wars: Clone Wars,” and “Primal.” He also produced “The Powerpuff Girls.” In 2022, Tartakovsky signed an exclusive, multi-year, cross-studio overall deal with Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation.

He has also been a significant figure for Sony. The first three “Hotel Transylvania” films, all directed by Tartakovsky and produced by the company, have grossed $1.38 billion globally.

“Fixed” follows Bull, a bloodhound who embarks...

Well, speculation paid off for MultiVersus fans. At Evo 2024, WB Games and developer Player First Games revealed that along with Samurai Jack, Beetlejuice will be joining the MultiVersus roster for as part of Season 2: Back in Time for the free-to-play platform fighter, launching on July 23.

While the new MultiVersus trailer focuses on Samurai Jack and his gameplay , we do get a glimpse of Beetlejuice at the end. Samurai Jack will be available when the new season launches later this week, while the Ghost with the Most will arrive later in the season. As for when, it’ll most likely be just in time for upcoming return of Beetlejuice to theatres in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which arrives in theatres on September 4 internationally, and on September 6 in North America.

And if you haven’t already, check out the latest trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

In addition to Samurai Jack, MultiVersus will be getting...

Even if you don't know the name Genndy Tartakovsky, chances are high that if you watched cartoons in the '90s or '00s, you've seen his work. "Dexter's Laboratory" kickstarted the reign of Cartoon Network by becoming the first so-called "Cartoon Cartoon," while "Samurai Jack" is one of the most influential cartoons from the '00s thanks to Tartakovsky's eye for dynamic action and understanding of the importance of silence in storytelling. Even his "Star Wars: Clone Wars" micro-series continues to influence "Star Wars" to this day. And outside of animation, Tartakovsky helped save the action scenes in "Iron Man 2."

In 2012, Tartakovsky made his feature film debut with "Hotel Transylvania," a movie that brought together classic Universal Monsters and reimagined them into a fun animated movie for all ages seen from the eyes of a human who falls in love with Dracula's daughter. It was a monster movie...

There is little doubt about the fact that Genndy Tartakovsky is an animation genius. From the greatest hits of most millennial childhoods to critically acclaimed adult animated shows like Primal, Tartakovsky’s footprint on the industry and popular culture is undeniable as it is evergreen.

Gendy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars || Lucasfilm

Tartakovsky’s 2003 offering that depicted the Clone Wars preceded the CGI show by about five years and covered some of the greatest hits of Anakin’s time as a Padawan, and his ascension to Jedi knighthood. However, despite how brilliant the series was, its removal from the Star Wars canon probably caused Tartakovsky to declare that he would never be returning to the IP.

Gendy Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars was erased by Dave Filoni’s The Clone Wars Bo-Katan and Ahsoka Tano in Star Wars: The Clone Wars || Disney

While Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars tried its level...

While “Ultraman” is primarily known as a prominent figure in television, films like Kazuya Konaka's “Ultraman: The Next” and Shinji Higuchi's “Shin Ultraman” have shown that the beloved superhero can work well within a movie format. The fictional icon's latest cinematic outing, the Japanese-American animated co-production “Ultraman: Rising,” brings together quite a team. Netflix Animation and Tsuburaya Productions collaborate with animation by Industrial Light & Magic (Ilm), originally founded by filmmaker George Lucas. Making his directorial debut is Shannon Tindle, a prominent animation designer whose work includes on shows like “Samurai Jack” and movies such as “Kubo and the Two Strings.” He also writes the screenplay alongside Marc Haimes. John Aoshima is co-directing with Tindle, who similarly has an experienced animation resume, including on the hit comedy series “Futurama.” These creative minds come together and deliver a visually astonishing, if rather formulaic, family feature.

Click the image below to...

Annecy, France — Michael Ouweleen, president of Cartoon Network, Boomerang and Adult Swim, a major force behind the rise of adult animation, has signalled at Annecy the company’s intention to ramp up its presence in Europe and international markets at large.

“We very much want to see Adult Swim originals coming from anywhere in the world,” Ouweleen told Variety at the French festival.

The stars are aligning for the overseas drive.

In the U.S., Adult Swim is on a roll. In the fourth quarter of 2023, Adult Swim saw greater primetime growth among 18-49s than any other major cable network. It bowed the top three new animated series on cable in 2023: “Unicorn: Warriors Eternal,” “My Adventures with Superman” and “Royal Crackers,” Cartoon Brew noted.

