Netflix Releases New Teaser for Anime Series “Scott Pilgrim Takes Off,” Featuring Aubrey Plaza

Aubrey Plaza’s latest project is taking off later this month…

Netflix is preparing for the release of Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, featuring the 39-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress.

Aubrey Plaza, Scott PilgrimThe anime series is set to hit the platform on November 17 and, in anticipation, a new teaser was released during Netflix’s Geeked Week.

The teaser gives a look at the budding love story between Scott and Ramona.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off follows as Scott Pilgrim meets the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers, and discovers he must defeat her seven evil exes in order to date her. But this time, things get even more complicated as Scott takes Ramona Flowers, her evil exes and his friends off on a mysterious new action-packed journey to find love.

Voices for the anima series include Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers), Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel), Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells), Chris Evans (Lucas Lee), Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim), Brie Larson (Envy Adams), Alison Pill (Kim Pine), Plaza (Julie Powers), Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram), Jason Schwartzman (Gideon Graves), Johnny Simmons (Young Neil), Mark Webber (Stephen Stills), Mae Whitman (Roxie Richter) and Ellen Wong (Knives Chau).

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was created for television by executive producers and co-showrunners O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski.

Sergio Pablos’ “Klaus” Sweeps This Year’s Annie Awards

It’s a clean sweep for Sergio Pablos’ acclaimed animated film… 

The Spanish animator and screenwriter’s Netflix holiday tale Klaus picked up seven trophies at the 47th annual Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature.

Klaus

Pablos, who’d previously earned nods for his work on Treasure Planetand Rio, earned three awards. In addition to Best Animated Feature, he won the awards for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production andDirecting in an Animated Feature Production.

Starring Jason SchwartzmanJ.K. Simmonsand Rashida JonesKlaus is the story of a selfish postman and a reclusive toymaker who form an unlikely friendship, delivering joy to a cold, dark town that desperately needs it. 

The Klaus wipeout throws the Academy Awards racefor a loop, as Netflix’s first original animated feature won all seven categories for which it was nominated. 

Pablos’ film dominated over the Big 3 studio mega-grossing sequels — Disney’s Frozen 2DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 4.

Here’s a look at this year’s Annie Awards winners: 

Best Animated Feature: Klaus
Best Animated Feature-Independent: I Lost My Body
Best Animated Special Production: How to Train Your Dragon Homecoming
Best Animated Short Subject: Uncle Thomas: Accounting for the Days
Best Virtual Reality Production: Bonfire
Best Animated Television/Media Commercial: The Mystical Journey of Jimmy Page’s ‘59 Telecaster
Best Animated Television/Media Production For Preschool Children: Ask The Storybots
Episode: Why Do We Have To Recycle?
Best Animated Television/Media Production For Children: Disney Mickey Mouse
Episode: Carried Away
Best General Audience Animated Television/Media Production: BoJack Horseman
Episode: The New Client
Best Student Film: The Fox & The Pigeon
Michelle Chua, Sheridan College
Animated Effects in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Episode: The Secret War
Animated Effects in an Animated Feature Production: Frozen 2
Character Animation in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production: His Dark Materials
Aulo Licinio (Character: lorek)
Character Animation In An Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Sergio Martins (Character: Alva)
Character Animation in a Live Action Production: Avengers: Endgame
Character Animation in a Video Game: Unruly Heroes
Character Design in an Animated Television/Media Production: Carmen Sandiego
Keiko Murayama
Episode: The Chasing Paper Caper
Character Design in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Torsten Schrank
Directing in an Animated Television/Media Production: Disney Mickey Mouse
Alonso Ramirez Ramos
Episode: For Whom the Booth Tolls
Directing in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Sergio Pablos
Music in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Rob Cairns
Episode: Sonnie’s Edge
Music in an Animated Feature Production:I Lost My Body
Dan Levy
Production Design in an Animated Television/Media Production:Love, Death & Robots
Alberto Mielgo
Episode: The Witness
Production Design In An Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Szymon Biernacki, Marcin Jakubowski
Storyboarding in an Animated Television/Media Production:Carmen Sandiego
Kenny Park
Episode: Becoming Carmen Sandiego, Part 1
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production:Klaus
Sergio Pablos
Voice Acting in an Animated Television/Media Production: Bob’s Burgers
H. Jon Benjamin (Character: Bob)
Episode: Roamin’ Bob-iday
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production: Frozen 2
Josh Gad (Character: Olaf)
Writing in an Animated Television/Media Production:Tuca & Bertie
Shauna McGarry
Episode: The Jelly Lakes
Writing in an Animated Feature Production: I Lost My Body
Jérémy Clapin, Guillaume Laurant
Editorial in an Animated Television/Media Production: Love, Death & Robots
Bo Juhl, Stacy Auckland, Valerian Zamel
Episode: Alternate Histories
Editorial in an Animated Feature Production: Klaus
Pablo García Revert

