File:Sony Pictures Animation 2018 logo.png | |
Type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Industry | Computer animated film industry |
Founded | May 9, 2002 |
Headquarters | 9050 West Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California , U.S. |
Key people | Kristine Belson (president)[1] Pam Marsden (head of production)[2] |
Products | Theatrical animated short films Theatrical animated feature films Television animated series |
Number of employees | 255 (2018)[2] |
Parent | Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group (Sony Pictures Entertainment) |
Website | Official website |
Sony Pictures Animation Inc. is an American animation studio owned by Sony Entertainment's Sony Pictures Entertainment through their Motion Picture Group division and founded on May 9, 2002. The studio's films are distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing under their Columbia Pictures label, while all direct-to-video releases are released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
The first film produced by the studio, Open Season, was released on September 29, 2006, and their most recent film was Hotel Transylvania: Transformania on January 14, 2022. Their upcoming slate of films includes Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) on October 7, 2022, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part Two) in 2023.
History[]
In 2001, Sony Pictures considered selling off its visual effects facility Sony Pictures Imageworks but after failing to find a suitable buyer, having been impressed with the CGI sequences of Stuart Little 2 and seeing the box office successes of DreamWorks Animation's Shrek and Disney/Pixar's Monsters, Inc., SPI was reconfigured to become an animation studio. Astro Boy, which had been in development at Sony since 1997 as a live-action film, was set to be SPI's first all-CGI film, but never made it to fruition.[3] On May 9, 2002, Sony Pictures Animation was established to develop characters, stories and movies with SPI taking over the digital production while maintaining its visual effects production.[4] Meanwhile, SPI produced two short films, the Academy Award-winning The ChubbChubbs! and Early Bloomer, as a result of testing its strengths and weaknesses in producing all-CGI animation.[5]
Logo used from 2006 to 2011
On its first anniversary on May 9, 2003, Sony Pictures Animation announced a full slate of animated projects in development: Open Season, an adaptation of a Celtic folk ballad Tam Lin, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, Surf's Up, and a feature-length film version of The ChubbChubbs!.[6]
Its first feature film was Open Season, released in September 2006, which became Sony's second-highest-grossing home entertainment film in 2007 and spawned three direct-to-video sequels. Its second feature film, Surf's Up was released in June 2007, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and won two Annie Awards. A motion-captured animated film titled Neanderthals[7] and written and produced by Jon Favreau, was cancelled sometime in 2008[8] after four years in development. SPA's first 3D movie since the IMAX 3D release of Open Season, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, was released in September 2009 and was nominated for four Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature. The Smurfs (2011) was the studio's first CGI/live-action hybrid. SPA's parent company Sony Pictures had partnered in 2007 with Aardman Animations to finance, co-produce and distribute feature films.[9] Together, they produced two films: Arthur Christmas (2011), and The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012), which was SPA's first stop-motion film. In 2012, SPA released Hotel Transylvania, which grossed over $350 million worldwide and launched a successful franchise with two sequels and a TV series. Two sequels are released in 2013: The Smurfs 2 and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. SPA's latest releases are Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, an animated superhero film based on the Spider-Man comics and featuring the Miles Morales incarnation of the character, The Angry Birds Movie 2, a sequel to the 2016 film The Angry Birds Movie produced by Rovio Animation, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, a robot apocalypse/road trip film written and directed by Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe while produced by longtime collaborators Phil Lord and Christopher Miller,[10][11] and the musical film, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Vivo, which marks Sony Pictures Animation's first musical film. SPA has since signed Genndy Tartakovsky to a long-term deal with the studio to develop and direct original films.[12]
On November 3, 2014, the studio collaborated with Frederator Studios' Cartoon Hangover on GO! Cartoons, an incubator series consisting of 12 short films, with at least one short film being developed into a series. The short films were funded by SPA, with the additional goal of attracting new talent for the studio.[13][14]
