Like many of you, the Kidscreen team was off over the winter holidays. But that didn’t stop the news cycle from churning out news. To help you catch up, here’s a list of some of the stories that broke over the last two weeks. 

The 52nd Annie nominations were announced 

The Annie Awards released its shortlist of the year’s best work in animation—with Netflix earning three nominations in the Best Feature race with Ultraman: Rising, That Christmas and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

Paramount fast-tracks a fourth Sonic pic 

With holiday release Sonic the Hedgehog 3 already over US$200 million in ticket sales at the global box office, Paramount Pictures is keeping the momentum going with a fourth movie in the works for spring 2027.

Sony/Netflix scare up a new Ghostbusters animated movie    

Following last year’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and coinciding with an animated series that’s rumored to be in the works, Sony and Netflix have put a new Kris Pearn-helmed animated feature in the pipeline. 

Moonbug and Lingokids start gaming together 

Moonbug Entertainment has struck a deal with Lingokids to develop and roll out a collection of learning games featuring characters from Blippi (pictured). Designed to teach two- to eight-year-olds vocabulary, logic and emotional intelligence using Lingokids’ educational methodology, this partnership marks the first time Lingokids is bringing a third-party IP into its Lingokids app. 

Bluey to be featured in Disney cruises and parks

BBC Studios’ preschool phenom Bluey will set sail later this month on Disney Cruise Line voyages originating from Australia and New Zealand, featuring meet-and-greets with Bluey and her sister Bingo, as well as a scavenger hunt game that ends in a dance party. The blue heeler pup will also make her way to Disneyland Resort in California and Walt Disney World Resort in Florida later this year. 

The Toy Association hires tariff lobbying firm

The Toy Association has hired lobbying firm Ballard Partners to explain its position on tariffs to Donald Trump. Tariff proposals announced by the US president-elect in December would cause toy prices to skyrocket in North America, given that 77% of the market’s products currently come from China. The Toy Association estimates that pricetags for family board games could go up to US$39 and smaller plush products to US$27. 

Party City goes bankrupt 

Despite coming out of a previous bankruptcy filing last year, Party City’s US business has shut down all of its 800 stores, with CEO Barry Litwin informing employees that December 20 was their last day of employment. Party City’s Canadian locations, which are owned and run by Canadian Tire, are unaffected by the stateside closures.

Sony becomes the largest stakeholder in Kadokawa 

Sony has agreed to acquire a 10% stake in Japanese manga publisher and game-maker Kadokawa later this week. As part of the agreement, Sony will adapt Kadokawa’s IPs into new films and anime series co-pros, as well as expanding the global distribution of its anime and manga catalogue.

TAG has voted to ratify its new contract 

Members of the Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) voted in favor of ratifying the 2024-2027 Animation Guild Master Agreement on December 23. Per the guild, 76.1% of voting members chose to accept the deal’s terms, which include wage increases and AI protections for members. AI was a decisive issue during the vote.

Streamers get a court reprieve from paying for Canadian content

One of Canada’s highest courts, the Federal Court of Appeal, has ruled that major streamers including Netflix and Disney+ won’t have to adhere to media regulator CRTC’s mandate to start contributing to a Canadian content production fund until it hears the streamers’ case appealing of the regulation. 

Ontario’s Ministry of Labour investigates MrBeast set 

The Ontario Ministry of Labour has opened an investigation into an industrial accident on the Toronto set of YouTuber MrBeast’s Prime Video competition series Beast Games (which is already the subject of a class-action lawsuit), after a worker was injured by falling wood on September 11. Blink49 Studios and Manhattan Beach Studios are both part of the investigation.