Sergio Pablos Named a HUMANITAS Prize Finalist for “Klaus”

Sergio Pablos’ latest project is being heralded…

Eighty-six film and television writers have been named finalists for the 2020 HUMANITAS Prize, as announced by HUMANITAS Executive Director Cathleen Young and President Ali LeRoi, with the Spanish animator and screenwriter’s Spanish animated film Klaus making the list.

Sergio Pablos



Klaus, which Pablos wrote and directed, is nominated in the Family Feature Film category.Distributed by Netflix as its first original animated feature, the film was co-written by Zach Lewis and Jim Mahoney. It stars Jason SchwartzmanJ. K. SimmonsRashida Jones and Joan Cusack and serves as a fictional origin story to the myth of Santa Claus.The plot revolves around a postman stationed in a town to the North who befriends a reclusive toy-maker (Klaus).

Steven Canalshas earned his own Humanitas nod…

The queer Afro-Latinx screenwriter and co-creator of FX’s Pose was named a finalist in the Drama Teleplay category for co-writing the Pose episode “In My Heels,” alongside Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuck.

Mario Correa is also being recognized this year…

The Chilean screenwriter and playwright was named a finalist in the Drama Feature Film category for co-writing the screenplay for Dark Waters with Matthew Michael Carnahan; based on the New York Times Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” by Nathaniel Rich.


The HUMANITAS Prize, now in its 45th year, honors film and television writers whose work inspires compassion, hope, and understanding in the human family.

The finalists are nominated for their work in 10 categories including Comedy Teleplay, Drama Teleplay, Children’s Teleplay, Independent Feature Film, Drama Feature Film, Comedy or Musical Feature Film, Family Feature Film, and Documentary. In addition, this year HUMANITAS has introduced two new categories, Limited Series, TV Movie or Special and Short Film, to reflect the increased significance of those forms in the digital media landscape.

All prize winners will be announced at the 45th Annual HUMANITAS Prize event on Friday, January 24, 2020, at The Beverly Hilton Hotelin Beverly Hills, California.

“As we celebrate four and a half decades of empowering, supporting, and honoring storytellers, HUMANITAS continues to evolve and grow to reflect the world around us,” said LeRoi. “This year we have added two new categories to recognize work in forms that have seen dramatic increases in both popularity and artistic merit in the age of streaming and online viewing.”

Added Young: “As our world faces enormous challenges to the goal of peace and love in the human family, which is at the core of HUMANITAS’s mission, it is extremely inspiring to be able to honor the work of so many talented individuals. Intelligent, insightful and compassionate storytelling remains one of the most powerful weapons against hate and intolerance, and our finalists’ work epitomizes those qualities.”

The 45th Annual HUMANITAS Prize finalists are:

Drama Teleplay Category
THIS IS US “Our Little Island Girl” Written by Eboni Freeman
POSE “In My Heels” Written By Ryan Murphy & Brad Falchuck & Steven Canals
THE TWILIGHT ZONE “Replay” Written by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds
THE HANDMAID’S TALE “Useful” Written by Yahlin Chang; based on the novel by Margaret Atwood

Comedy Teleplay Category
SHRILL “Annie” Teleplay by Aidy Bryant & Alexandra Rushfield & Lindy West; based on the book Shrill: Notes From a Loud Woman by Lindy West
BLACK-ISH “Black Like Us” Written By Peter Saji
ATYPICAL “Road Rage Paige” Written By Robia Rashid
VEEP “South Carolina” Written By Alex Gregory & Peter Huyck