As Ouweleen enthused at an Adult Animation Annecy panel on Friday, he added, “the distribution of adult animation just this week got better.” On June 11, Max,...

Annecy, France — Five-time Emmy Award winner Genndy Tartakovsky, creator of “Samurai Jack” and “Primal,” is developing “Heist Safari,” a 10-episode comedic robbery that will have the feel of a musical, Tartakovsky said.

The robbers are three brother frogs, control freak James, neurotic Issac, and little George, who thinks he’s brilliant but is actually totally not. Estranged, they meet up at their father’s funeral, where they are informed that they will only inherit his fortune if they pull off a bank heist, stealing the contents of a bank’s vault numbered 88.

Trouble comes when all three cut side deals for help in the form of a Japanese yakuza tiger, a Russian mafia hippo and an Italian gorilla mobster. The police are wildebeests.

Every episode is executed as just one shot and they will not be told in chronological order. The whole has an Edm score, said Tartakovsky.

“This whole...

Among Us Animated Series Cast: Meet the Stars of the Videogame Adaptation - Main Image

With an ensemble of seasoned stars and voice actors, the Among Us animated series voice cast is set to bring the game’s colorful crewmates and sinister impostors to life with a unique flair.

As the anticipation builds for the release date of the Among Us animated series, fans can hardly wait to see how the star-studded cast will bring out the essence of their beloved characters.

All Confirmed Cast and Characters Appearing in the Among Us Animated Series

Before Innersloth revealed the first trailer for the Among Us animated series, the star-studded cast members had already been announced.

Fans and non-fans of the game are eagerly waiting for more details about the cast of the upcoming Among Us animated series, so we’ve got you covered.

Here are all the confirmed cast and characters...

Cartoon Network has always been a place of experimentation. In the early years, shows like "Dexter's Laboratory" brought Sam Raimi references to animation. In the early '00s, shows like "Samurai Jack," "Ben 10," and "Codename: Kids Next Door," added deep mythologies and more serialized storytelling. And in the 2010s, the network experimented with visuals in shows like "Flapjack" and "Adventure Time," which brought weirdness back into Cartoon Network.

This experimentation continued, with animators who got their start on the likes of "Flapjack" going on to develop influential and fantastic shows on their own. Still, as bold and imaginative as all these shows were, they were still mostly white men in charge of creating those cartoons. That all changed in 2013 with the release of "Steven Universe" -- one of the best cartoons of the century and a deeply emotional and inventive show inspired by superheroes and magical-girl anime. The show follows Steven,...

Mark Andrews, director of Pixar’s Academy Award winning animated feature “Brave” and a writer on Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Primal” and “Samurai Jack,” is attached as the showrunner of animated series “Kyōryū,” about samurai dinosaurs living in a postapocalyptic Japan.

In development at Wellington, New Zealand-based Floating Rock, an animation and VFX studio, “Kyōryū” is set in Japan in a future where dinosaurs have outlasted humanity. Genetically engineered, they are far more intelligent than their pre-historic ancestors. That said, atavistic instincts can flare, making for tribal wars.

Unveiled last September, the “Kyōryū” proof-of-concept trailer went viral, with 1 million views in its first 10 days of release, now 2.1 million views to date on YouTube, and an estimated reach of over a million.

The trailer also attracted Andrews. “‘Dinosaurs in postapocalyptic Japan?’ I want to see that show without even knowing what the story’s about! We’re going to give the audience...

Steven Spielberg stands as one of the most accomplished and influential filmmakers in cinematic history, inspiring countless others over the years. Among those profoundly impacted by Spielberg’s work is Genndy Tartakovsky, the mastermind behind animated series such as Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack.

Steven Spielberg | Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore

In a previous interview, the animator revealed the profound influence Spielberg’s filmmaking expertise has on his creative journey and continues to serve as a guiding light in his quest to infuse his projects with palpable action and emotion.

Genndy Tartakovsky Revealed Steven Spielberg’s Influence on His Work

While promoting his 2019 animated action TV series Primal, Genndy Tartakovsky discussed the concept of rhythm in storytelling, particularly in the context of action sequences. Drawing parallels between comedic timing and the pacing of action scenes, he emphasized how both rely on rhythm to engage the audience.

Genndy Tartakovsky | Credit: YouTube...

You might think that the person responsible for some of the greatest works in the animated genre might be satisfied with his career. However, Genndy Tartakovsky is just getting started. The Russian-American animator has created shows like Dexter’s Laboratory, The Powerpuff Girls, and Samurai Jack, which have been crucial to our childhoods.

