EXCLUSIVE: Laika, the animation studio that has scored six Oscar nominations for its stop-motion films including Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls and Kubo and Two Strings since its founding in 2005, will be honored with the Gotham Anniversary Tribute at this year’s Gotham Film Awards.

The tribute commemorates Laika’s 20 years of storytelling and the release of Wildwood, its newest film, which hits theaters October 23 via Fathom Entertainment. The pic will have its world premiere at the London Film Festival October 11 and 10 days later serve as the opening-night film at AFI Fest.

It marks the first tribute award revealed for the 36th annual Gothams, put on by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, which take place this year November 20 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

“After 20 years of pushing the boundaries of modern cinema and animation, this moment feels like both a celebration and an evolution for Laika,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director of the institute, which earlier this year teamed with the animation studio to launch Laika x Gotham Animation Accelerator for creators working on animated short films. “With Wildwood, Laika’s most ambitious film to date, and the launch of Laika Live Action opening up new creative territory, the studio continues to expand the possibilities of what handcrafted storytelling can be. We can think of no more fitting honoree for this year’s Anniversary Tribute, and we’re thrilled to welcome the Laika team to celebrate with us.”

Travis Knight, Laika’s president and CEO, directs Wildwood, which was written by Chris Butler based on Colin Meloy’s novel. It centers on headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), who after her baby brother is abducted by a murder of crows launches with her hapless but loyal classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay) a rescue mission into the Impassable Wilderness — an enchanted forest hidden just beyond Portland, OR.

It voice cast also includes Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Angela Bassett, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits and Richard E. Grant.

“We’re deeply honored that The Gotham is recognizing Laika at a moment when we’re celebrating two decades of filmmaking and bringing Wildwood to audiences,” said David Burke, Laika’s Chief Marketing & Operations Officer. “Our partnership on the Laika x Gotham Animation Accelerator reflects something we care deeply about: creating meaningful opportunities for bold new voices to push animation forward. We’re grateful to The Gotham for this recognition and for a partnership grounded in a shared belief in original, ambitious storytelling.”

More Gotham tributes will be rolled out throughout the fall, with nominations in the 10 competition Gotham Awards categories to be revealed October 27.

With Stranger Things coming to an end, both series’ creators/executive producers The Duffer Brothers and director/executive producer Shawn Levy are moving on by setting up shop elsewhere.

Following the Duffer Brothers’ massive film and TV overall deal at Paramount, Levy and his 21 Laps Entertainment have signed a big multi-year overall deal with 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios, where he will develop and produce series across Disney Entertainment’s portfolio of platforms and brands.

“Shawn has a rare ability to tell stories that are wildly entertaining and deeply human, something he’s brought to Disney across two decades,” said Dana Walden, President and Chief Creative Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “He moves effortlessly across genres and franchises with a remarkable sense of what captures audiences and inspires passionate fandom. He’s an incredible storyteller and a true creative partner of the highest caliber, and we are thrilled to be building this next chapter together.”

Disney and Levy have an existing relationship on the film side. He directed and co-wrote Marvel Studios’ blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine and is directing Lucasfilm’s upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling. He is also reteaming with Gosling on Marvel Studios’ Ghost Rider movie.

Early in his career, Levy directed the Disney Channel series The Famous Jett Jackson and later produced Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day for Walt Disney Pictures.

“Years before I directed movies, I started my career directing and producing television episodes for Disney Channel, and I’ve always felt a kindred spirit in Disney and their storytelling ethos,” Levy said. “Having worked with Dana Walden over the years when we were both at Fox, I know her to be a formidable, smart and authentic person, not to mention a force of nature as an executive. Coupled with the amazing Debra OConnell, Disney Television has such an exciting era ahead, and I’m enthusiastic and inspired to produce the next wave of 21 Laps television series with the entire Disney team. I know from experience the passionate creative DNA of this place, and it honestly just feels like home.”

Levy also acknowledged the leadership at Netflix where he spent more than a decade.

“I will forever cherish the incredible ride 21 Laps has had with Netflix,” he said. “I am deeply grateful to Ted, Bela, Jinny and the many talented Netflix execs with whom we have worked over the years and, of course, look forward to continuing our collaboration on the Stranger Things universe from the Duffer Brothers.”

The animated Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 just returned for a second season with at least one other offshoot series waiting for a green light at Netflix.

Previously, Levy directed 20th Century Studios’ Free Guy, the multi-film franchise The Night at the Museum and Cheaper by the Dozen. He is repped by WME, Wendy Kirk of Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.

The Trump White House is defending spending taxpayer dollars to run a series of ads that have drawn criticism on both sides of the aisle as they resemble campaign spots.

In fact, an ad featuring Trump that ran over the weekend is nearly the same as one that he posted on social media in 2023, as he was campaigning for a return to the presidency. The ad that ran over the weekend features the message, “Paid for by the U.S. Government.” The spot he posted in 2023 features the Turmp campaign logo.

In the spot from the weekend and from his campaign, Trump says that “this is the final battle. With you at my side, we will demolish the deep state. We will expel the warmongers from our government. We will drive out the globalists. We will cast out the communists, marxists and fascists. We will throw off the sick political class that hates our country. We will rout the fake news media and we will liberate America from these villains, once and for all.”

Steven Cheung, White House communications director, posted on X on Sunday, “Don’t let the Fake News get away with their lies about our epic Public Service Announcements that have been running on tv.”

But there has been criticism from both parties. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) said that “you can’t spend public money to promote yourself.” He added that “I may end up with a sombrero on my head, but I also think that we ought to have a rule that no politician can have a building named after him while he’s alive.”

Kennedy’s reference to a sombrero was to Trump pushing out a deepfake video last fall of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Trump also has sought to put his name on the Kennedy Center, even though Congress designated it as a memorial to the late president.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) posted on X, “Don’t worry, using taxpayer dollars to run ominous campaign ads of the President has been done before and is completely legal… in banana republics.”

About $319,000 has been spent on the spot, according to the AP, citing figures from AdImpact.

Two other spots began running last week.

The White House sent out a release on Friday contending that the spots “are very clearly not campaign ads; President Trump is not on the ballot and there is no call to action. Instead, the announcements are a reminder for Americans to love their country and know why it’s worth defending — at home, at the border, and abroad.”

Federal law bars appropriations from being used for “publicity or propaganda” purposes, but there has been some leeway for the use of taxpayer money for public service announcements on specific issues. The White House pointed to spots by the Obama administration to promote the Affordable Care Act and the Biden administration to spread the word about the Covid vaccine. But the latest Trump spot is centered on Trump himself, not a single issue, and largely mirrors the previous campaign ad.

Margaret Dylus-Yukins, legal counsel for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, said in a statement, “Federal law prohibits taxpayer resources from being used for the benefit of a candidate, political party or public official. These ads almost entirely revolve around President Trump, who is not a candidate, but who has told voters to act as if he is on the ballot in November. The latest ad is a complete republication of a 2024 Trump campaign ad, and the earlier ad echoes themes and messages that Republicans are pushing this election; neither has any apparent connection to any federal program or service.”

She added, “At a minimum, this is an appalling abuse of taxpayer dollars, particularly when hundreds of millions of private dollars are already flowing into U.S. elections—and Trump has personally helped raise enormous sums from wealthy special interests for a super PAC devoted to advancing his political agenda.”