Blue Sky Studios Closure, Oscar Shortlists, and Netflix Animation Dominance

Blue Sky Studios Closure and Its Impact

• 💔 Disney's decision to shutter Blue Sky Studios in April 2021, resulting in job losses for 450 people, is discussed as a significant and disheartening event.
• 💡 The studio's film, "Nimona," which was only 10 months from completion, is now ceasing production, a move speculated to be for tax write-off benefits.
• 🚀 Blue Sky Studios, formed from a VFX company Disney shut down after "Tron," had a substantial impact, notably with "Ice Age" influencing Disney's shift to CG animation and establishing a model for lower-budget, outside-Hollywood productions.
• 🎨 Beyond animation, Blue Sky contributed visual effects to live-action films like "Fight Club" (the penguin) and "Alien Resurrection" (underwater alien sequence).
• 😔 The closure is seen as a loss for talented individuals and a missed opportunity for Disney to leverage Blue Sky's characters and expertise, especially given the "Ice Age" franchise's $3.2 billion gross.

Netflix's Animation Ambitions

• 🎯 Netflix is actively challenging Disney's dominance in animation, with Reed Hastings aiming to compete directly.
• 🎬 Several former Paramount and Sony titles are now landing on Netflix, including "My Little Pony" (a former theatrical release) and "The Mitchells vs. the Machines" and "Wish Dragon" (from Sony).
• 🌟 Netflix is also securing deals with prominent animation talent, such as Patrick Hill (Over the Garden Wall) for a new feature and series, and is involved with Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio."

Oscar Shortlist and Animated Film News

• 🏆 The animated feature shortlist for the Academy Awards includes 26 films, with notable mentions like "The Willoughbys," "Wolfwalkers," and "Soul."
• 🚫 "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" was unexpectedly pulled from Oscar contention for Best Animated Feature.
• 🌟 In a groundbreaking move, "Soul" made the shortlist for the Visual Effects Oscar, marking the first time an animated feature has achieved this.
• 🎬 Short film contenders include Pixar's "Out" and "Burrow," with "To Gerard" also receiving recognition.

Television and Live-Action Animation Projects

• 📺 The "Clone High" revival is confirmed for two seasons on HBO Max, and "Close Enough" is getting a second season.
• 💥 A live-action "Powerpuff Girls" series, written by Diablo Cody, is in development for The CW, aiming for an older demographic.
• 🌀 A "Scooby-Doo" spin-off focusing on "Velma," potentially with a "Harley Quinn"-esque tone, is also in the works.
• 🚗 The success of the "Sonic the Hedgehog" movie has led to a sequel, "Sonic 2," scheduled for April 2022, despite concerns about Paramount's release strategy.