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Dexter’s Laboratory

He also went on to work on projects like Star Wars: Clone Wars and Hotel Transylvania as well as created an adult animated action horror, Primal. Clearly, Genndy Tartakovsky’s career is filled to the brim with successes but he believes he still has a long way to go before he finds his magnum opus. In fact, there is one incredible animator out there that Genndy Tartakovsky wants to be like, if not better – Hayao Miyazaki.

Genndy Tartakovsky Wants to Have a Career Like Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Founder of Studio Ghibli,...

Genndy Tartakovsky has created some of the most iconic animated shows of the 2000s. He is the mind behind hit animated shows such as Samurai Jack and The Powerpuff Girls. Tartakovsky’s most recent creation, Primal also has received critical acclaim. However, Tartakovsky was once developing a Superman series that never came to pass.

Genndy Tartakovsky was developing an animated Superman project (Image via Wired | YouTube).

In the past, Tartakovsky has revealed the design for the proposed series, which never made it past the initial stage. However, despite the critical acclaim of Tartakovsky’s works, his Superman design was rather odd, hinting at an offbeat vibe for the unmade series. Here is everything you need to know about Genndy Tartakovsky’s proposed Superman series.

Genndy Tartakovsky Revealed His Superman Design for Animated Series That Never Happened

Genndy Tartakovsky was developing a series based on the iconic DC Comics character Superman.

Genndy Tartakovsky doesn’t need to be told twice when it comes to animation. The medium of art is his second language and passion and the limits of all his artistic views and bottomless ambitions are contained within the constantly evolving stream. To make light of his work in the medium is to make light of his entire identity and his life’s work.

A still from Genndy Tartakovskyʼs 2019 interview with The A.V. Club

So Tartakovsky, in all seriousness, found it his mission to do justice by the medium of animation. From revolutionizing the art form in television to evolving his work with every successful project to setting himself up for a Miyazaki-esque reputation, Genndy Tartakovsky has redefined what passion can accomplish if it’s pure and determined enough.

Genndy Tartakovsky Redefines Modern Animation

The California Institute of Arts alum prospered in his long career in animation due to a...

Genndy Tartakovsky has been a revolutionary voice in the world of animation, creating some of the most celebrated cartoon shoes on Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. Popular shows of the 2000s including Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Sym-Bionic Titan, and recent entries like Primal, and Unicorn: Warriors Eternal were his creations.

Fang and Spear in Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal

His ongoing show Primal has been a big hit on Adult Swim. The visionary creator/ director drew a lot of inspiration from some of the cinematic greats like Star Wars and Sergio Leone films. Interestingly, Tartakovsky based the behavior and mechanics of the dinosaur Fang in his show on how Max Fleischer’s Superman carried himself in the 40s animated show.

Genndy Tartakovsky Took Inspirations From Max Fleischer’s Superman For Primal

The 1940s Superman cartoon greatly inspired the designs for Primal

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal intrigued fans...

Genndy Tartakovsky says all animators are not good enough with their work like him. In a recent interview, Tartakovsky gave a few pointers on why animators end up coming nowhere near him in their animated projects. Coming from the Unicorn: Warriors Eternal creator, who has explored the field for nearly three decades, these pointers make for a great lesson in animation.

Genndy Tartakovsky at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2023 (credits: Boungawa | Wikimedia Commons)

After working uncredited on 45 episodes of Batman: The Animated Series from 1992 to 1993, Tartakovsky went on to make a name for himself in the animation industry. He worked on creating several iconic animated TV series for Cartoon Network and Adult Swim, including Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Star Wars: Clone Wars.

Genndy Tartakovsky Explains Why No One Does Animation Like Him

Genndy Tartakovsky’s Star Wars: Clone Wars shows how the animator understood projects like no one...

Genndy Tartakovsky's 2001 animated series "Samurai Jack" is probably one of the best of its era. The series boasted a peculiar and stoic tone, with the title hero (Phil Lamarr) staying quiet for vast blocks of the show. Samurai Jack was lost in the distant future, thanks to the sorcery of a tricky trickster god named Aku, and a lot of the series was devoted to Jack's exploration of strange, new alien settings. "Samurai Jack." also featured a unique, neo-cubist aesthetic; characters didn't have black-line outlines, and backgrounds were often abstract and blocky. Fans will also hasten to add the overwhelmingly awesome action of "Samurai Jack." If one is animating with blocky shapes and abstract backgrounds, the action can be just as stylized. The fight scenes on "Samurai Jack" are the stuff of legend. 

