2020 is here, marking the beginning of a new decade and we can’t be more excited to share some interesting upcoming animated features on the way to warm our souls. This year brings some promising projects for animation lovers.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon
Aardman’s farmyard animals are back in this fun new adventure which finds an alien with amazing powers crash-landing near Mossy Bottom Farm. Shaun the Sheep goes on a mission to shepherd the intergalactic visitor home before a sinister organisation can capture her.
Directed by Will Becher and Richard Phelan and written by Jon Brown and Mark Burton, Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is all set to be released in India on 24 January 2020.
Onward
Directed by Dan Scanlon, Pixar original, Onward is set in a magical world of elves, trolls, mermaids, centaurs, fauns, gnomes and goblins. The movie focuses on two teen elf brothers (Tom Holland and Chris Pratt) who set out to discover if there is still magic in the world so they can spend time with their late father. Starring voice artists Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer, Onward will be out for the Indian audiences beginning 6 March 2020.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Directed by Will Gluck and written by Patrick Burleigh and Gluck, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is a mixture of live-action and animation. The film stars the voice of James Corden as the title character, alongside Rose Byrne, Domhnall Gleeson and David Oyelowo in live-action roles, and the voices of Daisy Ridley, Elizabeth Debicki and Margot Robbie. Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is scheduled to be released on 3 April 2020 by Sony Pictures Releasing under its Columbia Pictures label.
Trolls World Tour
DreamWorks will bring this sequel to Trolls, where Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) find out that there are other Troll tribes devoted to other types of music (pop, funk, classical, techno, country and rock!), when hard rockers Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom) and her father King Thrash (Ozzy Osbourne) try to destroy all other kinds of music. Directed by Walt Dohrn and co-director David P. Smith, Trolls World Tour will be distributed worldwide by Universal Pictures and will be released in the US on 17 April 2020.
Scoob!
Get ready to experience the old-school fun with Scooby and his friends in an animated feature, Scoob!. Scooby and his gang face their most challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world. As they race to stop this dogpocalypse, the gang discovers that Scooby has an epic destiny greater than anyone imagined. Directed by Tony Cervone, Scoob! stars Mark Wahlberg, Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried, Frank Welker, Zac Effron, Gina Rodriguez, Will Forte, Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, Kiersey Clemons, Mark Wahlberg and Jason Issacs. Created by Reel FX/Warner Animation Group, Scoob! releases 15 May 2020.
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run
Produced by Warner Animation Group and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run features voices of Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, Rodger Bumpass, Clancy Brown, Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Carolyn Lawrence, Awkwafina, Reggie Watts and Snoop Dogg. Directed by Tim Hill, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run tells the story of SpongeBob and Patrick’s epic adventure to the lost city of Atlantic city after his beloved pet snail Gary goes missing. SpongeBob begins his adventure on 22 May 2020.
Soul
Described as a journey from the streets of New York City to the cosmic realms to discover the answers to life’s most important questions, Pixar’s Soul is directed by Pete Docter. The movie surrounds a middle school music teacher whose soul is accidentally separated from his body and is transported to a center where souls develop and gain passions before being sent to newborn children. Featuring voices of Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Questlove, Phylicia Rashad and Daveed Diggs, Soul will hit theatres on 19 June 2020.
Minions: The Rise of Gru
Produced by Illumination, Minions: The Rise of Gru is a sequel to the 2015 film and a spin off/ prequel to the main Despicable Me film series. Directed by Kyle Balda, with co direction by Brad Ableson, the film is scheduled to be released in the US on 3 July 2020 by Universal Pictures.
Raya and the Last Dragon
Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, animated fantasy film Raya and the Last Dragon tells the story of Raya who is a warrior. In a mysterious realm called Kumandra, a warrior named Raya searches for the last dragon in the world. Directed by Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins, co-directed by John Ripa, with a screenplay by Adele Lim, the film stars the voices of Cassie Steele and Awkwafina. Raya and the Last Dragon is scheduled for release on 25 November 2020.
The Croods 2
DreamWorks’ popular prehistoric family is back in their second big-screen adventure, The Croods 2. The family is challenged by a rival family (The Bettermans), who claim to be more evolved! Directed by Joel Crawford and produced by Mark Swift, the movie features the voices of Nicolas Cage, Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman, Peter Dinklage and Leslie Mann. The Croods 2 will be released on 23 December 2020.
Wish Dragon
Produced by Sony Pictures Animation, Base FX and the Flagship Entertainment Group, Wish Dragon will star Jackie Chan (who is also producing the film), Constance Wu, John Cho, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy Wong, and Bobby Lee. The story is based on an original story by Chris Appelhans (who will also direct the film).The modern-day fairy tale picks up the moral challenges that emerge from the encounter between a boy and a dragon who is able to make wishes come true. The release date of the film is not yet announced, but we can’t wait for the magic to unveil.
The year looks pretty animated! A huge bag of popcorn please!
