08/04/2020
Bye bye Ilion Animation - Welcome Skydance Animation Madrid
After a few years of collaboration between the American Skydance Media and the Spanish animation studios Ilion Animation, the American producers acquired the animation studios for being able to compete with rival studios.
The young Skydance Media (founded in 2006) based in Santa Monica, California, collaborates with the Madrid base studios Ilion Animation (Planet 51, Mortadelo and Filemon: Mission Implausible, Wonder Park) since 2017 with films still in production. The news of these days is the acquisition of the studios and the renaming it in Skydance Animation Madrid.
A strategic step that brings the Skydance Animation workforce to 500 employees across two continents and the creative ability to compete with the animated blockbusters of the major Hollywood studios. Among other things, it is the same step taken by Illumination that produce in France in Illumination Mac Guff studios.
This is just the latest of the plans of the CEO and founder David Ellison after hiring the former Pixar creative director John Lasseter and the veteran of the animated industry ex DreamWorks Animation Holly Edwards.
"The world is going through an unprecedented and uncertain time. Today's acquisition marks the culmination of many months of work to build one studio across two continents, with the goal of creating the highest-quality animation, led by best-in-class talent from around the world," said Ellison. "The addition of Skydance Animation Madrid to our portfolio of businesses underlines my passion and commitment to bringing iconic animated stories and characters to life from some of the most talented artists and voices in the industry."
"We are excited to expand our partnership with Skydance Animation and to further collaborate with Skydance founder David Ellison and elite talent like John Lasseter and Holly Edwards," said Ignacio Pérez Dolset, Founder, President & CEO of Ilion. "This is a phenomenal growth opportunity for our team in Spain and we're proud to be an integral part of Skydance's exciting future."
Skydance Animation is working on:
- Luck
Directed by Peggy Holmes (The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning) and written by Kiel Murray (Cars, Cars 3) and Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda franchise).
Synopsis: When the unluckiest girl alive stumbles upon the never-before-seen world of good and bad luck, she must join together with magical creatures to uncover a force more powerful than even luck itself.
Premiere: early 2021.
- Spellbound (working title)
Directed by Vicky Jenson (Shrek, Shark Tale) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin (Mulan [2020]) and Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King).
Synopsis: A musical fantasy set in a world of magic where a young girl sets out to break the spell that has split her kingdom in two.
- Pookoo (working title)
Written and directed by Nathan Greno (Tangled) and produced by Jennifer Magee-Cook (The Princess and the Frog).
The studios also plan animated serial productions in various stages of development.
[ Fra - source AnimationMagazine ]
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