DREAMWORKS ANIMATION TO PRESENT NEW PROJECTS AT 2023 ANNECY INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL

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Universal Pictures

Apr 20, 2023, 11:00 ET

EVENTS INCLUDE:

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW FILM, RUBY GILLMAN, TEENAGE KRAKEN

AN EXCLUSIVE WORK-IN-PROGRESS PRESENTATION OF TROLLS BAND TOGETHER

AN OUTDOOR SCREENING OF THE OSCAR^®-NOMINATED BLOCKBUSTER PUSS IN BOOTS: THE LAST WISH

A STUDIO FOCUS PRESENTATION OF DREAMWORKS ANIMATION'S UPCOMING FILM PROJECTS

GLENDALE, Calif., April 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- DreamWorks Animation, the Oscar^®-winning studio of the Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls, The Boss Baby, Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda franchises, will showcase its latest projects at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which will be held from June 11-17, 2023.

The studio's presentations are set to feature the latest offerings from DreamWorks Animation, which seamlessly blend renewed installments of the studio's treasured franchises with audacious and innovative originals—all of which are emblematic of the visionary leadership spearheaded by DreamWorks Animation President Margie Cohn.

"We are excited to showcase our newest projects to the global animation community at Annecy," Margie Cohn says. "As a studio that celebrates creativity and innovation, it's an honor for us to participate in this annual event and share our passion for animation with fans from around the world. We look forward to connecting with other industry leaders, and for the opportunity to engage with audiences through the power of storytelling."

On Tuesday, June 13, at 4 p.m., at the L'Impérial Palace, DreamWorks Animation will present a Studio Focus session on two upcoming film projects. Academy Award^® nominee Director Kirk DeMicco will lead a discussion on the visual design and making of the new original film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. The presentation will also offer attendees an exclusive first look at an unannounced film from the studio.

On Thursday, June 15, DreamWorks Animation will present the world premiere of Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (in theaters June 30), at La Grande Salle de Bonlieu at 8:30 p.m., including a special introduction from DeMicco, Producer Kelly Cooney Cilella and the film's co-director Faryn Pearl.

Also on June 15, a work-in-progress presentation of the new chapter in DreamWorks Animation's blockbuster musical franchise, Trolls Band Together (in theaters November 17), will be held at La Grande Salle de Bonlieu at 5 p.m. The Trolls Band Together panel will be led by the film's returning director Walt Dohrn and producer Gina Shay, as well as by co-director Tim Heitz. The presentation will offer a sneak peak of the film's dazzling animation and all-new original songs.

Then, at 10 p.m. on June 15, a special outdoor screening of the Oscar^®-nominated blockbuster Puss in Boots: The Last Wish will take place at Le Pâquier d'Annecy. Since its release, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has been met with critical acclaim, garnering praise for its stunning animation, insightful story and impressive voice performances, led by Antonio Banderas. The film, which is directed by Joel Crawford and produced by Mark Swift, will be screened under the stars in the heart of Annecy.

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation (DWA), a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, is a global family entertainment company with feature film and television brands. The company's deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world. DWA's feature film heritage includes many of the world's most beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Spirit, Trolls, The Boss Baby and 2022's The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish have amassed more than $16 billion in global box office receipts. DreamWorks Animation's television studio is one of the world's leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries with a diverse array of award-winning original content through streaming and linear broadcasters.

About Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken
Sometimes the hero you are meant to be lies just beneath the surface.

This summer, DreamWorks Animation dives into the turbulent waters of high school with a hilarious, heartfelt action comedy about a shy teenager who discovers that she's part of a legendary royal lineage of mythical sea krakens and that her destiny, in the depths of the oceans, is bigger than she ever dreamed.

Sweet, awkward 16-year-old Ruby Gillman (Lana Condor, To All the Boys I've Loved Before franchise) is desperate to fit in at Oceanside High, but she mostly just feels invisible.

