First Look: Studio Voronezh Unveils Its Cool New Family Feature, ‘Arctic Heroes’
Voronezh Animation Studio (formerly known as Wizart Animation) has been producing popular CG-animated features for the whole family since 2007. The studio gained global recognition through The Snow Queen franchise, whose five films were released in 150-plus countries and grossed over $100 million. The success of The Snow Queen became the studio’s calling card, demonstrating the studio’s ability to create high-quality content that resonates with audiences worldwide. The franchise’s fifth part, The Snow Queen and the Princess, is ranked among the top-five highest-grossing releases abroad in 2024, having recently premiered in Greece and Vietnam.
“Our core expertise lies in producing high-quality CGI animation for the international market, with a focus on family content and technological innovation,” says writer-producer Vladimir Nikolaev. “We develop feature films, series, and streaming platform content that blends original storytelling with cutting-edge 3D technology. All our projects feature meticulously crafted characters, dynamic narratives, and universal themes (friendship, family, ecology).”
The studio’s latest project is Arctic Heroes, an exciting new adventure centered on the discovery of a living, intelligent baby mammoth in the North Pole region, directed by Alexey Zamyslov, “The film’s concept has been evolving over four years gradually transforming from an abstract vision into a concrete story.” says Nikolaev. “The plot centers on a living baby mammoth discovered in an artificial cryogenic vault on Wrangel Island. When a fanatical scientist attempts to clone it, the schoolkids intervene, discovering the mammoth is intelligent. The heroes help it escape and embark on an Arctic journey to uncover the secret of its origin. This adventure film carries a globally relatable message about valuing the real world and friendship, while promoting themes of nature conservation and cultural respect.”
Nikolaev points out that the movie’s unique Arctic setting truly distinguishes it from other family fare. “The story immerses the audience in a mesmerizing world where endless snowscapes coexist with advanced technology — a perfect background for stories about courage, solidarity and support,” he notes. “Our Snow Queen franchise proved international audiences’ fascination with winter settings. The Arctic environment will contrast with technological elements: nuclear icebreakers, research stations, and high-tech gadgets. For instance, the icebreaker’s mascot — a ginger cat named Immanuel Quant – will be a talking character whose thoughts are vocalized through a special device. While the Arctic seems distant and mysterious to most, our film will invite audiences to explore this romantic, captivating world through charismatic animals and characters!”
A Plea for Compassion and Friendship
The producer says he and the team wanted to highlight the main heroes’ transformation, as the they are portrayed as ordinary teenagers spending their days in the virtual world and just playing computer games in the beginning of the movie. “Later, they together embark on a journey from virtual to real life, filled with adventures and revelations, during which they will understand the value of true friendship,” says Nikoleav. “These true values and priorities are vital in all our studio’s projects and their international releases just prove that they are common all over the world.”
The animation veteran also mentions that that the global appeal of Arctic Heroes is based on the story’s strong values like family, friendship and compassion, as well as the magical and charming animals and amazing animation quality.
A prior deal with Film Medya Produksiyon secured the film’s theatrical release in Turkey. Studio partners highly praised its international potential. Serdar Temeltaş, president of Film Medya Produksiyon noted, “The movie will impress people with its adventurous, exciting story involving science and technology, and cute characters. We think that there will be a sequel like the Snow Queen movies. I think there is a special interest in winter-themed films…We have recently released winter-themed films in Turkey, such as Arctic Dogs or Masha and the Bear 5, which have achieved high box office figures in cinemas. We hope that it will be a film that people will enjoy watching over and over again.”
The Friendly Doctor Is In
In addition to the new Arctic Heroes movie, the studio has started the production process on the second season of the teen-targeting series The Steel Family. “The first season’s reception was outstanding,” says Nikolaev. “The series received wide recognition from the audience and proved captivating for the whole family. We’re also developing the feature film Dr. Paws, following the adventures of a kind-hearted veterinarian who finds out about an animal epidemic in Africa and travels there by hot-air balloon to help the animals. It’s inspired by the story of Doctor Dolittle — a doctor who understands animals and embarks on a dangerous journey to save them but with an original accent. The feature will be based on the classic poetry book published in 1929, but the story remains contemporary and reflect the modern world. Such an adventure-comedy premise, along with cute and colorful animal characters, always resonate with international audiences.”
“The success of our projects like Sheep and Wolves and The Snow Queen with the wide range of diverse animals demonstrate the studio’s ability to bring complex, emotional animal images to life on screen — both in comedies and dramatic, emotional moments,” Nikolaev concludes. “The global love for franchises like Madagascar and Zootopia only confirms that stories about animals with vivid personalities and humanistic values invariably resonate with the audience of all ages. Therefore, we foresee strong international potential for this project as well!”
The article is available in Animation Magazine via the link.