If you’re reading this, chances are it’s because of Nimona. You want more info about the long-in-development, often-doomed adaptation of ND Stevenson’s webcomic-turned-graphic novel, if only so you can be reassured that the movie is still finally coming out. There’s good news on that front, as we not only have two new images (such as the one above) and the rest of the voice cast has been announced — but that’s hardly all Netflix has revealed. Have a peek at what other animated films are coming out over the next year and a half.
Nimona
Synopsis: “When a knight in a futuristic medieval world is framed for a crime he didn’t commit, the only one who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona — a mischievous teen who happens to be a shapeshifting creature he’s sworn to destroy.”
Netflix also announced the rest of the movie’s voice cast. Frances Conroy, Lorraine Toussaint, Beck Bennett, RuPaul Charles, Indya Moore, Julio Torres, and Sarah Sherman will join previously known stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, and Eugene Lee Yang. Nimona is due out sometime this summer.
In Your Dreams
Synopsis: “A perfect family? Siblings who get along? Yeah… in your dreams. This is a comedy adventure about Stevie and her brother Elliot who magically travel into the world of dreams with the mission of finding the Sandman who will grant them their ultimate wish — saving their parents’ marriage. The kids are total opposites, making them an unlikely duo to navigate the absurdity of their own subconscious. Along their journey, they discover that as long as they have each other, they can face anything, even their worst nightmare.”
This newly announced movie is due next year.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
Synopsis: “When Bikini Bottom and all its denizens are suddenly scooped out of the ocean, Sandy Cheeks and SpongeBob SquarePants journey to Texas to save the town from a villainous plot.”
Due in 2024.
Ultraman
Synopsis: “Based on the beloved Japanese character, Netflix’s Ultraman follows baseball superstar Ken Sato as he returns to his home country of Japan to pick up the mantle of Earth-defending superhero Ultraman. He soon finds more than he bargained for when he’s forced to raise the offspring of his greatest foe. Ken must go on a heroic journey, balancing parenthood, his estranged father, and the relentless Kaiju Defence Force to rise beyond his ego and discover what it truly means to be Ultraman.”
You wouldn’t necessarily expect a movie about the Japanese superhero to be directed by a Westerner, but Shannon Tindle has worked on Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings. Ultraman is currently due next year.
The Monkey King
Synopsis: “The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a charismatic Monkey and his magical fighting Stick on an epic quest for victory over 100 demons, an eccentric Dragon King, and Monkey’s greatest foe of all — his own ego! Along the way, a young village girl challenges his self-centered attitude and shows him that even the smallest pebble can have a big effect on the world.”
This movie based on the ancient Chinese legend is executive produced by Kung Fu Hustle’s Stephen Chow, and is coming later this summer.
Leo
Synopsis: “Actor and comedian Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania, The Wedding Singer) delivers signature laughs in this coming-of-age animated musical comedy about the last year of elementary school — as seen through the eyes of a class pet. Jaded 74-year-old lizard Leo (Sandler) has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (Bill Burr). When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students — including an impossibly mean substitute teacher. It ends up being the strangest but most rewarding bucket list ever…”
Coming this fall.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
Synopsis: “From the multi-Academy and BAFTA award-winning Aardman (Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit, and Shaun the Sheep), and Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated director Sam Fell (ParaNorman and Flushed Away, respectively), comes Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the eagerly anticipated sequel to the beloved and highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, Chicken Run. Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream — a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk — this time, they’re breaking in!”
Like many of Aardman’s animated films, the voice cast is stacked with great British actors including Thandiwe Newton, Bella Ramsey, Imelda Staunton, David Bradley, and Nick Mohammed. It’ll premiere in the fall.
Thelma the Unicorn
Synopsis: “Thelma is a small-time pony who dreams of becoming a glamorous music star. In a pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma is transformed into a unicorn and instantly rises to global stardom. But this new life of fame comes at a cost. Thelma the Unicorn is a hilarious, quirky, and heartfelt ride from directors Lynn Wang (Unikitty!) and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).”
Coming next year.
That Christmas
Synopsis: “Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award nominee Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Yesterday), Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (Love, Death & Robots, How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!”
Coming in 2024, and, if I had to guess, it’ll probably be sometime during the holiday season.