Fine Tuning Episode 184: DC Animated Films, Craig McCracken, and Summer Reading

Craig McCracken's New Projects

• 💡 Craig McCracken is working on reboots/reimaginings of Powerpuff Girls and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, utilizing the Hannah-Barbara Europe studio.
• 🚀 His previous serialized series, Kid Cosmic, concluded its third season in February.
• 📺 The live-action Powerpuff Girls series, initially announced with a pilot by Deon Taylor, is reportedly still in development for The CW.

Summer Reading Recommendations

• 📚 Jim Hill is reading "The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation's Golden Age" by Jake S. Friedman, which focuses on Walt Disney and Art Babbitt.
• 📖 Drew Taylor found Don Bluth's memoir, "Somewhere Out There: My Animated Life," to be surprisingly light on animation industry details, focusing more on personal life lessons and religious anecdotes.
• 🧐 "Hollywood Ending: Harvey Weinstein and the Culture of Silence" by Ken Auletta is discussed, highlighting how executives allegedly ignored Weinstein's behavior until it became a public relations issue, with smoking being cited as a surprisingly significant offense.

Animation and DC News

• 💰 Steve Carell reportedly earned $12.5 million for his voice role as Gru in Minions: The Rise of Gru, comparable to Tom Hardy's $20 million for Venom 3.
• 🎬 Netflix has acquired Animal Logic, a move that may bolster its feature animation capabilities, though its impact on TV animation remains uncertain.
• 🌟 The DC Animated Original Movies series is approaching its 50th title, with "Green Lantern: Beware My Power" releasing soon, followed by "DC League of Super-Pets" and the first CG DC original film, "Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Suns."

Upcoming Events and Podcasts

• 🎤 Drew Taylor is heading to Comic-Con to cover panels, including potential news on DC projects and Marvel Studios.
• 🎙️ The "Light the Fuse" podcast, co-hosted by Drew Taylor, is approaching its 200th episode, which is teased as "mind-blowing."
• 📺 The animated series Central Park will return for its third season on Apple TV Plus on September 9th.
• 🎬 I Am Groot, a series of five shorts, will premiere on Disney Plus on August 10th, featuring movie-accurate animation.
• 🚀 Lightyear will be available on Disney Plus starting August 3rd.