Logo used from 2011 to 2018
As of January 2022[update], the studio is working on projects such as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One). It has as well other projects in development, including an animated Ghostbusters spin-off film;[15][16] two Genndy Tartakovsky projects: an R-rated comedy titled Fixed and Black Knight;[17] a musical comedy K-Pop: Demon Hunters;[18] another R-rated comedy Bubble, a co-production with Point Grey Pictures based on the podcast of the same name,[19] Tao, a China-set science-fiction adventure film directed by The Lego Movie 2 story artist Emily Dean,[20] and Tut, an afro-futuristic coming-of-age story set in ancient Egypt directed by Hair Love creator Matthew A. Cherry.[21] In June 2019, Sony Pictures Animation announced that they had launched an "International" division headed by Aron Warner at the 2019 Annecy International Animated Film Festival, with Wish Dragon set to be the division's first film. The same day, they also announced an "Alternative" division aimed at producing adult animated content, headed by Katie Baron and Kevin Noel. In addition to Tartakovsky's films Black Knight and Fixed, the division's TV shows are set to include The Boondocks, a reboot of the original TV series that originally aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block from 2005 to 2014; Superbago, a co-production with Stoopid Buddy Stoodios that was originally greenlit as a feature film; and Hungry Ghosts, a series based on the Dark Horse graphic novel by Anthony Bourdain and Joel Rose.[22] They had previously announced their plans to produce adult content at the 2017 Annecy festival.[10]
According to Kristine Belson, president of SPA, the studio produces films on a 1:1 development-to-production ratio, meaning that the studio puts films into development as much as it places films in production, unlike other animation studios.[10]
Following the support of video game works, Pixelopus is partnering with SPA, working an untitled PS5-exclusive video game with Unreal Engine 5.[23]
Process[]
In a similar fashion to the Warner Animation Group and Paramount Animation, the studio outsources their films to other animation companies and visual effects studios, with the majority of their films being animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks (its sister company). Some films, such as Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! Band of Misfits were acquired by Sony Pictures Animation to be released under their banner while others, such as Goosebumps and Peter Rabbit, were made with no involvement from the studio.
Franchises[]
Titles | Films | Shorts | TV seasons | Release dates |
---|---|---|---|---|
Open Season | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2006–2016 |
Surf's Up | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2007–2017 |
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2009–2018 |
The Smurfs | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2011–2017 |
Hotel Transylvania | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2012–2022 |
Goosebumps | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2015–2018 |
Filmography[]
See also[]
- Adelaide Productions
- Sony Pictures Imageworks
- Silvergate Media
- Screen Gems Cartoons
- United Productions of America
- List of Sony theatrical animated feature films
- List of unproduced Sony Pictures Animation projects
References[]
- ↑ "Kristine Belson Named New President of Sony Pictures Animation". The Hollywood Reporter. January 27, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Sony Pictures Animation Promotes Pam Marsden to Head of Production". Variety. March 14, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Brodesser, Claude (December 9, 2001). "Sony finds Rx for its f/x". Variety. https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117856983.
- ↑ "Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment Establishes Feature Animation Unit; Animation Executives Sandra Rabins and Penney Finkelman Cox Named to Top Posts" (Press release). May 9, 2002. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-digital-entertainment-establishes-feature-animation-unit-animation-executives-sandra-rabins-and-penney-finkelman-cox-named-to-top-posts-77355402.html.
- ↑ Raugust, Karen (May 30, 2006). "The Value of Shorts". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Sony Pictures Animation Announces Projects for Directors Jill Culton, Anthony Stacchi, Roger Allers, Brenda Chapman and the Brizzi Brothers Cox Named to Top Posts" (Press release). May 9, 2003. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sony-pictures-animation-announces-projects-for-directors-jill-culton-anthony-stacchi-roger-allers-brenda-chapman-and-the-brizzi-brothers-55629432.html.
- ↑ Adler, Shawn (January 9, 2008). "Jon Favreau Gets Animated For 'Neanderthals'". MTV. http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/01/09/jon-favreau-gets-animated-for-neanderthals/.
