Netflix is appearing at the Annecy International Animation Festival this year and has released new projects in the works. On June 30th, Netflix will release ND Stevenson’s graphic novel, Nimona, a heavily anticipated adaptation. December 15th, there will also be a release for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the sequel to Chicken Run by Aardman Animations.
Nimona follows the journey of Nimona (Chlöe Grace Moretz) and Ballister Boldheart (Riz Ahmed). In this futuristic, medieval world, Boldheart is a knight accused of a crime he did not commit. The only way his innocence can be proven is by the delinquent teen Nimona and a shapeshifting creature.
Chicken Run: Dawn of a Nugget will star Bella Ramsey as Molly, daughter of Thandiwe Newton’s character Ginger and Rocky (Zachary Levi). Molly is captured along with others in a truck going to a prison-like farm. Ginger, Rocky, and others go after the truck to save Molly and plan a rescue. The same studio that produces Chicken Run produced Wallace and Gromit and Shawn the Sheep. Sam Fell (Flushed Away) will be the director, Leyla Hobart, the producer and executive producer, and Peter Lord, the co-founder of Aardman Animations, will lead the presentation.
Netflix also released a new project Leo, an animated musical comedy. Leo follows the class pet, a 74-year-old talking lizard (voiced by Adam Sandler), and the last year of elementary school. In a film clip, Leo shocks a little girl when she hears him talk. The film is written by Robert Smigel, Sandler, and Paul Sado. Leo will be released in the fall.
Netflix series that have been teased without a release date. Blue Eye Samurai, directed and produced by Jane Wu, follows a mixed-race samurai. As well as Exploding Kittens, starring Lucy Liu and Tom Ellis, is an adult animated comedy series that follows God and the Devil being sent to Earth in the form of chunky house cats. August 18th, Netflix will also release The Monkey King, a family comedy following the journey of a monkey and his magical fighting stick. Anthony Stacchi (The Boxtrolls) will direct the movie.