Sony Pictures Animation Announces 2017-2018 Slate Including Spider-Man, Hotel Transylvania 3, More

Sony Pictures Animation has announced its full film and TV slate for 2017 and 2018 Monday afternoon in a press release. The production company has a packed two years, with plenty of franchise films in the mix.

The moves are part of major ramping up of SPA that is planning on releasing five movies through 2018 while also producing three TV series (including the Ghostbusters show) and one direct-to-video.
The new slate is the work of Kristine Belson, who took over the top spot of SPA in January 2015.

“We are meaningfully stepping up our level of production, while creating an environment that fosters the best talent,” Belson said Monday in a statement. “Our goal is to enlarge our presence in the animation landscape with a uniquely diverse slate, and our strategy to get there is to let artists drive the movies creatively.”

Perhaps the most anticipated movie on SPA's slate is the animated Spider-Man, set for release on Dec. 21, 2018. The project has a script by Phil Lord, half the Lego Movie team that also includes partner Chris Miller. The two also are producing with Avi Arad and Amy Pascal.
The company was mum on rumors that the new film will focus on Miles Morales, the character that is half-black and half-Hispanic who was introduced several years ago as a new Spider-Man.

Tartakovsky helmed the first two installments of the Transylvania series, which proved hits with audiences and gave SPA a franchise to call its own.
“I thought I was done exploring the world of Hotel Transylvania after the first two films, but while I was away from the franchise finishing my TV show Samurai Jack, an idea sparked that I got really excited about and made it irresistible to return and helm myself this third adventure,” said Tartakovsky.
Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez and Andy Samberg are returning as the respective voices of Dracula, his vampire daughter Mavis and her human husband Johnny in a tale written by Michael McCullers (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me).

First up on the slate, however, is Smurfs: The Lost Village, the first fully animated take on the Peyo-created creatures. (The other Smurfs movies were CGI/live-action hybrids.) Kelly Asbury is directing the feature that is scheduled to be released April 7, 2017, and has Demi Lovato voicing Smurfette.

Next will come Emojimovie: Express Yourself, will offer a surprising and comic take on the secret world of our phones and the beloved characters that have become daily necessities in global interpersonal communication. The feature, targeting anAugust 2017 theatrical release, is directed by Anthony Leondis, produced byMichelle Raimo Kouyate, and written by Anthony Leondis & Eric Siegel.

The Star, formerly titled The Lamb. The latter is a faith-based story about “a small but brave donkey and his animal friends [who] become the unsung heroes of the greatest story ever told, the first Christmas.” DeVon Franklin, a producer who focuses on faith-based movies, as well as Lisa Henson and Brian Henson are executive producing.