The Annecy International Animation Festival is guaranteed to yield plenty of exciting animation news. With the festival running until June 17, there's been plenty announcements already. To help you keep track of what's been going on, we've helpfully rounded up some of the best stories so far.
- Jorge Gutierrez revealed more details about his next project with Reel FX formally known as "Untitled Kung-Fu Space Western"- now called Kung Fu Space Punch. It will feature an American space biker outlaw (!) named Johnny Holliday (voiced by Channing Tatum) who falls in love with a Mexican girl. Also among the cast, oddly enough, is Guillermo Del Toro who will play the girl's " mean and charming and a bad-ass" Sherrif father. The film could also inspire a mini-series, it was revealed.
- Gutierrez announced that he is also to return to direct The Book Of Life 2. It's in early discussions, but they hope to bring back as much of the original creative team as they can."The Book of Life 2 will be “the continuation of an extraordinary story that technically and creatively captures the vision Jorge had of this fabulous world," said Reel FX's Chuck Peil.
- Loving Vincent has been picked up for UK and Ireland release by Altitude Films. Madman Films will release it in Australia and New Zealand.
- Annecy is getting a sister festival. The first Annecy Asia International Animation Festival will take place in Seoul, South Korea in 2019.
- GENCO revealed that an anime adaptation of Naoki Urasawa (20th Century Boys, Monster) acclaimed manga Pluto is in the works. Published between 2003 and 2009, Pluto is a detective drama set an adult reimagining of the world of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. They are also producing a new take on the Mobile Police Patlabor series called Patlabor EZY.
- Disney TV announced three new upcoming series. First up, 101 Dalmatian Street is a new UK-produced family comedy inspired by updated version of the classic film, 101 Dalmatians. The series will debut next year. French production Gigantosaurus will come to Disney Junior worldwide in 2019. Surreal space comedy Space Chickens in Space meanwhile, is set to air on Disney XD in 2018.
- Disney Channel has picked up Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir for a second and third season alongside commissioning partner French network TF1.
