Article contributed by Tyler Constable
While perhaps still not completely in the mainstream, there’s no denying that animation is a medium of television that has the power to strike a chord with every kind of audience. In the past decade we’ve had the likes of Adventure Time, Steven Universe, and Gravity Falls gracing our screens and enticing fans of all ages.
More adult orientated shows took the spotlight, including BoJack Horseman that only hammered home that cartoons can contain all the emotional depth and storytelling weight of any live action alternative; Rick & Morty broke out as a cultural phenomenon; and, with 32 seasons in the books, The Simpsons is still going (whether it’s going strong is up to debate). Basically, it’s been a great time for animation, and this new decade is carrying it on with a bang.
There’s been a lot of news to be excited about in just the first three months of 2021 and we’re here to break some of it all down!
Avatar Studios
After both the original Avatar: The Last Airbender and its sequel, The Legend of Korra, hit Netflix worldwide in 2019, the Avatar franchise has had a massive resurgence in popularity. Fans of the beloved franchise have been clamouring for new animated content for years, and, with the addition of streaming reaching a wider audience than ever, it’s no surprise that demand for more has risen to an all time high. Thankfully, pleas were finally answered this February when Nickelodeon announced the launch of Avatar Studios, a brand new division that will specialise in delivering new content within the Avatar universe, including new TV spinoffs and movies.
What makes this even more exciting is the fact that original series creators, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, will be returning to head up the studio as its chief creative officers. This was great news for many as fans took a hit of disappointment when the pair announced they had parted ways with the upcoming Netflix live-action adaptation, which then saw that the streaming giant will be taking the series in an edgier direction in an attempt to reach a more mature audience.
The first release from Avatar Studios will be an original animated film with production reportedly starting this year and a future theatrical release planned. We absolutely cannot wait to see how this universe is expanded!
The Amazing World of Gumball Movie
In the early 2000s, animator Ben Bocquelet got his industry start designing cartoon characters for advertisement purposes, however, his creations were often rejected and by 2007, he decided on a change of scenery and successfully landed a job at the newly opened Cartoon Network Europe studio in London. After consulting on other shows, he was presented with the opportunity to pitch his own and turned to his past work for inspiration.
Using an abundance of rejected designs, he delivered a premise revolving around a remedial school for rejected cartoon characters that was visually packed with unique flare and style. After tinkering with the overall concept, it eventually morphed into a family sitcom format and The Amazing World of Gumball was born.
The show premiered in May 2011 and ran for 6 seasons, concluding in June 2019. While not quite a CN juggernaut, in comparison to Adventure Time or Regular Show, Gumball’s creativity, humour, and lovable cast of misfits captured a lot of hearts over the years. The release of a Gumball movie to completely wrap up the series has been floating around for several years now with Bocquelet mentioning having potential ideas on multiple occasions. Given the season six finale, ‘The Inquisition’ was met with a mixed reception due to its cliffhanger ending, the desperation for resolution from the fanbase is no surprise. After years of rumours and speculation, Warner Media put fans at ease on February 17th 2021 when it was announced that a TV movie was finally in development, under the working title, The Amazing World of Gumball Movie.
With production time in consideration, it’s more than likely we won’t be getting any glimpses at the finished product until at least late 2022, but after all this time in uncertainty, we’re more than happy to wait in the knowledge that it’s on the way.
Infinity Train Book 4
Originally premiering in August 2019, Owen Dennis’ sci-fi miniseries, Infinity Train has become a huge hit. The anthology series takes place on a seemingly endless train where each car contains a brand-new environment, some the size of a traditional train car, and others as big as cityscapes and entire worlds. It’s the passengers’ task to navigate their way through the train as the challenges they face along the way help them to address unresolved trauma and emotional issues.
As a kid’s cartoon, it works fine, but the emotional depth and sublime writing has attracted a large older fanbase. Each season is referred to as a ‘book’ and follows a brand-new protagonist and storyline. Despite its critical acclaim after the premiere of season 3 via HBO Max, Dennis revealed that there was risk of it not being renewed, suggesting that HBO were concerned that the stories were too dark and therefore unappealing to children. However, due to a lot of noise from its dedicated fanbase, Infinity Train’s fourth and final season was officially announced on February 17th 2021.
It’s certainly bittersweet knowing that this will be the Train’s final journey, but we’re just glad to experience one last ride.
Total Drama Island Revival
14 years after originally airing, everyone’s favourite reality show is returning! Cartoon Network announced on February 17th that Total Drama Island is being revived for two new seasons as part of their ‘redraw your world’ programming block which will be air on CN and be available to stream on HBO Max, respectively.
The beloved series, which initially premiered in 2007, is an animated take on ever popular reality shows, such as Survivor and Shipwrecked. 22 teenagers are sent to the island where they undertake various contests and dangerous challenges each week to avoid being voted off the island by their fellow campmates. At the end, the winner receives a prize of $100,000.
Warner Media revealed via a press release that we’re set to see a new group of competitors in the upcoming seasons, stating that the revival will ‘feature an updated cast of quirky, iconic teen contestants as they face hardcore competition, brutal eliminations, and more drama than ever before.’ So, it looks like the latest iteration of TDI will retain what made the original great while providing a fresh experience for both its fanbase and an entire new generation.
