Ankama's new film titled Dragon Princess will tell the story of a girl raised by dragons who goes on a journey to the world of humans. Now, the film has taken one step closer to being released, as international sales and co-production company Pulsar Content has purchased the worldwide sales rights for the film.
The prominence of Japanese animation and the emergence of thriving VOD markets has resulted in a landscape of movie fans eager for new animated feature titles from around the world. Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train is an example of this development, as it grossed the strongest opening weekend for a foreign film in domestic box office history upon its release last April. International animation companies have continued to thrive elsewhere, as Irish studio Cartoon Saloon has secured deals with Apple TV Plus and Netflix for Wolfwalkers and My Father's Dragon, respectively.
Ankama, which previously collaborated with anime company Studio 4°C on the adult animated film Mutafukaz, has released a trailer for Dragon Princess that reveals the film's Ghibliesque art style as well as its prudent mix of 2D and 3D animation. The film, which is directed Jean-Jacques Denis and Ankama co-founder Anthony Roux, was released in France last December and is currently preparing for an international release with Pulsar Content, per Variety. The French-language trailer provided below does not have English subtitles at this time.
Foreign animation is projected to continue thriving throughout 2022. Mamoru Hosoda's Belle releases in US theaters this weekend and is widely speculated to be in contention for a Best Animated Feature nomination at the next Academy Awards. Gkids has dated another anime film, The Deer King, for domestic theatrical release on Thursday, March 31st, while Cartoon Saloon's next film, My Father's Dragon, is slated to be released by Netflix later this year.
Dragon Princess may be a small release when compared to the heavyweights produced each year by Disney and Dreamworks, but the purchase of its sales rights by Pulsar Content is a statement of confidence that the film may have something special to share with audiences. Here's hoping audiences are persuaded to give the film a chance upon the its eventual international release, whether in theaters or on the booming VOD and streaming markets.
Dragon Princess was produced by Ankama.
Source: Variety