Animated characters from The Incredibles movie, wearing red and black superhero suits with the logo, posing against a yellow-orange background.
A cartoon from Home of an alien with big blue eyes and a wide smile sitting in a car seat, with a cat lying on its forehead inside a vehicle, with a landscape visible outside the window.
Animated scene of two male characters, Beavis and Butthead, on a wooden dock. One has blond, curly hair and a blue Metallica t-shirt, the other has brown, spiky hair and a black AC/DC t-shirt, both staring at each other with exaggerated expressions.
Nighttime scene from The Nightmare Before Christmas with Jack Skellington standing on a spiral hilltop against a large, glowing yellow moon, with a row of lit pumpkins at the bottom.
Animated characters from the movie 'Hotel Transylvania' on a roller coaster ride inside a theme park. The characters are smiling and enjoying the ride.
Animated characters from 'The Book of Life' celebrating. Characters are holding swords in a colorful, festive setting with vibrant artwork, against a sunset sky.
A cartoon scene from Big Mouth featuring a yellow monster with blue eyes smiling with its hands on its cheeks, sitting next to a boy with brown hair, large blue eyes, and a goofy expression.
Animated drawing of a gray cat from Fritz the Cat with wide yellow eyes, red nose, small fangs, and wearing a red shirt, set against a yellow background.
The Simpsons family sitting on a purple couch, watching TV, with Homer in the middle, Marge with blue hair on his left, Lisa on his right, Bart behind Lisa, Maggie on Lisa's lap, and Santa's Little Helper dog in front.
Spider-Man in a black and red suit jumping in front of a cityscape with other Spider-Man characters.
A cartoon horse with a human body from 'Bojack Horseman' sitting on a pink chair, holding a smartphone in one hand and a glass of drink in the other, in a modern outdoor setting with buildings and greenery in the background.

Cartoon

Kings

Behind every animated classic is the influence of

The Fleischer Brothers

Cartoon image of Popeye, a sailor with a boater hat and pipe, kicking his leg and swinging his arms while making a fist.
Black and white cartoon image of Koko the Clown and Fitz the Dog. Both are smiling and waving.

synopsis

This is the epic story of the Fleischer brothers, pioneers of the modern animation industry who profoundly influenced many of the world’s top animators. They invented the rotoscope that first made motion lifelike. They were the first to mix live action with animation, and the first to make a sound cartoon. They produced the first feature animation based on an original screenplay. Walt Disney copied them, poached their animators, and became their biggest rival.

While the Disney aesthetic was cheery and reflected his Midwest upbringing, the Fleischer cartoons were surreal, with characters who had a distinctly New York aesthetic. They were funny, edgy, and hugely popular. But at the height of the studio’s success in 1942, Paramount Pictures shut them down and put the brothers out of business, and they never spoke to each other again.

WATCH the sizzle

Featuring

Man sitting on a couch in a cozy living room with natural light, a piano, books, and houseplants in the background.
Man sitting on a couch in a cozy living room with natural light, a piano, books, and houseplants in the background.
A man with long curly hair and a beard sitting at a desk with a computer monitor displaying The Simpsons. The room has a bookshelf with toys and memorabilia, a framed 'San Francisco' poster, and lamps providing warm lighting.
A man with long curly hair and a beard sitting at a desk with a computer monitor displaying The Simpsons. The room has a bookshelf with toys and memorabilia, a framed 'San Francisco' poster, and lamps providing warm lighting.

Peter Ramsey

Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse

David Silverman

The Simpsons

A man wearing a patterned short-sleeve shirt and a baseball cap, sitting at a desk with shelves of files and boxes behind him, gesturing with his hands.
A man wearing a patterned short-sleeve shirt and a baseball cap, sitting at a desk with shelves of files and boxes behind him, gesturing with his hands.
A man with glasses and a black t-shirt sitting on a stool in a room with wooden furniture and a bookshelf in the background.
A man with glasses and a black t-shirt sitting on a stool in a room with wooden furniture and a bookshelf in the background.
A woman sitting on a sofa in a living room, with framed artwork and awards on the wall behind her.
A woman sitting on a sofa in a living room, with framed artwork and awards on the wall behind her.
A man smiling and sitting in a theater, wearing a hat, a black t-shirt with a large graphic.
A man smiling and sitting in a theater, wearing a hat, a black t-shirt with a large graphic.

