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Skydance Animation

From Alfawiki
Skydance Animation, LLC
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAnimation
FoundedMarch 16, 2017; 9 years ago (2017-03-16)
FounderSkydance Media
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
John Lasseter (Head of Animation), Holly Edwards (President), Bruce Anderson (Head of Production)
ProductsAnimated feature films, short films, television series
OwnerParamount Pictures (parent company)
Number of employees
Nearly 900 (mid-2022)
ParentParamount Pictures
Websitewww.skydanceanimation.com

Skydance Animation, LLC is a U.S.-based animation company established on March 16, 2017, functioning as a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. Its main headquarters are located in Los Angeles, with additional offices in Stamford, Connecticut and Madrid, Spain—the latter previously operating under the name Ilion Animation Studios.

The studio debuted with its first feature film, Luck, released on August 5, 2022, through Apple TV+. Its most recent production, Spellbound, premiered on November 22, 2024, via Netflix. Future releases include Swapped and Ray Gunn, both scheduled for 2026, along with untitled projects related to Jack and the Beanstalk and works by Don Hall, all planned for distribution on Netflix.

History

In March 2017, Skydance Media initiated its animation division through a long-term collaboration with Madrid-based Ilion Animation Studios. The company announced its initial two films: Split (2019) and Luck, both set for release by Paramount Pictures. Bill Damaschke was named president of animation and family entertainment in October 2017. By April 2018, Skydance partnered with Paramount Animation to co-produce Luck.

Key directors attached to major projects include Alessandro Carloni (Luck), Vicky Jenson (Spellbound), and Nathan Greno (Swapped). In January 2019, former Pixar and Disney chief creative officer John Lasseter was appointed head of animation, succeeding Damaschke. Although his hiring stirred some controversy, he received considerable internal backing. Following this leadership change, Paramount Animation ended its consulting relationship with Skydance.

Under Lasseter’s direction, the studio grew from a team of 65 to nearly 900 employees by mid-2022. Holly Edwards was elevated to president. Peggy Holmes took over directing duties on Luck, replacing Carloni. In April 2020, Skydance completed the acquisition of Ilion Animation Studios, rebranding it as Skydance Animation Madrid.

June 2020 saw animation industry veteran Shane Prigmore join as SVP of Development to lead creative efforts until his departure for Warner Bros. Pictures Animation in June 2023.

Originally planned for theatrical release by Paramount in 2022, both Luck and Spellbound transitioned to Apple TV+ distribution by early 2021 under a multi-year agreement that also covered television series development such as The Search for WondLa. Showrunner Lauren Montgomery was subsequently replaced by Bobs Gannaway.

Skydance’s first short film, Blush, premiered on Apple TV+ in October 2021. Early in 2022, Brad Bird joined the studio to revive his project Ray Gunn, while Rich Moore signed a multi-year overall deal.

By July 2022, Skydance aimed to produce two feature films annually and inaugurated a new Santa Monica facility completed in November 2023.

In October 2023, Skydance Animation entered into a multi-year agreement with Netflix, concluding its collaboration with Apple. Netflix assumed distribution responsibilities for existing titles including Spellbound, Swapped, and Ray Gunn, whereas WondLa remained under Apple’s purview.

Producer Bruce Anderson was appointed head of production in May 2024 to oversee the studio’s film portfolio. The following month, Don Hall joined to develop an original animated feature. By December 2024 and April 2025 respectively, Cinesite partnered with Skydance Animation to animate upcoming projects such as Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn.

Following the August 7, 2025 merger between Skydance Media and Paramount Global, Skydance Animation is positioned to integrate franchises from Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon while continuing independent operations focused on its Netflix partnership.

Skydance Animation unveiled their initial logo alongside the October 2021 launch of Blush. The comprehensive version of the logo was first showcased with Luck in August 2022. This emblem features the rocket and UFO characters from Blush serving as the studio's mascots, taking off from their home planet and tracing blue and pink streaks to form the logo. The musical fanfare, created by Joy Ngiaw and derived from the Blush score, was brought to life through animation by Skydance Animation Madrid under the direction of animation head John Lasseter. Ngiaw also provided commentary regarding the composition of the studio logo’s music.

