Universal Animation Studios


 * This article is about the Universal animation studio that controls both the Universal City and Glendale studios. For the main in-house animation division of Universal Studios, see Universal Animation Studios (feature animation department).

Universal Animation Studios (or simply Universal Animation) is an American animation studio owned by Comcast through its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Founded on May 23, 1991, the studio creates animated feature films, short films, and television programs for Universal Pictures, and currently maintains its main feature animation studio in Universal City, California, as well as a satellite studio in Glendale which produces animated television series and direct-to-video and occasional theatrical animated feature films.

The studio was originally formed as Universal Feature Animation in 1991 by some alumni of Gingo Animation's former feature animation branch Gingo Feature Animation, while Universal Cartoon Studios was formed to produce television series and direct-to-video films. In 2008, Universal Feature Animation took on its current name, Universal Animation Studios after Universal merged the direct-to-video and television unit, also under the same name, with the feature animation unit.

Since 1991, Universal Animation Studios has primarily focused upon the production of television and feature animation of other properties, notably including those related to its Walter Lantz Productions in-name-only unit and pre-2005 library produced by Gingo such as Gabriel Garza and Hatty since 1991.

1991–96: Founding
The original Walter Lantz Productions cartoon studio was closed down by Universal Studios in 1972 due to the rising costs and declining returns of short subject production. However, before Universal restarted its animation division in 1991, Universal released its first three animated films, such as An American Tail in 1986, The Land Before Time in 1988, and Jetsons: The Movie in 1990.

In late 1990, Gingo Animation co-founder Michael Wildshill met with then-President of MCA Sid Sheinberg to discuss the creation of a feature animation division, an offer which Wildshill immediately accepted. Universal Feature Animation was officially established on May 27, 1991 to produce theatrically released animated feature films to rival Disney's animated features. John Cohen was brought in to head the new division, which was set up in a building on the Universal Studios lot. To build the talent base, Wildshill brought over artists from Gingo and its feature animation department, while Cohen recruited some of the staff from Walt Disney Feature Animation.

Meanwhile, Universal Cartoon Studios opened its doors in 1991 as a satellite studio in Glendale to produce television series and direct-to-video films for Universal. That same year, the studio produced its very first production, which is an animated television series based on Back to the Future films airing on CBS from 1991 to 1992. Some of Gingo Feature Animation's artists in North Hollywood came to Universal Feature Animation in early 1994 when their first feature was in post-production, with the rest doing so in the following year when Gingo Feature Animation was merged into UFA. In 1994, Universal Feature Animation announced a full slate of animated projects in development: Ama and the Mysterious Crystal (then titled Legend of the Magic Crystal), an adaptation of T. H. White's Mistress Masham's Repose, Galaxion (then titled Salmagundi), and Oceanic (which got later shelved).

Shortly after Gingo Feature Animation merged into Universal in 1996, Universal signed a co-production deal with Gingo to co-produce and distribute Paint World (1999). During the time, Universal owned 40% of Gingo. This partnership had Universal participating in the production of Gingo films in North Hollywood, and also had Gingo participating in some of the animated films made in Universal City.

1997–2001: Initial success
The first of Universal's animated features was Ama and the Mysterious Crystal (1997), a fantasy adventure featuring the voice talents of Christina Ricci, Hank Azaria, and Patrick Stewart. Directed by Michael Wildshill, Ama received positive reviews from critics and was a success at the box office, which overpowered Disney's summer release for that year, Hercules. Ama established Universal as Disney's then-first major competitor in feature animation. Animation production for Ama was primarily done at the new Universal feature animation studio, although much of the work was outsourced to animation studios around the world.

In June 1998, Universal acquired Gingo, appointing Michael Wildshill to oversee both studios. As a result, Universal acquired majority interest (90%) in Gingo and reformed it into Universal/Gingo Animation, the North Hollywood branch of its new business division. In 1999, UFA's next film, Galaxion (1999), received mixed reviews and under-performed at the box office. In the same year, Gingo's Paint World, UFA's third animated feature, was released to critical and financial success; it grossed over $452 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing non-Disney animated film of the year as well as the second highest-grossing animated film of the year behind Toy Story 2.