Yvette Kaplan

Beavis & Butthead

Jorge Gutierrez

The Book of Life

A man with gray hair wearing a black shirt, sitting in a kitchen with white cabinets and a marble backsplash.
A man with gray hair wearing a black shirt, sitting in a kitchen with white cabinets and a marble backsplash.
A man with glasses and a beard sitting in a recording studio with cameras and lights around him, speaking or being filmed.
A man with glasses and a beard sitting in a recording studio with cameras and lights around him, speaking or being filmed.
A man with light brown hair standing in an office or studio space, looking thoughtful, with posters and various office equipment around him.
A man with light brown hair standing in an office or studio space, looking thoughtful, with posters and various office equipment around him.
A man with glasses, a beard, and a patterned bucket hat sitting in a room with multiple monitors, some displaying animations, and audio equipment.
A man with glasses, a beard, and a patterned bucket hat sitting in a room with multiple monitors, some displaying animations, and audio equipment.

Bill Plympton

“King of Indie Animation”

Chris Prynoski

BIG MOUTH

A man with glasses and a gray beard sitting at a desk in a home office, with photo prints on the wall, a computer monitor, a drawing tablet, and a book with open comic strips.
A man with glasses and a gray beard sitting at a desk in a home office, with photo prints on the wall, a computer monitor, a drawing tablet, and a book with open comic strips.
A man with gray hair and a serious expression, sitting at a desk with hands clasped in front of him, in front of a book-filled bookshelf.
A man with gray hair and a serious expression, sitting at a desk with hands clasped in front of him, in front of a book-filled bookshelf.

Syvain Chomet

The Triplets of Belleville

Tom Ruegger

Animaniacs

A man with gray hair and a beard sitting at a desk, looking thoughtful, with a large plant and a bookshelf in the background.
A man with gray hair and a beard sitting at a desk, looking thoughtful, with a large plant and a bookshelf in the background.
A man with glasses and a striped short-sleeve shirt sitting in front of a large bookshelf filled with books and collectibles.
A man with glasses and a striped short-sleeve shirt sitting in front of a large bookshelf filled with books and collectibles.

Brad Bird

The Incredibles

Mike Hollingsworth

BoJack Horseman

Henry Selick

THE Nightmare Before Christmas

Genndy Tartakovsky

Hotel Transylvania

Tim Johnson

Home

Ralph Bakshi

Fritz the Cat

“Cartoon Kings reminds me of why this medium remains so vital and affecting.”

Ken burns

Documentarian

Praise

“There’s something joyful and light in the quality of their animation, a raw vibrancy that feels slightly uncontrolled but very joyful and enthusiastic.”

PETER RAMSEY

Spider-Man, Into the Spider-Verse

“They were trying stuff. They were pushing further than anybody else was pushing.”

CHRIS PRYNOSKI

Big Mouth

“We see the Fleischers’ comedic and aesthetic imprint on everything from classic Hollywood cinema to Loony Tunes cartoons to The Simpsons.”

CARMENITA HIGGENBOTHAM

Dean, Virginia Commonwealth University

“The Fleischer story shines as both an inspiration to today’s filmmakers and as stimulation for the next generation of animated dreamers.”

JERRY BECK

President, ASIFA-Hollywood – International Animated Film Society

Digital illustration of a man with styled gray hair, wearing glasses, and smiling, against a background with a red outer border, a beige oval, and a muted teal shirt.
Digital illustration of a man with styled gray hair, wearing glasses, and smiling, against a background with a red outer border, a beige oval, and a muted teal shirt.

Team

Asaf Galay
Director

is an acclaimed international filmmaker with a passion for stories on Jewish subjects that illuminate the human condition. His most recent documentaries include The Adventures of Saul Bellow (2022), Army of Lovers in the Holy Land (2018), The Hebrew Superhero (2015), and The Muses of Bashevis Singer (2014).