Feature films

Films produced by Skydance Animation
Release Title Director(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Composer(s) Distribution Animation
Service(s)
Screenplay by Story by
August 5, 2022 Luck Peggy Holmes
Co-director:
Javier Abad 		style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" Template:N/A John Lasseter
David Ellison
Dana Goldberg
David Eisenmann 		John Debney Apple TV+ Skydance Animation Madrid
Kiel Murray Jonathan Aibel
Glenn Berger
Kiel Murray
November 22, 2024 Spellbound Vicky Jenson
Co-director:
Jorge Blanco 		style="text-align:center;" colspan="2" Template:N/A John Lasseter
David Ellison
Dana Goldberg
Bruce Anderson
Linda Woolverton 		Alan Menken
(score)
Alan Menken
Glenn Slater
(songs) 		Netflix
Lauren Hynek
Elizabeth Martin
Julia Miranda 		Vicky Jenson
Lauren Hynek
Elizabeth Martin

Upcoming films

Films produced by Skydance Animation
Release Title Director(s) Writer(s) Producer(s) Composer(s) Distribution Animation
Service(s) 		Production status Template:Refh
Screenplay by Story by
2026 'Swapped' Nathan Greno John Whittington
Christian Magalhaes
Robert Snow 		John Whittington
Adam Karp
Christian Magalhaes
Robert Snow
Nathan Greno 		John Lasseter
David Ellison
Dana Goldberg
Mary Ellen Bauder Andrews 		Siddhartha Khosla Netflix Skydance Animation Madrid Completed

[1][2][3]

'Ray Gunn' Brad Bird Brad Bird
Matthew Robbins 		Brad Bird John Lasseter
David Ellison
Dana Goldberg
Brad Bird 		Michael Giacchino 'Skydance Animation Madrid'
'Cinesite Animation' 		'In production'

[2][4][5][6][7]

scope=rowspan=5 Template:TBA 'Untitled Jack and the Beanstalk project' 'Rich Moore' style=text-align:center; colspan=2 Template:N/A 'John Lasseter'
'David Ellison'
'Dana Goldberg' 		style=text-align:center; rowspan=3 Template:TBA style=text-align:center; rowspan=4 Template:TBA 'In development'

Template:TBA

'Untitled project'

style=text-align:center;'Don Hall'

Template:TBA

style=text-align:center; [8]

}

Short films

Release Title Director(s) Producer(s) Composer Distribution Animation
Service(s)
October 1, 2021 Blush Joe Mateo Heather Schmidt Feng Yanu Joy Ngiaw Apple TV+ Skydance Animation Madrid
March 17, 2023 Bad Luck Spot! Matt Youngberg Laurel Ladevich John Debney
March 1, 2025 Flink's Pigeon Problems: A Magical Rescue Susan Fitzer
Brian Pimental 		John Lasseter
Tony Cosanella 		Aaron Kenny Netflix

Released

Release Season Episodes Title Showrunner/Developer Composer Network Co-Production Animation
Service(s)
June 28, 2024 1 7 WondLa Bobs Gannaway Joy Ngiaw Apple TV Gotham Group ICON Creative Studio
April 25, 2025 2 7
November 26, 2025 3 6

Critical and public response

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
Luck 48% (99 reviews) 48 (21 reviews)
Spellbound 45% (42 reviews) 54 (11 reviews)

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result
Hollywood Music in Media Awards [[12th Hollywood Music in Media Awards|
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
]] 		Original Score – Short Animated Film (Blush) Joy Ngiaw rowspan="2" Template:Won
Music + Sound Awards October 13, 2022
Annie Awards February 26, 2022 Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Television/Media Production (Blush) rowspan="5" Template:Nom
Hollywood Music in Media Awards [[13th Hollywood Music in Media Awards|
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
]] 		Original Score – Animated Film (Luck) John Debney
Annie Awards February 8, 2025 Character Design in an Animated Feature Production (Spellbound) Guillermo Ramíre
Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production (Spellbound) Alex Relloso Horna, Carlos Zapater Oliva
Artios Awards February 12, 2025 Feature Animation (Spellbound) Jason Henkel


See also

External links
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  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named RayGunnCinesite
  7. ↑ https://x.com/Cinesite/status/1868711503450325261
  8. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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