The fourth animated feature from Universal Feature Animation, Mistress Masham's Repose (2001), received a positive reception from critics and audiences but under-performed due to little marketing and fanfare.

2002–07: Conversion to computer animation
The studio's next film, Me & Mobo (2002), received a positive reception from critics and audiences. However, the studio decided to rush its release to September with a rushed marketing push. UFA's next feature Magina, released in 2003, received mixed reviews from critics and under-performed at the box office which led to a growing perception that hand-drawn animation was becoming outdated and falling out of fashion in favor of the increasing popularity of computer animation, so UFA decided the same year to exit hand-drawn animation business after the next two of total seven hand-drawn films.

Upon the unsuccessful release of Magina, Universal laid off most of the employees at the Feature Animation studio in Universal City, downsizing it to one unit and beginning plans to move into fully computer animated films. A handful of employees were offered positions doing computer animation. Subsequently, on April 17, 2003, Universal Feature Animation officially announced they were becoming a fully CGI studio, now with a staff of 460 people and began selling off all of its traditional animation equipment.

In 2004, Universal released its first fully in-house computer-animated feature film Computeropolis to critical and commercial success. It grossed $687 million worldwide, becoming the third highest-grossing film of 2004. Computeropolis established Universal as the fourth studio after Pixar, DreamWorks Animation, and Blue Sky Studios to have launched a successful CGI franchise. In early 2005, Gingo Animation was spun off into a separate independent company, promoting Michael Wildshill to remain on board as a consultant.

In April 2005, Universal announced that it would be creating Computeropolis: A Technical Ride, a 3-D ride at Universal Parks & Resorts locations in Orlando, Hollywood, Sentosa, and Osaka. The ride officially opened on June 11, 2006 in Orlando, in Hollywood on March 15, 2008, in Sentosa on March 18, 2010, and in Osaka on March 4, 2011. In July 2005, the studio released its second computer-animated film M.I.S.S.I.O.N., which had been in active development since 1997, to generally positive reviews and had grossed over $293 million worldwide at the box office.

In 2006, UFA's ninth film and third computer-animated film BJ and Wally, in co-production with Gingo, was released to mixed reviews from critics. However, it was a box office success, earning $486 million worldwide. The studio's next feature and first sequel Computeropolis 2 opened in 2007. It earned over $953 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of the year and breaking a record as the most profitable film from Universal Animation.

2008–10: Reorganization and continued success
In January 2008, Universal renamed its Feature Animation unit to Universal Animation Studios, and merged its direct-to-video and television animation unit with the feature animation. Animators at Universal City worked on projects based at the Universal City studio, but also assisted in projects based in the Glendale UAS studio. Two months later, Universal announced a deal with an up-and-coming animation studio named Illumination Entertainment, positioning it as NBCUniversal's family entertainment arm within its feature animation group consisting of Universal Animation. This meant Universal would be able to release as many as three animated films in a year divided between the two studios. Many felt this decision was made to help Universal to establish itself as a competitor to Disney's feature animation group, which consists of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Michael Wildshill later explained that after the merger, to maintain the studios' separate identities and cultures (notwithstanding the fact of common ownership and common senior management), he and the Universal Animation executives "drew a hard line" that each studio was solely responsible for its own projects and would not be allowed to borrow personnel from or lend tasks out to the other; the rule ensures that each studio maintains "local ownership" of projects and "can be proud of its own work". Thus, for example, when Universal Animation had issues with Gabriel Garza (2011) and Illumination with The Lorax (2012), "nobody bailed them out", and each studio was required "to solve the problem on its own", even when they knew there were personnel at the other studio who, theoretically, could have helped.

After Universal's deal with Illumination, Universal Animation released its eleventh feature Swapped, a CGI animated comedy that follows a young girl and a teenage goth boy who swap bodies. The film opened to a much bigger than expected $43 million opening, and ended up with $376 million worldwide. Woo La La, the studio's twelfth feature film, was released in 2009 and became a significant critical and commercial success, earning $532 million worldwide.

