ANNECY '21: Supercrooks, The Witcher, CLAMP X Grimm's Fairy Tales
As the 2021 edition of Annecy International Animation Festival continues, believe it or not, Netflix still had more to share. After highlighting their adult animation selection the day before, it was time they shifted their focus to anime.
In an effort to keep up with Marvel and DC, Netflix picked up the rights to Millarworld, the comic book universe created by Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted) and plan to create both live-action and animated adaptations. Despite an inauspicious debut with the poorly received live-action Jupiter's Legacy, the first animated Millarworld series looks considerably more promising. Supercrooks follows a small-time crook Johnny Bolt who recruits a team of supervillains to mount a daring heist. What makes this one exciting is the team who are bringing it to life. Netflix have recruited the renowned studio Bones- who have form in this genre being the producers of My Hero Academia. The series is to be direct by Motonobu Hori, whose credits include Carole and Tuesday, Paradise Kiss and Spirited Away. Character designs come courtesy of Takashi Mitani, based on original designs by Lenil Yu. Dai Sato is composing the score. The graphic novel will be adapted across 13 x 30-minute episodes.
Netflix also spilt some details on the previously announced spin-off of their popular fantasy series The Witcher. The Witcher: Nightmare Of The World will act as a prequel to the live-action series and take us back into the history of its world. It will focus on the younger years of Vesemir, who would ultimately go on to be the mentor to the main series protagonist Geralt. Although Netflix would like us to call this anime, this is an American animated series, with the animation produced by South Korean Studio Mir (Voltron Legendary Defender, Avatar). Lauren Schmidt Hissirch, creator and showrunner of the live-action series will be reprising her role for the animated version. The script comes from Beau DeMayo with Mir's Kwang Il Hang directing and executive producing.
Netflix also revealed that they are collaborating with the legendary manga-artist collective CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Tokyo Babylon) to create an anime based on Grimm's Fairy Tales. Michiko Yokote is writing the series that will update the classic stories with an added element of horror and suspense. The character designs are coming from CLAMP themselves, with animation production coming from Studio WIT (Attack On Titan Seasons 1-3, The Great Pretender).
They also previewed the upcoming Thermae Romae Novae, based on the popular historical comedy manga. The series- which has already been adapted in both animation and live-action- features an Ancient Roman bath designer who is transported to modern-day Japan. The series is adapted by Tetsuya Tatamitani, a relative newcomer whose first director credit was on Africa Salaryman and written by Yuichiro Momose. The series is being animated by NAZ (ID: Invaded, Gloomy The Naughty Grizzly)
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