"Samurai Jack" ran until 2004, and there had long been plans to adapt the series into a live-action feature film.

After Jim Samples, the Cartoon Network executive who oversaw the greenlighting of such successful cartoons as "Samurai Jack," "Ben 10," "Codename: Kids Next Door," and "The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy," left, a new regime at the popular animation-focused cable channel changed tactics. When Stuart Snyder took over in mid-2007, he had a brand new mandate for Cartoon Network — no weird stuff.

Speaking with Buzzfeed, "The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack" creator Thurop Van Orman recalled Snyder saying, "'We don't want anything weird or anything where any mom would come out of the kitchen and say, 'What are you watching?'"

Now, this is not to say that Snyder failed at that command, or that his definition of the word "weird" is different than this writer's, but his tenure was filled with shows you could call "weird" and would make a mom say "What are you watching?"

"The Amazing World of Gumball,...

The “Among Us” animated series is rounding out its voice cast.

Variety has learned that Patton Oswalt, Debra Wilson, Phil Lamarr, and Wayne Knight have all been cast in the series, which is currently in the works at CBS Studios. No network or streaming service is currently attached.

Character descriptions can be found below.

The four will star alongside previously announced cast members Dan Stevens, Liv Hewson, Kimiko Glenn, Randall Park, Yvette Nicole Brown, Elijah Wood, and Ashley Johnson.

Oswalt currently appears in the Apple TV+ series “Manhunt” and the film “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” He is known for his stand up comedy career, winning the Emmy Award in 2016 for his special “Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping.” As an actor, he is known for his roles in films like the animated hit “Ratatouille” and for the CBS sitcom “King of Queens.”

He is repped by UTA, Independent Artists Media, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

General Iroh of the Fire Nation is one of the most beloved characters to come out of the Avatar franchise. Through his wisdom and compassion shown towards those around him, along with the badass monicker of the Dragon of the West, Iroh cemented himself as one of the most interesting characters in the show.

Uncle Iroh in Avatar: The Last Airbender

Mako Iwamatsu was the voice of General Iroh at the beginning of the series, but the voice actor sadly passed away in 2006, which prompted Greg Baldwin to take over the role from his mentor. Baldwin took over the role of Iroh, along with a myriad of roles that were under Iwamatsu, such as Aku from Samurai Jack, and Master Splinter from Tmnt.

Greg Baldwin was not expecting “a part of the job”

Iroh, in Tales of Ba Sing Se

Baldwin’s involvement as Iroh won him a lot of praise as an actor.

Uncle Iroh has undoubtedly been a fan-favorite and one of the most likable characters from the 2005 show Avatar: The Last Airbender. Played by the Japanese voiceover artist Mako Iwamatsu for two seasons, the actor injected the character of Iroh with wisdom and warmth. Unfortunately, by 2006, the role went over to American actor Greg Baldwin.

Uncle Iroh from Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Oscar-nominated actor, Mako Iwamatsu who dedicated his life to nurturing talents unfortunately passed away in 2006, due to cancer at the age of 72. He not only brought the character of Uncle Iroh to life but also played the voice of the villain Aku in the cartoon Samurai Jack. Thereafter, following his death, Greg Baldwin was forced to replace Iwamatsu in The Last Airbender as well as Samurai Jack.

Mako Iwamatsu’s Untimely Death Forced Uncle Iroh to Be Recast

Mako Iwamatsu’s incredible and versatile voice isn’t the...

The 2008 cartoon series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" is now a heralded piece of the "Star Wars" legacy, filling in plenty of gaps in the "Star Wars" prequel film trilogy. It also finally told the story of the eponymous conflict — which was first namedropped all the way back in the original 1977 "Star Wars." "The Clone Wars" was a story that had been speculated on for more than 40 years. What if I told you, though, that the story had already been recounted by 2008?

In between the theatrical releases of "Attack of the Clones" (in 2002) and "Revenge of the Sith" (in 2005), Lucasfilm launched "The Clone Wars Multimedia Project." This was a collection of tie-in media telling the story between the films of a galaxy at war.

The essentials of the project include:

"Star Wars: Clone Wars," an animated series directed by Genndy Tartakovsky of "Samurai Jack" fame.

Issues #49-83 of the "Star Wars: Republic" comic series,...