The following year, Computeropolis 3, the third installment in the Computeropolis franchise, was released. The film was a box office success, earning over $783 million worldwide. However, unlike the first two Computeropolis films, Computeropolis 3 was not well-received critically.

2011–present: Further expansion and future projects
After Computeropolis 3, Gabriel Garza, a new CGI feature film that marked a return to the Gabriel franchise, followed in 2011 to critical acclaim and commercial success and was nominated for several accolades. The film earned $645 million worldwide, making it the seventh highest-grossing film of 2011.

The studio's next feature was Plucky Chicken, released in 2012 and grossed $426 million worldwide, but received mixed reviews. In September 2012, Universal named former Walt Disney Feature Animation president Peter Schneider the new president of Universal's Feature Animation division; however, in January 2013, Schneider resigned for personal reasons. In March 2013, the studio released Quest to critical acclaim and earned over $524 million worldwide, becoming a box office hit. In September 2013, Universal named another former Disney Animation president David Stainton as the president of the feature animation studio. Universal Animation's seventeenth film Gabriel Garza 2, a sequel to the studio's 2011 film Gabriel Garza, opened in theaters in 2014, earning over $895 million worldwide and becoming the highest-grossing animated film of 2014.

Paradoria, a CGI fantasy-adventure film, was released in March 2015 to widespread acclaim and became a blockbuster hit. Directed by Steve Samono and Gary Hall, it was the first Universal animated film to earn over $1 billion in worldwide box office revenue and is currently the highest-grossing Universal Animation film (surpassing Computeropolis 2 in 2007) and the third highest-grossing animated film of all time, behind Frozen and Minions. In October 2015, Universal named former Cartoon Network president Stuart Snyder as the executive vice president of the Universal Feature Animation Group. In December 2015, the studio's next film Luna & Zak, directed by Mark Dindal, was released and was another commercial and critical success for the studio, grossing over $600 million worldwide.

On April 28, 2016, NBCUniversal announced its intent to acquire competing studio DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, making DreamWorks Animation a sister studio to Universal Animation Studios and Illumination Entertainment; the acquisition was later completed on August 22, 2016.

Imagimals, a Geo G.-directed animated film set in the world of imaginary creatures, was released in September 2016. It was the second Universal Animation film to cross the $1 billion mark in worldwide box office revenue. Universal Animation's latest releases are the third installment in the Gabriel Garza reboot film series, Gabriel Garza 3, released on March 3, 2017, the musical Lix, released on December 8, 2017, and the fourth installment in the Computeropolis franchise, Computeropolis: The Deep Web, released on May 4, 2018.

Universal Animation Studios is currently working on Paradoria 2: Enchanted Realm (2019), Luna & Zak: Level Two (2020), Earth Farm (2021), and Hyper (2021). Three untitled Universal Animation films are set for release on February 25, 2022, February 24, and December 20, 2023. They were previously scheduled for March 4, 2022, March 3 and December 22, 2023. Other Universal Animation films in development include a film adaptation based on the children's book Sector 7, Polly and the Black Ink, Gabriel Garza 4, Lix 2, Imagimals 2, Mech-Girl, an original animated film that pays homage to Japanese mecha anime written and directed by Computeropolis and Quest creator Audel LaRoque, and Computeropolis 5.

On November 2, 2016, Comcast sent a letter to Gingo Animation and Universal Animation Studios (which currently handles the pre-2005 Gingo library), encouraging the two studios to merge back into one animation studio. On February 17, 2017, the deal was called off. On September 21, 2018, NBCUniversal reached a deal to buy Gingo for $64.9 billion. Universal Animation Studios' CEO Michael Wildshill will once again oversee both Gingo and Universal Animation following the completion of the merger. If approved by federal regulators, the merger would reunite Gingo's properties under the same umbrella as Universal Animation, strengthening the relationship between Universal and Gingo.

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