LCJ Q&A Podcast

We've all heard the phrase, "two ships passing in the night". A new animated short, which is qualified for the Best Animated Short Film Oscar this year and is vying for consideration, takes that phrase and presents it in emotional ways. McKinley Benson, Mackenzie Benson and Disney Legend Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel) join me to discuss "Two Ships"... and a little bit on "The Little Mermaid".

The iconic Chuck E. Cheese is getting the animated holiday special treatment. "A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas" premieres this Thursday Nov. 27 on Prime Video and YouTube. Annie winner Zac Moncrief and Emmy winner Jon Colton Barry join me for a chat about the look, the story, the songs, working with star Nathan Kress ("iCarly") and hopes for more adventures in the "CEC" animation space.

Four-time Academy Award nominee and BAFTA and Caesar Awards winner Sylvain Chomet (director of "The Triplets of Belleville" and "The Illusionist") joins me to discuss his latest animated feature, "A Magnificent Life", about French playwright, poet and filmmaker Marcel Pagnol. It opens in select theaters for an awards-qualifying run this Friday Nov. 21 and will officially release in North America o...

New one-hour holiday special "A PAW Patrol Christmas" premieres Friday Nov. 28 at 8pm on CBS. Executive Producer Laura Clunie, who also serves as Senior VP of Development, Current Series & Feature Film at Spin Master, shares highlights of this new adventure, plus more holiday treats for "PAW" fans, and a preview of next summer's theatrical "Dino Movie".

"Prep & Landing: The Snowball Protocol" is the third half-hour special in the beloved, Emmy-winning animated franchise. It premieres Thursday Nov. 27 at 7pm on Disney Channel, Friday Nov. 28 on Disney+, and Sunday Nov. 30 at 9pm on ABC. Executive Producers Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton discuss the lasting impact of "P&L", including this new adventure.

Academy Award winners Michael Govier and Will McCormack (of 2020's "If Anything Happens, I Love You") discuss their new animated Short "All Heart", which is vying for awards consideration this season. It's a drama about a father in mourning and his special connection to a young man.

Following-up the success of feature film "Merry Little Batman" is the new series "Bat-Fam". 10 episodes of animated adventures of Bruce Wayne and his son Damian premiere Monday Nov. 10 on Prime Video. Executive Producer and Showrunner Mike Roth talks working with Luke Wilson, pleasing the Bat-Fans, and seeing Tim Burton and Michael Keaton's first collab in theaters.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Emmy-nominated for "The Queen's Gambit" and star of "Love Actually" and "The Maze Runner" franchise) lends his voice to racecar driver mouse Ed in the new Viva Kids animated feature "Grand Prix of Europe", which opens in theaters this Friday Nov. 7.

Steve Hudson has directed the new animated feature "Stitch Head", based on the book series, which opens in theaters on Wednesday Oct. 29. He discusses the visuals, working with star Asa Butterfield, and the film's classic inspirations.

Three-time Emmy-winner Margo Martindale ("Justified", "The Americans") and Independent Spirit Awards nominee Maitreyi Ramakrishnan ("Never Have I Ever", "Freakier Friday") discuss their voice roles in "The Twits". The new CG animated feature adaptation of Roald Dahl's iconic book debuts this Friday Oct. 17 on Netflix.

"The Chosen Adventures" is a new animated family series installment in popular "The Chosen" franchise. It premieres this Friday Oct. 17 on Prime Video. Showrunner Ryan Swanson discusses the meaning and emotion behind the program, which features the voices of Jonathan Roumie, Paul Walter Hauser and Yvonne Orji.

Derek Kolstad, the creator of "John Wick", is now the showrunner of animated action series "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Deathwatch". The video game adaptation premieres this Tuesday Oct. 14 on Netflix. Kolstad shares many cinematic inspirations for the show, insights on working with star Liev Schreiber, and reflections on the success of the "JW" franchise.

Ready for a fairy tales twist? "The Sisters Grimm" showrunner Amy Higgins and fellow EP Michael Buckley (who also wrote the books) discuss their new AppleTV+ animated series, which premieres Friday October 3rd.

A popular DreamWorks Animation series is coming to the big screen. Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie opens in theaters nationwide this Friday September 26th. Director Ryan Crego shares highlights of making the charming and ambitious live-action/CG feature, which is one of the fall movie season's major family events.

Creator Matt Roller welcomes you to "Haunted Hotel", starring Will Forte and executive produced by Dan Harmon. The adult animated series that makes the most of ghosts (with laughs and scares) premieres Friday September 19th on Netflix.

Dr. Seuss: an iconic author and iconic brand when it comes to film and television. Three new animated programs are coming to Netflix this fall — Red Fish Blue Fish (Sept. 8), Horton! (Oct. 6) and The Sneetches (Nov. 3). Two-time Emmy winning executive producer Dustin Ferrer (Peg+Cat) discusses all of them.

Dete Meserve is the executive producer of highly anticipated new PBS Kids animated series "Weather Hunters", starring Al Roker. It premieres this Monday September 8th. Meserve and I discuss the show — and the lasting impact of the 2012 Richard Linklater film "Bernie", which she produced. The forecast is: Fun!

Directors John J. Schafer and Tom Bancroft present the new hand-drawn animated feature Light of the World, which opens in theaters on September 5th (John's birthday). They hope audiences, especially families, respond well to their portrayal of the story of Christ, successfully made outside the major studio system.

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen are the creators and EPs of "Shape Island", the Emmy-winning and Annie Awards nominated stop-motion animation family comedy series. It returns for Season 2 this Friday Aug. 29 on AppleTV+.

Director Genndy Tartakovsky's longtime passion project, the raunchy R-rated, Sony Pictures Animation comedy "Fixed", is finally here. You can check it out now on Netflix. But first... here's a fun new conversation with three of its voice actors — Adam Devine, Beck Bennett and River Gallo.

Sean Coyle and James Eason-Garcia discuss the characters, visuals and inspirations of new animated series "Marvel's Iron Man and His Awesome Friends", premiering Monday August 11th on Disney Jr. and Tuesday August 12th on Disney+.

Seth Worley is the director of the new adventure dramedy "Sketch", in theaters nationwide on Wednesday August 6th. Worley discusses the origins of the story, working with star Tony Hale, and the film's unique animated characters.

Join me and Sam Dransfield for a 'Dinogalactic' conversation as we discuss his new Nickelodeon animated family series "Tim Rex in Space", premiering Monday Aug. 4.

Get ready for the start of 40 new wild adventures on "The Wonderfully Weird World of Gumball", from executive producers Ben Bocquelet, Erik Fountain and Matt Layzell. It premieres next Monday July 28th on Hulu.

Academy Award nominee Chris Miller appeared on Episode #2 of The LCJ Q&A Podcast in 2011 for the release of his DreamWorks feature Puss in Boots. He returns to the animation director's chair for Paramount's Smurfs, which is now playing in theaters nationwide. Just a few hours after I saw the film, we reconnected for a conversation about how working on this adventure 'blue' him away.