Illustration of a smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing a necklace and earrings, against a circular background with red and yellow sections.
Illustration of a smiling woman with blonde hair, wearing a necklace and earrings, against a circular background with red and yellow sections.

Kathryn Dietz
Producer

has produced numerous award-winning feature documentaries for PBS’ Frontline and American Experience series, including ten hours on Chinese history and biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt and Mary Pickford. She worked with Mr. Galay as an executive producer of his Saul Bellow film.

Illustration of a man with glasses and a beard, wearing a black hoodie, is partially visible in the image which has a red and cream background.
Illustration of a man with glasses and a beard, wearing a black hoodie, is partially visible in the image which has a red and cream background.

Avner Shahaf
Cinematographer

has decades of award-winning experience. His recent work includes Zero Days by Alex Gibney; The Gatekeepers by Dror Moreh, which was nominated for an Oscar; Avenging Evil by Nick Green; The Devil Next Door by Daniel Sivan and Yossi Bloch for Netflix; and Dirty Tricks by Daniel Sivan for Showtime. 

Illustration of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a blue top, set against a circular yellow background with a red outer border.
Illustration of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a blue top, set against a circular yellow background with a red outer border.

Tal Rabiner
Editor

has edited all of the films by Asaf Galay. Her other credits include Jonathan Agassi Saved My Life, Mr. Gaga, Google Baby, and the television series Buried. Her work has been featured at Sundance, IDFA, Berlinale, and Hot Docs. 

Illustration of a smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a navy blue shirt, with a red and cream background.
Illustration of a smiling man with short dark hair, wearing a navy blue shirt, with a red and cream background.

PETER RAMSEY
Executive Producer

began his career as a storyboard artist on several feature films including Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Boyz n the Hood, Minority Report, and Fight Club. He directed DreamWorks Animation’s Rise of the Guardians and was a director on Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. He is currently developing and producing both live action and animated projects for Netflix and Disney Plus.

Logo with the words "POP+POP SHOP" in green, gray, orange, and black text on a yellow background.
Logo with the words "POP+POP SHOP" in green, gray, orange, and black text on a yellow background.

POP+POP SHOP
VFX Studio

is a boutique motion graphics and VFX studio specializing in bespoke, story-driven visuals for film and television. With 15+ years of experience crafting visual identities for 80+ films and series (including Emmy and Cinema Eye–recognized work), they bring a mixed-media, format-agnostic approach to every project. 

STATUS

Award medal with engraved text and a maroon ribbon reading Ken Burns Prize for Film '2024 WINNER'.

We began work on this six episode series nearly seven years ago, with a gap in production during the pandemic. It has grown from a one-hour film for PBS to a six-episode series for multiple platforms in the U.S. and abroad.

The funding to date has come from the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the first prize award for the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film.  

We are now in post production, preparing the first episodes for festivals and getting ready for distribution in 2027.

episodes

1. The Inventor & The Clown

Max has the vision, Dave has the comedic genius, and together they create magical cartoons blending live action with animation – which Walt Disney copies. 

2. Surreal Karaoke

The Fleischers are first to make their cartoon talks, with bouncing ball sing-alongs and New York jazz, experimenting with surreal and sexy content for adults. 

4. Popeye, the Working Class Hero

Spinach turns this scrappy, one-eyed sailor into a superhero, and soon he is the most popular cartoon character in America, ironically triggering the animation industry’s first strike.

3. Betty Boop, THE Pin-Up Girl Next Door

Betty Boop starts out as a part-dog character meant to rival Mickey Mouse, but with a few adjustments she becomes a sexy, independent woman and the Fleischer’s biggest star. 

5. The Battle of the Features

Max and Dave dream of making a cartoon feature to rival Disney’s Snow White, and their Gulliver’s Travels is a hit, but clashes between the brothers, and sky-high debts to Paramount, put their studio at risk.

6. It’s a Bird, it’s a Plane, it’s the End

Superman is a brilliantly rendered comic book hero and wins the Fleischers their first Emmy, but it premieres just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and is a box office flop. Paramount fires Max and Dave and takes ownership of everything.