- ↑ Serrano, Armand (April 19, 2010). "Neanderthals". Armand Serrano Blog. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Gromit animators sign Sony deal". BBC News. April 2, 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/6518257.stm.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Annecy: Kristine Belson on Sony Pictures Animation's upcoming slate". Variety Magazine. June 15, 2017. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Sony Pictures Animation". http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/about.php?p=filmmakers&a=7.
- ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (July 25, 2018). "‘Hotel Transylvania’ Helmer Genndy Tartakovsky Sets New Projects At Sony Pictures Animation". Deadline Hollywood. https://deadline.com/2018/07/hotel-transylvania-helmer-genndy-tartakovsky-fixed-black-knight-sony-pictures-animation-1202433175/.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (November 3, 2014). "Sony Partners with Cartoon Hangover to Find New Talent". Animation Magazine. http://www.animationmagazine.net/events/sony-partners-with-cartoon-hangover-to-find-new-talent/.
- ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (November 7, 2017). "Sony Animation & Cartoon Hangover Launch 1st Incubator Film 'The Summoning'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Sneider, Jeff (October 1, 2015). "'Ghostbusters' Animated Movie in the Works at Sony Pictures Animation". The Wrap. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Takao (August 7, 2017). "Ghostbusters: Ecto Force postponed for new film". ToonBarn. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (July 25, 2018). "'Hotel Transylvania' Helmer Genndy Tartakovsky Sets New Projects At Sony Pictures Animation". Deadline. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Donnelly, Matt (2021-03-08). "Animated Musical About Demon Hunting K-Pop Girl Group in the Works at Sony (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-06.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Kroll, Justin (May 1, 2020). "Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg Turning 'Bubble' Podcast Into Animated Adult Feature with Matt Tolmach at Sony (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Zahed, Ramin (June 20, 2019). "Emily Dean Making Feature Directorial Debut with Sony's 'Tao'". Animation Magazine. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Donnelly, Matt (October 14, 2020). "Oscar Winner Matthew A. Cherry's Debut Feature 'Tut' in the Works at Sony Pictures Animation (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Hopewell, John (June 12, 2019). "Sony Pictures Animation Links to Tencent, Sets New ‘Boondocks,’ Tartakovsky Duo" (in en). Variety. https://variety.com/2019/film/news/sony-pictures-animation-tencent-boondocks-tartakovsky-annecy-animation-festival-2019-1203240529/.
- ↑ "Pixelopus Developing PS5 Game With Sony Pictures Animation". PlayStation LifeStyle. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2021-06-15.
{{cite web}}
:
External links[]

Sony | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Founders | Masaru Ibuka • Akio Morita | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Key personnel | Kaz Hirai (Chairman) • Kenichiro Yoshida (President and CEO) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Primary businesses | Sony Corporation • Sony Entertainment (Sony Pictures • Sony Music • Sony/ATV Music Publishing) • Sony Financial Holdings (Sony Life • Sony Bank) • Sony Interactive Entertainment (PlayStation) • Sony Mobile • Sony Music Japan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technologies and brands | α (Alpha) • Betacam • Bionz • Blu-ray • BRAVIA • CD • Cell • Cyber-shot • Dash • Dream Machine • DVD • Exmor • FeliCa • Handycam • HDCAM/HDCAM-SR • LocationFree • Memory Stick • MiniDisc • MiniDV • mylo • PlayStation • Reader • S/PDIF • SDDS • SXRD • Sony Tablet • Tunnel diode • TransferJet • UMD • Vaio • Video8/Hi8/Digital8 • Walkman • Walkman Phones • XDCAM • Xperia • HMZ-T1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Historical products | AIBO • CV-2000 • DAT • Betamax • Sony CLIÉ • Discman • Jumbotron • Lissa • Mavica • NEWS • Sony Optiarc • Qualia • Rolly • TR-55 • Trinitron • 1 inch Type C (BVH series) • U-matic • Watchman • WEGA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electronics | Sony Electronics (US subsidiary) • Sony Energy Devices • Sony Creative Software • FeliCa Networks (57%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Online distribution platforms | PlayStation Network (PlayStation Music • PlayStation Now • PlayStation Store • PlayStation Video • PlayStation Plus • PlayStation Vue) • Sony Crackle (Minisodes) • Sony Liv | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other businesses | Sony DADC • Sony Network Communications • Sony Professional Solutions • M3 (39.4%) • Sony/ATV Music Publishing (APM Music • EMI Music Publishing • Extreme Music • Hickory Records • EMI Production Music) • Vaio (4.9%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other assets | Sony Corporation of America (umbrella company in the US) • Other subsidiaries • List of acquisitions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nonprofit organizations | Sony Institute of Higher Education Shohoku College | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other | History of Sony • Sony Toshiba IBM Center of Competence for the Cell Processor |
Sony Pictures | ||
---|---|---|
Key personnel | Tony Vinciquerra • Tom Rothman | |
Motion Picture Group |
Columbia Pictures • TriStar Pictures • TriStar Productions • Screen Gems • Classics • Imageworks • Animation • Worldwide Acquisitions (Destination Films • Stage 6 Films • Affirm Films) • Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (Sony Wonder) | |
Television | U.S. production | Adelaide Productions • Sony Crackle (The Minisode Network) • Culver Entertainment • Embassy Row • TriStar Television |
U.S. distribution | Funimation (95%) | |
International production | 2waytraffic • Left Bank Pictures • Playmaker Media • Stellify Media • Teleset | |
Template:Sony Pictures TV channels | ||
Other | Digital (Mobile) • Entertainment Japan • Family Entertainment Group • Studios • Madison Gate Records | |
Defunct | Columbia Pictures Television • Columbia TriStar Television • Merv Griffin Enterprises • ELP Communications |
Sony Pictures Animation | ||
---|---|---|
Feature films | Computer-animated | Open Season (2006) • Surf's Up (2007) • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) • Hotel Transylvania (2012) • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013) • Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015) • Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017) • The Emoji Movie (2017) • The Star (2017) • Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) • Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) (accolades) • The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019) |
Live-action/animated | The Smurfs (2011) • The Smurfs 2 (2013) • Goosebumps (2015) • Peter Rabbit (2018) • Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018) | |
Produced with Aardman Animations |
Arthur Christmas (2011) • The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) | |
Upcoming films | Connected (2020) • Vivo (2021) • Hotel Transylvania 4 (2021) • Wish Dragon (2021) • Untitled Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sequel (2022) | |
Direct-to-video | Open Season 2 (2008) • Open Season 3 (2010) • Open Season: Scared Silly (2015) • Surf's Up 2: WaveMania (2017) | |
Television series | Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2017–18) • Hotel Transylvania: The Series (2017–present) • The Boondocks (2020) | |
Online series | Go! Cartoons (2017–18) | |
Short films | Boog and Elliot's Midnight Bun Run (2007) • The ChubbChubbs Save Xmas (2007) • The Smurfs: A Christmas Carol (2011) • So You Want to Be a Pirate! (2012) • Goodnight Mr. Foot (2012) • The Smurfs: The Legend of Smurfy Hollow (2013) • Super Manny (2013) • Earl Scouts (2013) • Steve's First Bath (2014) • Attack of the 50-Foot Gummi Bear (2014) • Puppy! (2017) • Spider-Ham: Caught in a Ham (2019) • Hair Love (2019) | |
Franchises | Open Season (2006–15) • Surf's Up (2007–17) • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009–18) • The Smurfs (2011–17) • Hotel Transylvania (2012–21) • Goosebumps (2015–18) | |
See also | The ChubbChubbs! (2002) • Early Bloomer (2003) • Sony Pictures Imageworks • Cartoon Hangover • Screen Gems Cartoons • List of productions (unproduced projects) • Riki Group • The Angry Birds Movie (2016) • Sausage Party (2016) • Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (2021) |