She's math-tutoring her skater-boy crush (Jaboukie Young-White, Ralph Breaks the Internet), who only seems to admire her for her fractals, and she's prevented from hanging out with the cool kids at the beach because her over-protective supermom (Oscar^® nominee Toni Collette, Knives Out), has forbade Ruby from ever getting in the water.

But when she breaks her mom's #1 rule, Ruby will discover that she is a direct descendant of the warrior Kraken queens and is destined to inherit the throne from her commanding grandmother (Academy Award^® winner Jane Fonda), the Warrior Queen of the Seven Seas.

The Kraken are sworn to protect the oceans of the world against the vain, power-hungry mermaids who have been battling with the Kraken for eons. There's one major, and immediate, problem with that: The school's beautiful, popular new girl, Chelsea (Emmy winner Annie Murphy, Schitt's Creek) just happens to be a mermaid. Ruby will ultimately need to embrace who she is and go big to protect those she loves most.

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken stars an extraordinary cast that includes Emmy winner Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead) as Ruby's supportive dad, Emmy nominee Sam Richardson (Veep) as Ruby's enthusiastic uncle and Blue Chapman (Council of Dads) as Ruby's cool little brother.

Directed by Academy Award^® nominated filmmaker Kirk DeMicco (Vivo, The Croods) and produced by Kelly Cooney Cilella (Trolls World Tour, Trolls), with Faryn Pearl (The Croods: A New Age, Trolls World Tour) serving as co-director, the film features a comedic powerhouse supporting cast, including Emmy nominee Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth), Emmy nominee Nicole Byer (Nailed It!), YouTube Diamond creator Liza Koshy (Liza on Demand), Ramona Young (Never Have I Ever), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things) and Echo Kellum (Arrow).

About Trolls Band Together
This holiday season, get ready for an action-packed, all-star, rainbow-colored family reunion like no other as Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return for the new chapter in DreamWorks Animation's blockbuster musical franchise: Trolls Band Together.

After two films of true friendship and relentless flirting, Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Justin Timberlake) are now officially, finally, a couple (#broppy)! As they grow closer, Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past. He was once part of her favorite boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers: Floyd (Golden Globe nominated electropop sensation Troye Sivan), John Dory (Eric André; Sing 2), Spruce (Grammy winner Daveed Diggs; Hamilton) and Clay (Grammy winner Kid Cudi; Don't Look Up). BroZone disbanded when Branch was still a baby, as did the family, and Branch hasn't seen his brothers since.

But when Branch's bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains—Velvet (Emmy winner Amy Schumer; Trainwreck) and Veneer (Grammy winner and Tony nominee Andrew Rannells; The Book of Mormon)—Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.

Featuring Trolls' signature psychedelic joy-bomb of new and classic pop hits, Trolls Band Together stars a dazzling cast of musical superstars and comedic powerhouses as new franchise characters, including four-time Grammy nominee and Latin Grammy winner Camila Cabello (Cinderella) as Viva; Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant) as Crimp; and 12-time Emmy winning drag icon RuPaul Charles as Miss Maxine.

The returning cast includes Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Zooey Deschanel as Bridget; Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Gristle, the Icona Pop duo Aino Jawo and Caroline Hjelt as Satin and Chenille, Grammy winner Anderson .Paak as Prince D, comedian Ron Funches as Cooper, SAG nominee Kunal Nayyar as Guy Diamond and Emmy winning Saturday Night Live legend Kenan Thompson as Tiny Diamond.

Trolls Band Together is steered by returning director Walt Dohrn and producer Gina Shay, and is co-directed by Tim Heitz (head of story, Trolls World Tour). DreamWorks Animation's Trolls films—2016's Trolls and 2020's Trolls World Tour—have sung and danced their way to record-breaking success, earning an Oscar^® nomination for Best Original Song and fueling one of the largest and most beloved entertainment brands in the world.

SOURCE Universal Pictures