Limited Series, TV Movie or Special Category
WHEN THEY SEE US “Part 4” Teleplay by Ava DuVernay & Michael Starrbury; story by Ava DuVernay
TRUE DETECTIVE “Now Am Found” Written by Nic Pizzolatto
CHERNOBYL “Vichnaya Pamyat” Written by Craig Mazin
LIVE IN FRONT OF A STUDIO AUDIENCE: NORMAL LEAR’S ALL IN THE FAMILY AND THE JEFFERSONS “All in the Family #406: ‘Henry’s Farewell'” Written by Don Nicholl; “The Jeffersons #101: ‘A Friend in Need'” Teleplay by Don Nicholl, Michael Ross & Bernard West, Barry Harman & Harve Brosten; story by Barry Harman & Harve Brosten

Children’s Teleplay Category
THE LOUD HOUSE “Racing Hearts” Written by Kevin Sullivan
A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS “The Penultimate Peril, Part 1” Teleplay by Joe Tracz; based on the book by Lemony Snicket
ELENA OF AVALOR “Changing of the Guard” Written by Kate Kondell
NIKO AND THE SWORD OF LIGHT, SEASON 2: NIKO AND THE AMULET OF POWER “The Automatron” Written by Shaene Siders

Drama Feature Film Category
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD Written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue & Noah Harpster; inspired by the article “Can You Say… Hero?” by Tom Junod
A HIDDEN LIFE Written and directed by Terrence Malick; source material: letters between Franz and Fani Jagerstatter taken from Franz Jagerstatter: Letters and Writings from Prison edited by Erna Putz
DARK WATERS Screenplay by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan; based on the New York Times Magazine article “The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare” by Nathaniel Rich
BOMBSHELL Written by Charles Randolph

Comedy or Musical Feature Film Category
YESTERDAY Story by Richard Curtis, Jack Barth; Written by Richard Curtis
THE FAREWELL Written by Lulu Wang
JOJO RABBIT Screenplay by Taika Waititi; Based on the book Caging Skies by Christine Leunens
THE LAUNDROMAT Written by Scott Z. Burns; based on the book Secrecy World by Jake Bernstein

Family Feature Film Category
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON Written by Tyler Nilson & Michael Schwartz
FROZEN 2 Story by Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck, Marc E. Smith, Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez; Screenplay by Jennifer Lee
TOY STORY 4 Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Josh Cooley, Valerie LaPointe, Rashida Jones & Will McCormack, Martin Hynes and Stephany Folsom; Written by Andrew Stanton and Stephany Folsom
KLAUS Story by Sergio Pablos; screenplay by Sergio Pablos, Jim Mahoney, Zach Lewis

Independent Feature Film Category
END OF SENTENCE by Michael Armbruster
HOTEL MUMBAI by John Collee & Anthony Maras
BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON Written and directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo
THE BANKER Story by David Lewis Smith & Stan Younger and Brad Caleb Kane; screenplay by Niceole Levy & George Nolfi and David Lewis Smith & Stan Younger

Short Film Category
VARIABLES Written by Sabina Vajraca
PURL Written by Kristen Lester
THE CHARGE FOR THE SUN Story by Terence Nance; screenplay by Eugene Ramos
KITBULL Written by Rosana Sullivan

Documentary Category
TORN APART: SEPARATED AT THE BORDER Directed by Ellen Goosenberg Kent
ERNIE & JOE: CRISIS COPS Directed by Jenifer McShane,
SEA OF SHADOWS Directed by Richard Ladkani;
THIS IS FOOTBALL “Redemption” Directed by James Erskine, Written by John Carlin

The David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Fellowship
Eliana Pipes (Boston University) FAUXRICUA      
Nick Madson (Boston University) DOWN AND OUT
Sheridan Watson (USC) LADY LAZARUS  

The Carol Mendelsohn College Drama Fellowship
James Bentley (UCLA) THE PIRATES OF FELLOWSHIP, MAINE 
King Lu (Columbia) FROM JUNE TO JULY
Jennifer Frazin (USC) CHOSEN PEOPLE    

New Voices Winners
Robert Axelrod, TUCKED
Christina Brosman, SACRIFICIAL
Jeanine Daniels, CONVOLUTED
John Doble, THE AMEN SISTERHOOD
Obiageli Odimegwu, THE SHOW
Roniel Tessler, BLUE MOON

For more information, visit the HUMANITAS Prize at www.humanitasprize.org.

Pentatonix Among 50 Acts to Be Honored at the 2015 YouTube Music Awards

There’s no doubt Kirstie Maldonado is YouTube sensation… After all, the video for PentatonixGrammy-winningDaft Punk” single has garnered more than 122-million views alone.