Genndy Tartakovsky makes everything he works on better, but even he wasn't able to fix the hot mess that was "Iron Man 2." In Joanna Robinson, Dave Gonzales, and Gavin Edwards' book "MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios," the acclaimed filmmaker behind beloved titles like "Samurai Jack," "Dexter's Laboratory," and "Star Wars: Clone Wars" reveals that he was tapped by director Jon Favreau to help streamline the Marvel sequel's climax.

"Jon was a fan, and he liked the sensibility that I had on 'Samurai,'" Tartakovsky said in an interview for "MCU." "I know what I would want from this situation, so I just tried to give it to him — and he could use all of it or none of it." The scene in question takes place in a park in Queens, where a Japanese tea garden was digitally created. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Rhodey (Don Cheadle...

Following Adventure Time‘s conclusion in 2018, some storytelling doors were left wide open. One unexplored idea was the multiverse, which existed in the canon long before the modern era of TV and film had multiverse mania. In the latest At limited series, Fionna and Cake, that long-awaited promise die-hard fans anticipated is finally fulfilled thanks to the canonical gender-swapped characters. And it all happens in a bold new dimension unlike any Adventure Time series to date.

Much of the original show’s audience was around pre-teen to teenage ages. Those fans are now in their 20s, experiencing new adult emotions like depression and dissatisfaction that didn’t spin through their minds as children. That all corresponds directly to Fionna Campbell (Madeleine Martin), a Bridget Jones-esque young woman living in a small studio apartment in a non-magical, metropolitan town where many notable Ooo residents are human like her best friends...

Genndy Tartakovsky has let the dogs in.

The Hotel Transylvania and Samurai Jack director announced the actors who will voice Fixed, his first R-rated comedy feature, which will follow a pooch who goes out for one final, wild night before he is set to be neutered.

Adam Devine, Kathryn Hahn and Idris Elba lead the voice cast of the film, which Tartakovsky and producer Michelle Murdocca presented as a work-in-progress to the audience of the Annecy Animation Film Festival Tuesday night. The duo showed multiple clips from the Sony and New Line Cinema-produced film, which is set to deliver in September. A release date has not yet been set.

Pitch Perfect star Devine plays Bull, a chubby but still intact pooch, who finds out his owners are about to give him the snip. His already-fixed buddies, Rocco (Elba), Fetch (Fred Armisen) and Lucky (Bobby Moynihan) decide to take him...

Genndy Tartakovsky, the man behind Hotel Transylvania, Star Wars: Clone Wars, Dexter’s Laboratory, Primal, and Samurai Jack, is in the midst of production on Fixed, an R-rated animated comedy that has landed a great voice cast. Variety reports that Adam Devine, Idris Elba, and Kathryn Hahn will be leading the project for New Line Cinema and Sony Pictures Animation.

Fixed revolves around Bull, “an average dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning. As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls.” Genndy Tartakovsky told Variety that “some people might get uncomfortable,” but added that “if you can look past the balls and the buttholes, you will find a very sweet, charming, sincere story of friendship and romance.“

Related Awesome Artists We’ve Found Around The Net: Luke T.

“Unicorn: Warriors Eternal,” airing now as part of the Adult Swim programming block on Cartoon Network (and streaming on Max), is centered around four indestructible spirits who travel through time, inhabiting the bodies of whoever is around, as they battle the forces of evil. After a brief prologue, we’re introduced to our characters, who all live in a cartoonishly steampunk-y Victorian London – one warrior inhabits the spirit of a young newlywed woman (complicating matters for her betrothed), another a young street urchin. There’s also a robot named Copernicus who guides the spirits through time.

It is both outlandish and singularly visionary; the kind of thing that could only be dreamed up by Genndy Tartakovsky, the fabled creator of “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack” and, most recently, the Emmy-winning “Primal.” “Unicorn: Warriors Eternal” feels like both a culmination and extension of Tartakovsky’s previous work, mixing the spiritualism of “Samurai Jack...

With so many streaming services on the market, sometimes it’s the little things that keep you coming back to your streamer of choice. Whether that’s the colors on the menu, the sound it makes when you click on a new tile, or the selection of avatars available for your individual profile. With the launch of Warner Bros. Discovery’s new and improved streaming service Max coming next week, the company has announced a truly massive list of avatars that will be available starting Tuesday, May 23 when HBO Max and discovery+ essentially are merged into a single platform.

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually

Wbd says that when all of HBO Max’s library is joined by the majority of discovery+’s content, there will be twice as many titles available as before, and Max’s profiles will...

This Unicorn: Warriors Eternal review contains no spoilers.

“Who are you?”

