Welcome to the latest highlights in the world of animation! From Marvel’s X-Men ‘97 to The Casagrandes Movie, there are some exciting projects to look forward to this March. In this monthly column, we’ll take a closer look at some of the top premium animation offerings available for teens and adults on streaming platforms and direct-to-video releases.

Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate (March 1)

Back in 2010, DreamWorks Animation scored big with the alien supervillain comedy Megamind, featuring the voice talents of Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Brad Pitt. While other successful franchises like How To Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda emerged, a Megamind sequel never materialized. However, Peacock is set to change that with the release of a Megamind sequel and a series continuing the adventures of the super-brained former villain.

Both projects are set to debut on the streamer on March 1st. Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate is written by the screenwriters of the 2010 film, Alan Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, and directed by veteran animation director, Eric Fogel (Celebrity Deathmatch, Daria). The series, Megamind Rules!, is executive produced by the trio.

In an interview with Paste, Simons revealed that they had been discussing potential sequel ideas 15 years ago while working on the original film, but a sequel never materialized until recently. The decision to create a movie followed by an ongoing series was the result of extensive discussions.

Bringing a CG animation sequel to life more than a decade later presented both opportunities and challenges. While the quality and affordability of computer animation have improved significantly since 2010, matching theatrical animation standards on a smaller screen budget remains a significant task. Fogel expressed his nervousness about the visual challenges but emphasized the team’s efforts to seamlessly approximate the look of the original film, leveraging technological advancements and original assets while adapting to the changes in technology.