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'Star Wars: Visions' Volume 2 debuts May 4th with an Aardman short
The next wave of 'Star Wars: Visions' shorts premieres May 4th on Disney+, including one from Aardman.
Netflix snaps up 'Chicken Run' sequel from Aardman Animations
It’s been exactly 20 years since Ginger, Rocky and the rest of Aardman’s stop-motion chickens graced theaters in the US. Today, the animation studio — best known for Wallace & Gromit — has announced that the long-awaited Chicken Run sequel is coming to Netflix.
Wallace and Gromit get their first AR story in 'The Big Fix Up'
Later this year, Aardman Animations, with help from a group called the Fictioneers and the University of South Wales, will release Wallace and Gromit: The Big Fix Up. In what's likely a reaction to the COVID-19 era, The Big Fix Up will be "an entirely home-based experience."
The creators of ‘Wallace and Gromit’ are making a Netflix musical
A traditional part of many a British Christmas is gathering around the TV to watch an Aardman stop-motion production, like beloved series Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep or Chicken Run. The studio has had a long-standing partnership with the BBC, but recently Netflix stepped in to bring that holiday experience to more people.
The 'Wallace and Gromit' studio is creating an emotional WWI game
Games set in real-world conflicts don't necessarily glorify war, but it's rare that they fully address the horrors of war. For every poignant story like Valiant Hearts, there's many more titles that might only offer token commentary. Wallace & Gromit's Aardman Animation Studios, Bandai Namco and DigixArt want to change that. They've unveiled 11-11: Memories Retold, a narrative adventure about two World War I soldiers who meet under the "most unlikely of circumstances."
The BBC will teach school kids how to spot fake news
Social networks and search engines are trying all manner of tactics to help users identify fake news, from flagging trusted publishers to relying on readers to spot misinformation. A new initiative from the BBC, however, wants to teach kids how to spot fake news for themselves, instead of relying on the front pages of the internet to do it for them. From March next year, the BBC will begin sending reporters to secondary schools and events, as well as release digital resources, to encourage teenagers to think critically about what they read online.
Google's interactive 'Spotlight Stories' come to YouTube
Google's Spotlight Stories started life as a partnership with Motorola. The made-for-mobile 360-degree videos let viewers dive into animated worlds created by engineers and movie makers. The latest film, "Special Delivery," arrives just in time for the holidays and was created by Aardman Animations (of Wallace and Gromit fame). Unlike most VR video, Spotlight Stories use the sensors in your phone for a more interactive experience. Look away from the main character and the main story pauses, while you unlock mini stories that only play when you focus on them. Previous shows required a special app to view them, but Special Delivery is launching on directly on YouTube -- as the ubiquitous video site bolsters its VR library.
Morph's crowdfunded comeback premieres on YouTube today
It's been a long time since Morph came out with any fresh material, but thanks to a lump of crowdfunding cash, the comical clay character's put together a new sketch show that premieres on YouTube today. Shape-shifting Morph first appeared on a children's art show in the late '70s before starring in several of his own, but his career's been stagnant for several years now. In an attempt to revive it, the stop-motion specialists at Aardman Animations -- who also created Wallace and Gromit -- pulled a Veronica Mars and took to Kickstarter for funds. They raised enough to bankroll a new 15-part series featuring Morph and friends, the first episode of which has just been released on YouTube (and is embedded below). If you're interested in future episodes, hit the subscription button on Morph's channel, where you'll also find a wealth of classic footage to eyeball.
Music Inc. is anti-piracy propaganda posing as a casual game
UK Music and Britain's Intellectual Property Office don't believe that most music games tell the whole story -- while they show the tunes, they omit labels struggling to find good artists and deal with piracy. To help widen the public's perspective, they've just launched Music Inc. for Android and iOS. The label-management game challenges you to foster talent while keeping your company profitable in a market that doesn't always pay for your songs. The free title underscores a real problem for labels, and it may have you thinking twice about swiping that new album. However, it's also very one-sided. The game sees every pirated copy as a lost sale, and it doesn't question the copyright model or the need for labels in the first place. As long as you're aware of the broader issues, though, it won't hurt to try the game today.
LoveFilm / Aardman deal brings cheese-loving stop motion animation to Amazon-owned UK site
Great news for UK movie lovers who just can't get enough of eccentric inventors and clever sheep: Amazon-owned LoveFilm has struck a deal to bring Aardman content to its service. The agreement adds properties like Wallace & Gromit, Morph, Creature Comforts, Shaun the Sheep and Rex the Runt to LoveFilm's offerings, letting users stream content on their computers, PS3s, Xbox 360s, iPads and more. For more information, please consult the press release after the break.
3DS to receive video content from EuroSport, Aardman, Sky in Europe
At the 3DS live event in Europe, Nintendo has just revealed that the 3DS will feature 3D video content from several different partners, including the EuroSport network, Sky and Aardman Animations. Sky will be providing "short form" 3D content for the device, while Eurosport will provide sports content (obviously). Animation studio Aardman -- known for the Wallace & Gromit series -- will create short episodes of Shaun the Sheep that will be exclusive to 3DS. Nintendo announced that it's also in talks with other partners for special video content.
Rumor: Aardman Animation working on Raving Rabbids TV show
Ubisoft's Raving Rabbids franchise is ready to jump from video games to television. A report from Bleeding Cool reveals that Aardman Animation -- best known for the Wallace & Gromit franchise -- is looking for animators to work on a TV adaptation of the Rayman spin-off. According to the job call, the show will offer a mixture of live-action footage and computer-generated animation. Apparently, Aardman already has a working relationship with the Rabbids franchise, having already produced a number of CG shorts to promote the upcoming Raving Rabbids Travel in Time. Ubisoft has shared its video game properties with other mediums in the past, with the Assassin's Creed series recently spawning some short films and an upcoming line of comic books.
