Iwájú (Disney+ Series)

[Sotiris]

“The acceleration of our success was quite quick,” says Adeola, writer-director of Disney+’s upcoming sci-fi series “Iwájú” and co-founder of Kugali Media. Kugali made the Afrocentric series in collaboration with Disney Animation, the first outside company to do so, and the experience was instructive for Adeola and his young company.

“Disney Animation has been making amazing movies for decades on end, so they have a process and a way of doing things,” says Adeola, CEO of London-based Kugali from its 2017 inception until 2021, when he stepped down to focus on creative endeavors including “Iwájú.” “We were able to learn a lot from that.” Our company is “run by really creative, ambitious, and audacious people,” Adeola says. “I think we brought a lot of our edge and own creative experience to it.”

Adeola nonetheless admits to suffering from imposter syndrome when the project began. “There was still a part of me that identified more as the version of myself as a starving artist,” he says. “There was definitely an element of, ‘Am I up to the task? Can I do the job?,’ that I had to work through.”

Going into it, he saw three potential outcomes for “Iwájú”: the series ending up exactly as he intended, not quite what he pictured, or even better than he could imagine. Happily, the latter outcome turned out to be the case. “One of the cool things about the creative process is that other people can infuse their ideas into what you’re doing and enhance it. This series honors the original vision I had but has evolved it beyond that vision to something I think is even greater,” Adeola says. “I hope this is the beginning of a new wave of African-inspired stories that the world can enjoy.”

Source: https://variety.com/lists/10-animators- ... ki-adeola/

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

If what I read this week is true regarding the new dates for the books of the seires, Iwaju is now delayed until Summer 2024 for its premiere on Disney+

[PatrickvD]

Still wondering who is actually looking forward to this.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

Still wondering who is actually looking forward to this.

I am.

[D82]

Some promotional art:


Source: https://shoptrends.com/catalogsearch/re ... %A1j%C3%BA

[Farerb]

starts streaming February 28:

https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimation/sta ... JKfsQ&s=19

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

starts streaming February 28:

https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimation/sta ... JKfsQ&s=19

So much for your claim that Once Upon A Studio was the eulogy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Walt Disney Company.

And hooray that this series finally is confirmed with a release date.

Now we just need to know who the voice cast is.

[Sotiris]

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ collaboration with Pan-African entertainment company Kugali has culminated in the all-new six-part series “Iwájú,” streams exclusively on Disney+ beginning Feb. 28, 2024. “Iwájú” is an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. The exciting coming-of-age story follows Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. Kugali filmmakers—including director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku—take viewers on a unique journey into the world of “Iwájú,” bursting with unique visual elements and technological advancements inspired by the spirit of Lagos. The series is produced by Disney Animation’s Christina Chen with a screenplay by Adeola and Halima Hudson. “Iwájú” features the voices of Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch, Siji Soetan and Weruche Opia.

Also debuting Feb. 28 on Disney+ is “Iwájú: A Day Ahead,” a documentary special filmed across three continents that shares the story of the founders of the Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, who made their dream a reality creating an original animation series with Walt Disney Animation Studios. Created by the ABC News Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios team that brought you “Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2,” the documentary shows anything is possible when talent meets opportunity. “Iwájú: A Day Ahead” is directed by Megan Harding and executive produced by Amy Astley and Beth Hoppe.

Source: https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disne ... isney-plus

[Kyle]

So much for your claim that Once Upon A Studio was the eulogy of Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Walt Disney Company.

You took that quote far too literally.

[Sotiris]

Explore the World of Kugali’s “Iwájú” with New Merchandise Offerings on shopDisney
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/disney- ... hopdisney/

“Iwájú” Merchandise Comes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/disney- ... se-photos/

“Iwájú” Merchandise Now Available at Disneyland
https://www.laughingplace.com/w/disney- ... isneyland/

The Team Behind ‘Iwájú’ Joked They Wanted to Compete with Disney — and Disney Called with an Offer
https://www.indiewire.com/features/anim ... 234958162/

‘Iwájú’ Director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola Guides Us Through a Future Lagos Full of High-Tech and Tradition
https://www.animationmagazine.net/2024/ ... tradition/

“Iwájú” Makers On New Disney And Kugali Series
https://www.animationscoop.com/intervie ... li-series/

Weaving Through the Fabric of Disney and Kugali’s ‘Iwájú’
https://www.awn.com/animationworld/weav ... galis-iw-j

