Spike & Mike’s Animation Extravaganza Returns
Spike and Mike's Festival Of Animation brought animated shorts to the big screen, in a touring program from 1977 until the early 2000's. Now, nearly 20 years later the brand is being revived by Skybound Entertainment (Invincible) as Spike and Mike’s Animation Extravaganza. Over the years, Spike and Mike have championed the wildest and most daring animated shorts, giving a platform to the fearless animators that would go on to shake up the industry. Their festivals featured the early work of future animation icons like Pete Docter, Mike Judge, Tim Burton, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and more.
The 2025 line-up marks the festival's triumphant return after nearly two decades. It will celebrate the audacious spirit that made it legendary for almost 40 years. Hosted by YouTubers Jaiden Animations and Ross O'Donovan (a.k.a. Rubber Ninja), the 90-minute thrill-ride will feature a mix of retro 70s and 80's animation. along with new shorts, and quirky live-action segments.
Skybound received hundreds of submissions from animators across North America, from which the judges selected 24 films to be part of the inaugural edition of the revived festival. These 24 shorts, along with festival favourites and hidden gems from the vaults, will take audiences on a wild journey, showcasing the possibilities of animation. With humour, horror, whimsy and the totally unexpected, the new selection honours the festival's storied past, while offering a glimpse of the daring and bizarre future of animation.
“Spike and Mike was my crash course in just how weird and wonderful animation could be,” said Chelsea Harfoush, Executive Producer of Spike & Mike’s Animation Extravaganza. “This lineup captures the irreverent and delightfully offbeat spirit that made the festival legendary. Being part of the team to help bring it back to theatres feels surreal in the best way, as we can’t wait for audiences to relive the nostalgia, experience these films in theatres, and discover the next generation of animation visionaries.”
The festival will run from October 31-November 2 exclusively at Regal. You can find particpating locations and get your tickets from here.
A sampling of what you'll see at the show includes:
NEW SHORTS
• Baloney Beacon, dir. Max Landman—A godlike alien hungers for exotic delicacies from the deepest reaches of space in this stop-motion animated film made entirely with balloons.
• Beautiful Day, dir. Max Johnson—A phlegm-spitting, bone-cracking, mind-bending man experiences a body falling apart on a beautiful day in this mixed-media animated short and music video.
• Danse Macabre, dir. Dawn Brown—Skeletons rise from the grave to frolic under the full moon in tribute to Disney’s classic The Skeleton Dance.
• Debt & Misgivings, dir. by Conor Cole, DJ Garcia, & Maya Ash Buttmaggot—Two bounty hunters fight tooth and nail to pay their rent and feed their lizard in a world ruled by mischief and self-interest.
• Detektive Thumb and the Infinity House, dir. Preston King—A detective encounters a house that devours him alive.
• Doodlepops, dir. Loserville Animation Studios—A couple celebrates a birthday at a restaurant that really loves to celebrate birthdays.
• Heart-Ache, dir. Sam Grinberg—A man faces the choice between lust and love.
• Ludo, dir. Mélissa Navarro—After killing a monster to save her baby brother, Andrea is haunted years later by a familiar sound.
• Overnight, dir. Chenglin Xie—An overworked clerk begins to have hallucinations linked to his own death.
• Sarge Unboxes a Flamethrower, dir. Matt Somma—Sarge and the boys unbox a new flamethrower with chaotic results.
• Sharkbaby, dir. Steven Shea (Abyssmal Entertainment)—A mother granted the miracle of conception discovers the true essence of existence.
• The Scramble, dir. Angelina Retodo—A ninja chef embarks on a quest to find a rare dragon egg and cook the ultimate omelet, encountering mysterious obstacles along the way.
• What the Heck?, dir. Del Agnew—A man contemplates his life in his room when something completely unexpected occurs.
SPIKE & MIKE VAULT FAVORITES, NEWLY UNEARTHED
• Boby Le Zombie, dir. Loïc Guetat—Boby is a friendly zombie trying to make a date go right, but his delicate constitution turns romance into nightmare.
• Cox + Combes' Washington, dir. Brad Neely—A whimsical retelling of the story of the first president.
