Fred Armisen Joins Voice Cast of R-Rated Animated Film “Fixed” 

Fred Armisen is playing Fetch… Literally!

The 56-year-old half-Venezuelan American actor/comedian has joined the voice cast of Genndy Tartakovsky’s upcoming R-rated animated film Fixed.

Fred ArmisenIn addition to Armisen, who will portray Fetch, the voice cast also includes Adam DevineIdris Elba and Kathryn Hahn.

The film, which will be completed in September, is an adult comedy about Bull: an average dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning. As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realizes he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls.

New Line Cinema and Sony Pictures Animation are on board.

Fixed Movie“Some people might get uncomfortable,” said Tartakovsky. “In 2010, when I pitched it to Sony, we still needed a concept. Then, lightning struck. Right in that room, within five seconds, I went: ‘They find out one of their friends will get neutered!’ Everyone laughed and that was it,” he recalled.

“Back then, adult animation was all about The Simpsons, maybe Family Guy. Now, it’s much more popular and accepted.”

Still, the goal wasn’t to shock, he admits, but to make “a classic movie.”

“Like Lady and the Tramp or 101 Dalmatians, but rated R. If you can look past the balls and the buttholes, you will find a very sweet, charming, sincere story of friendship and romance.”

The film’s unique combination of naughty and nice has attracted Adam Devine, who will voice Bull, and Elba, who will take on his buddy Rocco.

They are joined by Bobby Moynihan (voicing Lucky), Beck Bennett (Sterling), River Gallo (Frankie) and Michelle Buteau (Molasses).

“When Kathryn decided to do it, she told us: ‘I want to be just like the guys. I don’t want to be the sweet girl in the background who doesn’t have any depth to her. Make her a little raunchier.’ Hiring her made this character come alive,” admitted producer Michelle Murdocca. Christian Roedel co-produces.

“I have been doing this for 30 years and when you find someone who knows comedic timing as a voice actor, it’s everything. It makes our job so much easier,” added Tartakovsky.

“Also, I like the voices to disappear. When Idris is doing Rocco, you may recognize him, but then you just settle in.”

Despite its contemporary humor, Fixed actually celebrates the glories of 2D hand-drawn animation.

“It has become a lost art. These days, everything is computer-generated. It was my dream to do this,” he says, calling it a love letter to Bugs Bunny or Tex Avery, or even 1950s Disney. Murdocca added:

“It became this homage. We were able to secure animators we never thought we would be able to get. That’s when it became very exciting.”

Still, Tartakovsky – who co-writes with Jon Vitti – also mentions The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and Knocked Up among his inspirations, especially when developing the “camaraderie” between the characters. As well as his own friends.

“One guy is loud, one nerdy, another one is, well, a little slower,” he howled.

“We have known each other since high school, so when we are making fun of each other, everything is exaggerated. These are caricatures of real people and then we adjusted them to be a little more real.”

At the end of the day, he just wants people to laugh.

“Comedy is the hardest thing, always, but in animation, you create it from nothing. It’s why I got into it. I could draw a little stick figure running, my friends would look over my shoulder and laugh. It’s such an amazing illusion,” he admitted.

“We have four layers of humor here: The raunchy stuff, the physicality, some character humor and dog owner humor. We don’t talk about pop culture; we don’t make fun of the Kardashians. It’s only within this one world.”

The world that includes such places like “The Hump House,” where Bull and his friends end up as well. But it’s nothing compared to the film’s explosive ending, which – teased Tartakovsky – is “raunchy, very sexual but also very heartfelt.”

“Most studios would go: ‘Maybe we make the film, but you can’t have that scene.’ But it defines this movie! I said I wasn’t doing the film without it and luckily, we found the right partners,” he said.

“Doing kids television for most of my career, I have a boundary. I will hit it, but I will never cross it. For this movie, everything had to be over that boundary.”

