Film Production
Splash and assemblage entertainment begin production on norm of the north sequel
MUMBAI: Assemblage Entertainment, the feature-film focused CGI animation studio has begun production on the sequel of 2016 theatrical feature film Norm of the North, along with Splash Entertainment, Lionsgate and Dream Factory In many first-of-its times, it is unprecedented that an independent animated feature from India is greenlit for a sequel to be watched by global audiences in 2018.
Norm of the North, a 2016 animated comedy-adventure film was directed by Trevor Wall, with voices by Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong and Bill Nighy. It was co-produced by Splash Entertainment, Assemblage Entertainment and Telegael, and distributed by Lionsgate in North America.
The film released theatrically in North Americaon January 15, 2016 opening in over 2,400 theatres. Norm also was released theatrically in over 70 territories around the world.
Thissequel brings together, yet again, the longstanding and dynamic partnership between two animation industry leaders, Mike Young and Madmax (AK Madhavan), renowned to have opened the shores of the Indian animation industry with the successful Emmy and BAFTA Award winning show Jakers! The Adventure of Piggley Winks in 2003.
Mike Young’s Splash Entertainment is a leading independent animation studio and Distribution Company based in Los Angeles, and is an innovator, developer and producer of many original animated television series and movies.
Assemblage Entertainment, in a short span of time, has delivered two full length feature films, Norm of the North, and Blinky Bill – The Movie distributed by Studio Canal. It is currently delivering its third full length 3D stereoscopic theatrical feature film scheduled for a wide release in 2018 by Open Road Films.
Assemblage recently also worked on DreamWorks’ Trollhunters – a Netflix Original Series by legendary filmmakerGuillermo del Toro.Trollhunters received wide global acclaim and won multiple Emmy and Annie awards.
Set up in 2013 and headquartered in Mumbai, Assemblage boasts of an award winning team 250 people including technocrats, artists and production professionals with several years of collective experience in creating world-class animation productions with major Hollywood studios and independent production companies.
Founded by industry veteran AK Madhavan, or Madmax, as he is fondly known, is recognized in the business of media, film and entertainment as the one accredited to opening the doors of Indian animation industry to the global markets. Over the last 17 years, Max has built a strong reputation of credibility and quality in the animation industry.
Assemblage is currently also developing its own original content in collaboration with various Hollywood content creators and producers.
Film Production
Arka Mediaworks onboards 88 Pictures as animation studio partner on ‘The Eternal War – Part 1’
Arka Mediaworks announces that 88 Pictures, the acclaimed animation and visual storytelling studio known for its cutting-edge CGI and cinematic artistry, is on board as the animation partner for the highly anticipated Baahubali: The Eternal War, a groundbreaking two-part 3D animated feature film set in the globally beloved Baahubali universe.
Baahubali: The Eternal War represents a bold new chapter in the Baahubali saga envisioned for national and international audiences and crafted with the ambition of delivering one of India’s most ambitious and globally benchmarked animation projects to date.
88 Pictures will execute the animation production, bringing to life the film’s richly detailed worlds, epic battle sequences, and larger-than-life characters with its signature blend of artistic vision, performance-driven animation, and advanced production pipelines. Working closely with the film’s creative leadership and technical partners, the studio aims to set new benchmarks in animation quality, cinematic storytelling, and global scalability.
This animated epic follows the successful re-release of Baahubali: The Epic (the combined theatrical version of the original live-action films) on 31 October 2025 across India and the USA. During the film’s interval, legendary creator and director S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, RRR) stunned audiences with a surprise teaser for The Eternal War – Part 1. The video immediately went viral, garnering widespread national and international acclaim across LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for its ambitious visual style and scale.
Produced by Arka Mediaworks and led by co-founder and CEO Shobu Yarlagadda – producer of the iconic Baahubali duology, The Eternal War brings together fantastic storytelling and cutting-edge animation.. The film is directed and written by acclaimed animation filmmaker Ishan Shukla (Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, Star Wars: Visions – “The Bandits of Golak”) and screenplay by Scott Mosier (The Grinch). Mihira Visual Labs, the studio co-founded by Yarlagadda anchors the film’s animation, visual development, and execution.
The partnership with 88 Pictures brings significant pedigree to the project; the studio is well-regarded for its work on high-profile international titles including DreamWorks’ series Trollhunters, the HBO Max original series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Disney’s animated short An Almost Christmas Story to name a few.
Yarlagadda shared, “We are happy to onboard 88 Pictures as the animation studio partner for our prestigious and most expensive animated film from India. We believe that their expertise and capabilities will allow us to produce a first-of-its-kind, world-class animated feature film from India.”
88 Pictures founder & CEO Milind D. Shinde said, “Baahubali changed the way cinema is perceived and became a defining milestone that turned the tide for Indian live-action filmmaking. Expanding the franchise into an entirely new universe—at a never-seen, never-done scale—through an animated feature created in India for a global audience is set to redefine how the world views Indian animation. We are truly thrilled to be part of this landmark project and to bring it to life under the visionary direction of Ishan Shukla, guided by the experience and leadership of acclaimed producer Shobu Yarlagadda.”
Shukla expressed, “Eternal War requires a level of visual and emotional precision that can only come from teams who truly understand both craft and intent. Working with 88 Pictures, alongside Mihira Visual Labs, has been a deeply collaborative experience. This association brings together technical excellence and creative sensitivity, enabling us to translate an ambitious vision into a compelling cinematic reality.”
Baahubali: The Eternal War – Part 1 is scheduled for release in 2027