Genndy Tartakovsky is one of the most exciting storytellers in animation who’s responsible for totemic titles like Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Primal. Tartakovsky has a passion and respect for animation that’s palpable in his creations. Unicorn: Warriors Eternal is Tartakovsky at his most unleashed and it’s like he’s directed an animated version of Eternals or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, with a hint of Tintin and 1930s Disney thrown in for good measure. Set in an alternate version of 1890s London, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal tells a remarkable sci-fi/fantasy adventure that pulls from all sorts of international animation influences, but at its core is really a story about identity, family, and the unbearable weight of destiny.

Tartakovsky’s work always searches for the emotional truths behind its grandiose action stereotypes and Unicorn: Warriors Eternal...

The big developments in May: summer movie season kicks off in earnest with new Marvel movies and the latest in a long-running, car-centric franchise, Fast X, while a major streaming service undergoes a name change (or at least a name shortening).

On May 23, HBO Max becomes simply Max, but it will still be home to HBO series. Got that? Good. Because there’s plenty to watch on HBO, Max, all the other streaming services and networks and it’s a busy month in theaters, too.

Let’s start with a...

HBO Max will officially be replaced by Warner Bros. Discovery on May 23 with a new and improved service called Max. However, that doesn’t mean the service is scrimping on content until then. One of the biggest new releases of the month is the new limited series “White House Plumbers,” which will premiere on May 1. Starring Woody Harrelson as E. Howard Hunt and Justin Theroux as G. Gordon Liddy, the pair portray two real-life Watergate burglars and Nixon saboteurs who ended up destroying the very president they desperately wanted to serve.

Check out the “White House Plumbers” trailer:

The platform will head to the pitch on May 16 with a three-part soccer docuseries “Angel City.” The series goes behind the scenes with the groundbreaking Los Angeles-based professional women’s soccer team, Angel City Football Club. It reveals the origin story through the 2022 inaugural season of the female-founded and led team — including owners and investors Uzo Aduba,...

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Genndy Tartakovsky has proudly become the auteur of adult 2D animation. His new “Unicorn Warriors: Eternal” steampunk series premieres May 4 on Adult Swim; he’s completing his R-rated dog comedy “Fixed” for release next year at Sony Pictures Animation; and he’s prepping for Season 3 of his Emmy-winning “Primal” series at Adult Swim, but departing from the prehistoric world.

With “Unicorn Warriors,” though, Tartakovsky combines his personal steampunk aesthetic with action and humor, going back to his old Cartoon Network days, but without the gore of “Primal” or “Samurai Jack.” It’s about three heroes — powerful sorceress Melinda (Hazel Doupe), cosmic monk Seng (Demari Hunte), and warrior elf Edred (Tom Milligan) — reawakened through eternity as teenagers to fight a mysterious supernatural force threatening humanity. In the first season, the three find themselves in industrial London, joined by a steam-powered robot, Copernicus.

“I started to develop it at the end of ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars,...

The 1990s: the decade when teal squiggles and purple triangles reigned supreme. Or at least, that's what our collective memory has assigned to the period's romanticized style guide.

The '90s were formative for the medium of animation. On the silver screen, Disney animated musicals dominated the box office and awards seasons, while studios like Pixar and DreamWorks debuted their first feature films. On the small screen, the animation revolution continued in what we can now look back on as a unique convergence of passing generations. The Disney Afternoon programming block crested the wave of its success, oodles of beloved Nicktoons busted onto the scene, Cartoon Network launched, and some of today's longest-running animated series populated airwaves for the very first time.

Attempting to rank the best 90s cartoons is a nearly impossible task. Everyone has their favorites, whether we're talking about precious childhood shows or foundational barrier-breakers in adult animation.

Exclusive: After months of upheaval following the close last April of WarnerMedia and Discovery’s $43 billion merger, Michael Ouweleen sees a much more settled operating environment taking shape in 2023.

“We’re all feeling more possibility this year,” the president of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and Discovery Kids told Deadline in an interview. “Last year was hard” for the entire media sector.

Ouweleen took on his current role in June 2022 after having previously overseen kids and family networks during a 27-year run at Warner Bros Discovery, WarnerMedia and Time Warner. He is now spearheading an expansion of Adult Swim programming by one hour a day, starting nightly at 7 p.m. as of May 1.

The step-up for the Cartoon Network block is headlined by Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, a new show from Genndy Tartakovsky, who directed the first three Hotel Transylvania films and created previous Cartoon/Adult Swim shows Primal, Dexter’s Laboratory and Samurai Jack.