Tales From ’85’ ‘In Your Dreams’

Netflix will debut a world exclusive first-look at “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June.

The new animated series – set in the “Stranger Things” universe – will be presented by executive producer Eric Robles during the “Next on Netflix Animation” showcase on June 11. 

“Your Saturday morning cartoons are getting turned upside down,” teased the organizers. 

It won’t be the only title getting the spotlight, however, with director Alex Woo, production designer Steven Pilcher and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender presenting never-before-seen footage from upcoming film “In Your Dreams,” handled by Kuku Studios.

Set for fall release, “In Your Dreams” is a comedy adventure that follows Stevie and her brother Elliot as they journey into the absurd landscape of their own dreams. “If the siblings can withstand a snarky stuffed giraffe, zombie breakfast foods and the queen of nightmares, the Sandman will grant them their ultimate dream come true: the perfect family,” stated the release. 

Co-directed by Erik Benson, who wrote the script with Woo, it’s produced by Timothy Hahn and Gregg Taylor. 

The festival will also welcome “Fixed,” the newly acquired adult comedy film from Genndy Tartakovsky, about a dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered. Before the morning comes, he sets out on one last adventure. 

“Some people might get uncomfortable,” Tartakovsky jokingly told Variety. But while risqué content is “much more popular and accepted” these days – “Back then, adult animation was all about ‘The Simpsons,’ maybe ‘Family Guy’,” he said – the goal was 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.”

“Fixed” will be released on Aug. 13. Produced by Michelle Murdocca, it was written by Steve Greenberg, Rich Lufrano, Tartakovsky and Jon Vitti, while the starry cast includes Adam Devine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen, Bobby Moynihan, Beck Bennett, Michelle Buteau and River Gallo.

It won’t be the only Netflix screening at the fest, with “Astérix & Obélix: The Big Fight” and “Devil May Cry” competing in Annecy’s official TV Films competition, while “Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage” will be a part of Midnight Specials programming.

The first, created by Alain Chabat and based on the original work by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo, is produced by TAT Productions and portrays a rather desperate situation. The famous Gaul village is under threat: their potion master loses his memory. Suddenly, the villagers are left to their own devices against the might of Rome.

In “Devil May Cry,” an animated adaptation of the popular Capcom game from the vision of Adi Shankar, with its second season coming soon, sinister forces are at play to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire. 

Things aren’t any less complicated in “The Ashes of Rage,” set after the showdown in “Mononoke: The Phantom in the Rain.” The Medicine Seller appears once again, this time in the inner chambers of Ooku. Inside, Otomo Botan, a woman from a distinguished family, succeeds Utayama as the new director and begins enforcing a leadership style rooted in discipline and balance. This creates growing tension between her and Fuki, a seasoned courtesan who once enjoyed the exclusive favor of the emperor. 

As the selection process begins for a guardian to look after the newborn child of the emperor’s wife, an unexpected event turns Fuki’s situation upside down. Having given birth to an “unwanted child,” seen as a threat, Fuki becomes the target of a web of conspiracies spun by the men in power.

Kenji Nakamura and Kiyotaka Suzuki direct, based on the screenplay by Asumi Atarashi. Koji Yamamoto produces.

Remaining with adult animation: a masterclass with Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of “BoJack Horseman,” will take place on June 12, with Bob-Wassberg joined by the team behind his upcoming comedy series, “Long Story Short,” showing an early look at an episode ahead of its debut later this year. 

About “one family, over time,” it jumps through the years, following the Schwooper siblings from childhood to adulthood and back again, chronicling their triumphs, disappointments, joys, and compromises. Noel Bright and Steven A. Cohen exec-produce for Tornante Television. Corey Campodonico and Alex Bulkley are co-executive producers for ShadowMachine.

The audience will also get a glimpse of Ubisoft’s popular Tom Clancy game franchise “Splinter Cell: Deathwatch,” set to be released in the fall. In this first-ever adaptation of the acclaimed stealth video game, legendary agent Sam Fisher is drawn back into the field when a wounded young operative seeks out his help. 

Produced by Ubisoft, in partnership with Derek Kolstad (John Wick), Sun Creature and Fost, “Splinter Cell: Deathwatch” is co-directed by Guillaume Dousse and Félicien Colmet-Daage. 

Folivari’s French preschool series “7 Bears” will also get some attention, “so look out Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Snow White, because this lovable pack of furballs is putting a fuzzy twist on the fairytales we thought we knew,” the presentation runs. 

Based on graphic novels by Emile Bravo, it’s directed by Guillaume Rio, while Robert Vargas showruns. 

For the very first time, Netflix will host a dedicated Animated Series Studio Focus – also on June 12 – focusing on the likes of “Dr. Seuss’s Horton!” and the second season of “Blue Eye Samurai.” Blue Spirit’s offering is created by Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, with Maya Erskine, George Takei, Brenda Song, Randall Park and Kenneth Branagh on voicing duties. 

“Magic: The Gathering,” “Ghostbusters,” “Minecraft,” and “Haunted Hotel” will also be featured. The session will be led by Netflix Animation executives John Derderian (VP, Animation Series), Heather Tilert (director, Kids + Preschool), Billy Wee (director, Adult Comedy), Dylan Thomas (director, Adult Spectacle), and Dominique Bazay (director, Family Spectacle).

As underlined by the organizers, 2024 marked a “standout year” for Netflix Animation with the Oscar-nominated “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” winning two BAFTAs, “Arcane” earning seven Annie Awards and “Orion and the Dark” earning Children and Family Emmys for best special production and best writing.