How the Creators of ‘Iwájú’ Challenged Disney — Then Collaborated With Them
https://www.thewrap.com/iwaju-making-of-disney-plus/

Cinesite Makes History with “Iwájú”
https://www.cinesite.com/cinesite-makes ... on-disney/

Meet the Characters of Disney Animation’s Iwájú
https://d23.com/meet-the-characters-of- ... ons-iwaju/

D23 Inside Disney Episode 208: Inside Iwájú on Disney+
https://d23.com/podcast/d23-inside-disney-episode-208/

Disney Animation/Kugali Series “Iwájú” Makes World Premiere in Lagos, Nigeria
https://press.disneyplus.com/news/disne ... os-nigeria

Disney Animation and Kugali's All New Series Iwájú Makes Its UK Debut in London
https://press.disney.co.uk/news/disney- ... -in-london

[Farerb]

Trailer:
https://youtu.be/mB5efZKWIrU?si=dlXkYPczWnZhs7VI

[Sotiris]

WDAS should be ashamed of releasing a product with such a low level of quality.

[Jules]

I like it! It looks highly original compared to the clichéd CG stuff we get most if the time.

Animation looks pretty good for a streaming series, so hats off to Cinesite. The styling of the film just needed to be a bit more unique.

The oddest thing about this production is that it finds itself on the WDAS filmography when, as I understand it, the studio had minimal involvement.

[PatrickvD]

It doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would. Still not sure what to make of this…

[PatchofBlue]

The animation still looks more plastic than I want, but seeing it in movement reminded me of a slightly more fluid "Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous" on Netflix, which I liked, so that's a reasonable starting point.

[Sotiris]

Poster:
https://twitter.com/DisneyAnimation/sta ... 2937142301

TV spot:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijwhf27lH8A

Featurettes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmLMUdVH3fc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLpuO-UcIgM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrWanvruuNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD7PWOntfAs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLlplyG7ofY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHgoYvH5WF4

Clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99Zrn0vEkY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcbRpTffomo

Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gsq77quDFA

[friendoftheotherside]

I can’t say that I didn’t like the trailer. But I’m still very sad about the characters design. The concept art gave me the impression that Iwaju would have an epic/drama tone. And we’ve got something looking like a kiddie comedy show

[friendoftheotherside]

Iwaju won’t be released globally on the same day. France and Italy will get the series in April 3rd: https://youtu.be/EHsObIdHd_o / https://youtu.be/FUBZqessgt0

Also it was announced a new mobile game inspired by the series: https://youtu.be/aJeWVKUssu4

[PatrickvD]

Disney is really shoving this show in my face on social media. While there’s absolutely zero organic hype for it.

And it looks worse with every ad. Heads should be rolling at WDAS for this.

[D23ExpoVisitor25]

My spoiler-free review of Disney and Kugali’s Iwaju:

In their first-ever long-form series for Disney+, albeit a limited one-season series, #Iwaju’s shockingly a much better original tale of Walt Disney Animation Studios’ than #Wish. Actually well-developed main characters across all 6 episodes of this limited series, from our 2 leads (Tola and Kolè) to the main villain Bodè (sorry Magnifico), to a real exploration and commentary of Lagos, Nigeria that feels like a love letter to it at the same time, an animal character (Otìn) who serves a purpose to the story, and a story that, while w/ shades of #Tangled, #LionKing, #Aladdin, #OliverAndCompany, and #BlackPanther in it, is still its own unique story thanks to this being an effort of collaboration with Kugali Media.

The only flaw this limited series has is while it does its best to feel like a series by focusing on different characters in each episode, each episode being an average of 18-20 minutes long and cutting them off at different points does make it feel like it could’ve been a movie, but oh my god, this story is so well done and far more richer and more filled with depth and layers than most of the other Walt Disney Animation Studios fare from recent years (w/ some exceptions like #MeetTheRobinsons, #ThePrincessAndTheFrog, #Zootopia, #Moana, #Encanto, and #OnceUponAStudio). Please go watch it ASAP because this is a true innovative story for Disney to make in its over 100-year history on par with something like #MeetTheRobinsons and far above the likes of #Wish.

I’m gonna give this limited series a 9 out of 10.

P.S. If you’re not sure if #Iwaju works for you after watching all 6 episodes, perhaps seeing the documentary on it “Iwaju: A Day Ahead” will probably make you more sold on the series after seeing how it all came together & how the crew of this series made sure it was somethin’ unique from past Disney fare you already seen before, thanks to Kugali’s article on kicking Disney’s butt.