As a movie enthusiast, I’m thrilled to be part of the dynamic team behind Global Constellation – our new financing and international sales powerhouse, born from the merger of Film Constellation (London) and Global Screen (Munich). At the Annecy Animation Festival, we’re making waves by revealing our impressive lineup of animation projects. It’s a fantastic feeling to be part of this journey!
The global arm of Vuelta Group’s sales division, known as Playtime Group, currently has six top-quality animated movies in the works for release in 2025 and 2026, with more titles in active development for 2027 and future years.
Fabien Westerhoff, head of film at Global Constellation, stated: “Animation plays a crucial role in our business plan, as demonstrated by this list. Our goal is to gather projects that blend universal market appeal with the unique artistic styles of Europe‘s most promising creators. We aim to create animation that not only performs well financially but also resonates culturally on a global scale.
At the Cannes event, Global Constellation revealed a fresh trailer for the upcoming underwater CGI film titled “The Last Whale Singer,” directed by Reza Memari (“Richard the Stork”). This production is expected to be released at the end of this year. Telescope Animation is in charge of producing this feature, which combines emotion, humor, and pulse-pounding action for viewers aged 6 and above. The story revolves around Vincent, a special teenage whale embarking on an underwater quest. After a legendary sea monster escapes from its frozen prison and menaces the oceans’ survival, Vincent must face his deepest anxieties and dive with an assortment of unconventional allies to find his powerful melody and prevent oceanic devastation.
The movie has already been purchased by various international distributors, including KMBO for France, Icon for Australia and New Zealand, Vercine for Spain, Pris Audiovisuais for Portugal, Rosebud for Greece and Cyprus, ProFilms for Bulgaria, ADS for Hungary and Romania, Blitz for Former Yugoslavia, Nashe Kino for CIS, GPI for the Baltics, UFD for Ukraine, Bir Film for Turkey, Selim Ramia for MENA, Five Stars for Israel, Signal Pictures for South Korea, Lumix for Vietnam, and The FilmBridge for Mongolia.
At present, the animation studio Folivari (“Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia,” “The Summit of the Gods,” “Wolfwalkers”) is producing a contemporary animated adaptation of the famous opera titled “Carmen” (working title). This project is under the direction of Sébastien Laudenbach, an award-winning director known for “The Girl Without Hands” and “Chicken for Linda!”, who won an Annecy Crystal. The film is set to be released in France by Haut et Court in 2026, marking the opera’s 150th anniversary. With its visually stunning and emotionally resonant scenes, “Carmen” aims to offer a cross-generational appeal experience.
The upcoming work-in-progress showcase at Annecy will feature unique, never-before-seen clips of “Carmen”.
Following its intriguing teaser unveiling at the European Film Market, “The Growcodile,” helmed by Cartoon Saloon veterans Joost Van Den Bosch and Erik Verkerk, emerges as another captivating addition to the lineup. This enchanting production, known as “The Growcodile,” is being developed and produced by Fabrique d’Images, renowned for titles such as “Stitchhead,” “My Fairy Troublemaker,” and “Luis and the Aliens.” The project is also a collaborative effort with Freaks Factory, Ka-Ching Cartoons, Cool Beans, and Fantabulous.
The movie chronicles Bridget, an exceptionally talented young lady concealing a unique secret – her pet crocodile, Gilbert, whom she keeps hidden in her bedroom. Despite his endearing nature, Gilbert continues to grow larger and more challenging to manage. When Bridget’s parents are averse to pets and her father, who runs a shoe store, appreciates crocodile hide, how does one find a solution? With the assistance of Grandma Nell, they embark on an unpredictable journey to challenge the norms and discover a suitable home for Gilbert the crocodile.
The movie has already been purchased by various international distributors, including France (KMBO), Benelux (Distri7), Greece/Cyprus (Tanweer), Portugal (Nos Audiovisuais), Israel (Tanweer), Turkey and MENA region (Italia Film), Poland (KinoSwiat), Eastern Europe (ProRom), CIS and Baltics (Volga), and Vietnam (Lumix).
In the upcoming comedy-adventure “The Last Dinosaur,” creatively penned by Ben Smith (“Stardog and Turbocat”) and directed by Federico Millela (“The Fairy Princess & the Unicorn”), fresh, unseen footage will be presented to potential buyers at Annecy. This time-traveling masterpiece, slated for release in Q3 2026, is a joint production between Red Star Animation Studio, the U.K.’s team behind “The Amazing Maurice,” Constellation Productions, and Fantabulous, a partnership between KMBO Distribution House and Fabrique d’Images Production.
The movie chronicles Rex, a dinosaur prince, who gets whisked away through a malfunctioning time machine into the 21st century. Stranded in this unfamiliar era, he yearns to revisit his own time to protect his kind. To do so, Rex joins forces with an eclectic group consisting of misfits and brainiacs to journey back 65 million years. However, when he learns that safeguarding those dear to him might put his new companions in peril, Rex must confront the implications of being the Last Dinosaur alive.
The movie has been already purchased by France (KMBO), the United Kingdom/Ireland (Sky Original), Australia/New Zealand (Umbrella), Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg (WWE), Greece and Cyprus (Filmtrade), Portugal (Nos Audiovisuais), Poland (Forum), Hungary (Vertigo), the Czech and Slovak Republics (FoxxMedia), Bulgaria (ProFilm), Former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Israel (Red Cape), Turkey, Middle East and North Africa (Italia Film), countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Baltic states (Volga), Vietnam (Mockingbird), and distribution companies in Latin America (BF Distribution) for their respective markets.
Additionally, set for release between April and September 2026 is the “daring and unconventional” adult animation titled “Jim Queen.” This production is helmed by former Cartoon Saloon members Marco Nguyen and Nicolas Athané, with Bobbypills serving as producers. The movie promises a “wild, satirical journey exploring themes of identity, fame, and the tumultuous culture within the LGBTQ+ community.
In a startling turn of events, a baffling virus is transforming gay men into heterosexuals, prompting our protagonists – the fitness icon from Paris, known as the Gym King, and his loyal, spirited companion, the twink – to embark on a desperate quest to discover an antidote. Their mission: to preserve queer culture before it vanishes forever.
Completing our lineup is the freshly revealed “Mission Granny,” an action-packed, tech-laden computer-generated adventure film scheduled for release in 2027. With a €10 million budget and a grandma you wouldn’t want to cross, this summer, Paul (8) and Kat (12) find themselves saddled with their grumpy grandmother. To their surprise, they discover she was once a covert agent! Now it’s the job of these two novice kids, a flatulent pet dog, and an array of high-tech gadgets to rescue their grandma and save the world. Pre-sales for this project began at Cannes, with a sneak peek set to debut later this year at the American Film Market.
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2025-06-10 10:17