And now the 22-year-old half-Mexican/part-Spanish singer and her Pentatonix band mates are being recognized for their online success.

Pentatonix

Pentatonix, which had the best-selling album by a group last year, is one of 50 acts that will be feted during this year’s YouTube Music Awards.

The platform noted that the winners were “chosen by the fans” as they “showed the biggest growth in views, subscribers and engagement over the last six months on YouTube.”

Collectively, the winners – which include Fifth Harmony, Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Sam Smith, Sia, Pharrell Williams, Brad Paisley, Tori Kelly and Katy Perry — have over 146 million subscribers and 44 billion lifetime views.

To celebrate the winners, the ceremony on March 23 will comprise of premiering a slew of new Vice-produced music videos by Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran, Martin Garrix, Cahoots, Max Schneider, Migos, Megan Nicole, Nicky Jam and Shamir, among others.

The move follows the platform’s first-ever YouTube Music Awards in 2013, which streamed live from New York City’s Pier 36. Jason Schwartzman and comedian Reggie Watts co-hosted, while Spike Jonze oversaw the creative direction of the ceremony, which also featured the production of live music videos by Lindsay Sterling, Avicii and Arcade Fire.

García Bernal’s “Mozart in the Jungle” Ordered to Series by Amazon

It’s official… Gael García Bernal will star in his first English-language television series…

Amazon has ordered the 35-year-old Mexican actor’s comedy series Mozart in the Jungle pilot to series.

Gael García Bernal

The Paul Weitz-directed pilot was scripted by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers.

The story was inspired by Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music, oboist Blair Tindall‘s 2005 memoir of her professional career in New York, playing various high-profile gigs with ensembles including the New York Philharmonic and the orchestras of numerous Broadway shows.

In addition to García Bernal as ‘Rodrigo’ a fictionalized version of conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the half-hour comedy series also stars Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows and Bernadette Peters.

Amazon Picks Up Garcia Bernal’s Comedy Series “Mozart in the Jungle”

Gael Garcia Bernal will be making music on television in the near future…

Amazon Studios has picked up to series the 35-year-old Mexican actor’s half-hour comedy series Mozart in the Jungle.

Gael García Bernal

The dramatic comedy was written by Oscar-nominated writer and director Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited), actor and musician Jason Schwartzman (Saving Mr. Banks, Moonrise Kingdom, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and Tony-nominated writer and director Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher).

The project is based on the memoir Mozart in the Jungle by Blair Tindall.

It’s all about sex, drugs—and classical music—and shows that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what happens on stage.

Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Admission) directed the pilot and executive produced.

In addition to Garcia Bernal, the series stars Saffron Burrows, Lola Kirke, Malcom McDowell, Bernadette Peters and Peter Vack.

Garcia Bernal Cast in Amazon Studios Pilot “Mozart in the Jungle”

Gael García Bernal is about to get classical…

The 34-year-old Mexican actor/director has signed on to star in Amazon Studios’ comedy pilot Mozart In The Jungle.

 Gael García Bernal

Based on the memoir by Blair Tindal of the same name, the project is all about sex, drugs and classical music and shows that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what happens onstage.

García Bernal, best known for his roles in Y tu mamá también, Amores perros and Babel, will play Gustavo, an enfant terrible who’s utterly devoted to his art as a conductor — but also to his image.

The pilot was written by Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers.

García Bernal, who last appeared on screen in the Oscar-nominated Spanish language film No, will next star in the films The Ardor and Rosewater.

First Trailer Released for Sheen’s “Charles Swan III” Film

Call it Charlie Sheen’s Swan song…

The first trailer for the 47-year-old part-Spanish actor’s latest film A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III has been released.

Charlie Sheen

The clip is chock full of entertaining moments as the title character (played by Sheen) tumbles into his imaginary world after a recent breakup with his gorgeous girlfriend.

He and his loyal friends, Kirby and Saul, are seen dressing as cowboys on a Western set where a girl hits him with an arrow. In another scene, he gets entangled in what seems to be an espionage world and almost gets exploded.

The film features Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette and Aubrey Plaza and begs the question: Is it possible to love and hate someone at the same time?

The Roman Coppola-directed dramedy opens in theaters nationwide February 8, 2013.