Trailer Released for Selena Gomez’s “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania”

Selena Gomez is transform(ania)ing

The first trailer has been released for the 28-year-old Mexican American actress/singer’s Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, the fourth and final film in the franchise that has bitten off $1.36 billion worldwide — thus far — with each of the three films grossing more than its predecessor.

Selena Gomez

Since the original film hit theaters in 2012, the Fang gang has expanded their lodging to include humans and welcomed a baby (2015’s Hotel Transylvania 2) and took a decidedly unrelaxing sea cruise (2018’s Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation).

Fast-forward to 2021, and Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan) has perfected his mysterious invention that allows humans to become monsters. But the Monsterfication Ray goes haywire, and Drac (Brian Hull, replacing Adam Sandler) and his monster pals are all transformed into humans, and Johnny (Andy Samberg) becomes a monster. In their new mismatched bodies, Drac — now stripped of his powers, sporting a “dad bod” and making dad jokes — and his exuberant son-in-law Johnny, who’s loving life as a monster, must team up and race across the globe to find a cure before it’s too late. With help from Mavis (Gomez) and the human Drac Pack, the heat is on to find a way to switch themselves back before their transformations become permanent.

Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Asher Blinkoff, Brad Abrell, Fran Drescher and Molly Shannon also lend their voices to the film from first-time feature helmers Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon. Amos Vernon and Nunzio Randazzo and Genndy Tartakovsky penned the screenplay.

“In Hotel Transylvania: Transformania we wrap up the franchise with a bang as we see our familiar, beloved cast of monster characters in a hilarious new light when they accidentally transform themselves into humans,” helmers Kluska and Drymon said. “The bond between the mismatched comic pair of human Drac and monster Johnny is put to the test on a ridiculous road trip to South America while Mavis leads the humanized Drac Pack on an adventure to find the cure. At their heart, the Hotel Transylvania movies are about family – monster style. We think the final chapter will bring the story full circle in a thrilling fun theater experience for the whole family.”

After a few pandemic-forced release-date moves, the toon from Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation hits theaters Friday, October 1

Selena Gomez’s “Hotel Transylvania 3” Becomes Sony’s Biggest Animated Film Globally

Selena Gomez has a monster hit on her hands…

The 26-year-old Mexican American actress’ Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation has become Sony Pictures’ biggest animated film of all time globally.

Selena Gomez

At $476.3M worldwide, it sailed past Hotel Transylvania 2 ($474.8M) on Friday. Combined, the three Hotel Transylvania movies have now grossed in excess of $1.3B global.

Through Friday, Hotel Transylvania 3cruised to $316M at the international box office, topping Hotel Transylvania 2. Domestically, it’s tallied $160.3M, about 6% off the previous movie.

The first two installments were released in the fall, so Hotel Transylvania 3 was the first summer tryout for the series.

In Latin America, notably, Hotel Transylvania 3 is Sony’s 2nd biggest title of all time for the region behind Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle. It is also the studio’s biggest grosser ever in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Slovakia, Lithuania and Ethiopia.

Directed by Genndy Tartakovsky, the film has Adam Sandler and Gomez atop the voice cast.

Gomez’s “Hotel Transylvania 3” to Open in July 2018

Selena Gomez has a special hotel booking next summer…

Sony Pictures Animation has scheduled Hotel Transylvania 3, featuring the voice of the 24-year-old Mexican American actress/singer, on a new prime summer release date of July 13, 2018.

Selena Gomez

The film previously was scheduled on September 21 that year.

The series’ first two titles have harvested the fall time frame, combining to earn $830M worldwide and owning the top two September openings of all time with a 32% increase in worldwide box office from the original to the sequel ($358.3M for the first tile, $473.2M for the second worldwide).

The new summer date for the Genndy Tartakovsky-directed feature provides greater access to kids off from school and a greater seasonal multiple. The midsummer date is also a perfect match for the storyline of the film, which takes Drac’s Pack on an exciting adventure aboard a Monster Cruise Ship.

The voice ensemble of favorites returns, including Gomez (Mavis), Adam Sandler (Dracula) and Andy Samberg (Johnny).