ICM’s Jen Rudin Joins APA As Head Of Animation & Voice Over Department

Selome Hailu Brooke Karzen is stepping down from her post as executive vice president and head of Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Variety has learned. She shared the news with staff via a memo on Monday. See the full memo below. Dear Team, I’m reaching out today, so you hear the news from me that I’ve decided to leave my position as Executive Vice President and Head of Warner Horizon Unscripted Television. Leaving Warner Bros. after 22 years was not an easy decision, but the time is right for a change. I will take some time to consider new opportunities and am excited to start a new chapter.

Paramount+ today debuted the official mid-season trailer for season one of its original animated kids’ series, Star Trek: Prodigy. The trailer was introduced by executive producers Kevin and Dan Hageman, during the “Star Trek” universe panel at New York Comic Con.

Kanye West has made it clear Gigi Hadid is not on his good side. After the rapper wore a controversial T-shirt at Paris Fashion Week, the model called him out — and quickly found herself in the middle of a feud.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Kimiko Glenn (“Orange Is the New Black”) and H. Michael Croner (“Craig of the Creek”) have been cast as voice-over co-stars in Disney Branded Television’s upcoming animated series “Kiff,” which will premiere in 2023 on the Disney Channel. Scroll down for a first look at the series. Glenn will play Kiff, described as “an optimistic squirrel whose thirst for life takes her on countless adventures through her town.” Croner will voice Barry, a bunny that Disney calls Kiff’s “naive and lovable bestie.” South Africa-based creators Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal are behind “Kiff,” which was set to be unveilved, with casting news and teaser trailer, on Thursday at New York Comic-Con.

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu is adding some new voices to its upcoming animated comedy Koala Man.

some of Pratt’s Mario – or, at least, his backside. Illumination is, of course, the studio behind the “Despicable Me,” “Minions” and “Secret Life of Pets” franchises so many have been curious to see what “Super Mario Bros.” looks like, but the film was made with the explicit involvement of Nintendo, which co-financed the movie alongside Universal Pictures, and the Mario world does not appear to be Minion-ized here.Pratt voices Mario in something of a controversial choice, although the “Guardians of the Galaxy” actor is no stranger to voice work having led the “LEGO Movie” franchise.“Super Mario Bros.” also stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Jack Black as Bowser, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Fred Armisen as Cranky Kong, Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek and Sebastian Maniscalco as Spike.Originally scheduled for release in December, the film opens in theaters in the U.S.

“I was so inspired by my colleagues at Titmouse New York taking the first step to finally allow animation workers in New York to have a collective voice! I’m calling on Late Night Cartoons to voluntarily recognize our Union because all of the amazing, hardworking, passionate people who are my coworkers deserve to have benefits, protections, and fair treatment like any of our peers represented by the entertainment unions in LA,” said drawn animator Lynn Fong in a news release. Late Night Cartoons, Inc.

Animation workers at Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News have voted overwhelmingly to join The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839. The animated comedy news program, which debuted in 2020, moves to Comedy Central next month. Its third season premieres October 5.

EXCLUSIVE: APA is bolstering its Physical Production Department with the addition of three new agents – Marina Moyses, Alexa Lopez and Micaela Huber.

Supermarket giant Tesco is making a major change to its self-checkout tills. The retailer wants to change the noise its tills make when there's an 'unexpected item in bagging area' notification.

Sherri Shepherd recreated an iconic moment from “The Oprah Winfrey Show” except, this time, it occurred on her own daytime talk show “Sherri”.

William Earl Variety and Nickelodeon are joining forces again for this year’s 10 Animators to Watch event in Los Angeles. The in-person cocktail party and awards ceremony on Oct. 6 will celebrate rising creators in the animation space who are leaving their mark on the industry. This year’s class of trailblazing storytellers includes: Fawn Veerasunthorn, director, “Wish” (Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2023); Karissa Valencia, creator and showrunner, “Spirit Rangers”; Juston Gordon-Montgomery, creator, “Invincible Fight Girl”; Christian Linke and Alex Yee, creators, “Arcane”; Neeraja Raj, creator, “Meow or Never”; Shea Fontana, co-EP, “Monster High”; Arthur Fong, art director, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem”; Sergio Valdivia, stop-motion animator, “Pinocchio”; Natasha Kline, creator, “Primos”; and Joe Bennett, director, writer, animator, “Scavengers Reign.”

Wendell & Wild, the upcoming Netflix movie directed by Henry Selick that features the voices of Jordan Peele, Angela Bassett, Keegan-Michael Key and Lyric Ross, has been selected as the opening-night film for Animation Is Film, the growing animation festival that will run October 21-23 and October 29 at the TCL Chinese 6 Theaters in Hollywood.

Ben Croll Fueled by a robust educational pipeline and the steady influx of foreign investment, France’s animation ecosystem continues to expand. In 2021, animated programing accounted for 33% of international audiovisual sales, making episodic animation the country’s leading television export. And as the sector grows, so too will its gravitational pull, bringing in new voices, fresh perspectives, talents with more diversified backgrounds. “There are more and more gateways,” says producer and Ikki Films CEO Nidia Santiago. “We’re seeing greater bridges between animation and other art-forms, and those bridges are coming about more naturally than ever before.” Trained in live action, Santiago founded her Ikki banner with an eye on features and shorts. Since 2011, the outfit has garnered industry prestige and festival acclaim – and with it, new opportunities from the television world.