Adelaide Productions | ||
---|---|---|
1990s | Jumanji (1996–1999) • Project G.e.e.K.e.R. (1996) • Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) • Men in Black: The Series (1997–2001) • Channel Umptee-3 (1997–1998) • Godzilla: The Series (1998–2000) • Dilbert (1999–2000) • Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles (1999–2000) • Dragon Tales (1999–2005) • Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot (1999–2001) | |
2000s | Max Steel (2000–2002) • Sammy (2000) • Jackie Chan Adventures (2000–2005) • Heavy Gear (2001–2002) • Harold and the Purple Crayon (2001–2002) • Phantom Investigators (2002) • Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl (2002) • Spider-Man: The New Animated Series (2003) • Stuart Little (2003) • Astro Boy (2003–2004) • The Boondocks (2005–2014) • The Spectacular Spider-Man (2008–2009) • Sit Down, Shut Up (2009) | |
See also | Sony Pictures Television • Screen Gems Cartoons • Sony Pictures Animation • Sony Pictures Imageworks |
![]() Animation industry in the United States
| ||
---|---|---|
Companies/studios | Active | 21st Century Fox (20th Century Fox Animation • Blue Sky Studios • Fox Television Animation) • Ace & Son • Augenblick Studios • Bento Box Entertainment • The Curiosity Company • DHX Media (WildBrain) • Disney (Disney Television Animation • DisneyToon Studios • Industrial Light & Magic • Lucasfilm Animation • Marvel Animation • Pixar Animation Studios • Walt Disney Animation Studios) • Film Roman • Floyd County Productions • Frederator Studios (Frederator Films) • Fuzzy Door Productions • Golden Films • Hasbro (Hasbro Studios) • Jim Henson's Creature Shop • Kinofilm • Klasky Csupo • Laika • Little Airplane Productions • Man of Action Studios • Marza Animation Planet • Mattel (Hot Animation) • Mexopolis • Mondo Media (6 Point Harness) • NBCUniversal (DreamWorks Animation • Big Idea Entertainment • DreamWorks Classics • Harvey Entertainment • Jay Ward Productions • Illumination Entertainment • Universal Animation Studios • PorchLight Entertainment • Radical Axis • Reel FX Creative Studios • Renegade Animation • Rough Draft Studios • ShadowMachine • Sony Pictures (Adelaide Productions • Sony Pictures Animation • Sony Pictures Imageworks) • Splash Entertainment • Sprite Animation Studios • Spümcø • Stoopid Monkey • Time Warner (Cartoon Network Studios • Warner Bros. Animation • Williams Street) • Titmouse, Inc. • United Plankton Pictures • Vanguard Animation • Viacom (MTV Animation • Nick Digital • Nickelodeon Animation Studio • Paramount Animation) • World Events Productions |
Defunct | 70/30 Productions • Amblimation • Animation Collective • Animation Lab • Animation Magic • Cartoon Pizza • Circle 7 Animation • Cookie Jar Group • Crest Animation Productions • Curious Pictures • DePatie-Freleng Enterprises • DIC Entertainment • DNA Productions • Famous Studios • Filmation • Fleischer Studios • Fox Animation Studios • Hanna-Barbera • Jetlag Productions • Kroyer Films • Laugh-O-Gram Studio • Marvel Productions • MGM-Pathé Communications • Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Animation • MGM Animation/Visual Arts • MGM Cartoons) • Pacific Data Images • Rankin/Bass Productions • Ruby-Spears • Screen Gems Cartoons • Skellington Productions • Soup2Nuts • Sullivan Bluth Studios • Sunbow Entertainment • Terrytoons • United Productions of America • Van Beuren Studios • Walter Lantz Productions • Warner Bros. Cartoons • Will Vinton Studios • Williams Street West | |
Industry associations | The Animation Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 839 • ASIFA-Hollywood | |
Awards | Academy Awards • Annie Award • Daytime Emmy Award • Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards • Primetime Emmy Award | |
History | Silent era • Golden age (World War II) • Television era • Modern era | |
Genres | Animated Infomercial • Animated sitcom • Buddy film • Comedy-drama • Superhero fiction • Western | |
Related topics | American Comics (History of American comics • Tijuana bible) • Humorous Phases of Funny Faces • Flash animation |
This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia (view authors). |