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Paramount Animation

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Paramount Animation
Company typeDivision
Industry
Predecessors
FoundedJuly 6, 2011; 13 years ago (2011-07-06)
FounderBrad Grey
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
Key people
Products
  • Animated films
  • Animated TV shows
Number of employees
112 (2020)[3]
ParentParamount Pictures
WebsiteOfficial website

Paramount Animation is an American animation studio, serving as the animation division and label of Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Global.[4] The division was founded on July 6, 2011, following the box office success of Paramount's own Rango and the end of their distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation in 2012.

The studio's first film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water was released on February 6, 2015, and its latest release was Transformers One on September 20, 2024, with their next release being The Smurfs Movie on July 18, 2025.[5]

Films produced by Paramount Animation have grossed a total of $832 million at the box office. Its highest-grossing film to date is The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which grossed $325.1 million.

Background

[edit]

After the closure of Paramount Cartoon Studios (formerly named Famous Studios) in December 1967, Paramount distributed a few animated films from 1973 to 1992 that were produced by outside studios, including Charlotte's Web, Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown, Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown (and Don't Come Back!!), and Bebe's Kids.

In the fall of 1993, Canadian animation studio Nelvana signed a multi-year deal to produce five animated feature films in collaboration with Paramount Pictures, with Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall producing; the first two began production the following summer, at a cost of over US$20 million each.[6][7] Three of the projects were based on books by E. B. White (The Trumpet of the Swan), Clive Barker (The Thief of Always) and Graeme Base (The Sign of the Seahorse); an original production called Mask Vision was also in the works.[8] However, none of the films were produced in this deal.

Following Paramount's merger with Viacom, the studio started releasing several animated films based on Nickelodeon's TV shows, including the Rugrats film trilogy, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius; the films produced by Nickelodeon Movies. The studio also released features based on MTV's Beavis and Butt-Head and Comedy Central's South Park.

In 2005, Paramount's new CEO Brad Grey considered building an in-house animation division, because he saw family films as the "sweet spot" of the movie business.[9] The following year, Paramount signed a distribution deal with DreamWorks Animation, starting with Over the Hedge and ending with Rise of the Guardians. During this deal, the studio released Nickelodeon Movies' Barnyard in 2006 and ImageMovers' Beowulf in 2007.

On March 4, 2011, the studio released its first in-house animated film, Nickelodeon Movies' Rango. The film was critically acclaimed and grossed over $245 million at the box office. The success of Rango helped Paramount discover its potential in making successful animated features on its own. In June of that year, the studio acquired the rights to produce an animated film based on Penny Arcade's 2010 webcomic The New Kid.[10]

History

[edit]

Brad Grey era (2011–2017)

[edit]
Early logo.

In July 2011, in the wake of Rango's success, the high hopes for The Adventures of Tintin, and the departure of DreamWorks Animation upon completion of their distribution contract with Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted and Rise of the Guardians in 2012, Paramount announced the formation of a new animation division. The studio would initially produce one animated film a year with a maximum budget of $100 million. A key portion of the films would be co-produced with Nickelodeon and they would be cross-promoted at Nickelodeon's theme parks and hotels.[4]

In October 2011, Paramount named a former president of Walt Disney Feature Animation, David Stainton, president of Paramount Animation.[11] In February 2012, Stainton resigned for personal reasons, with Paramount Film Group's president, Adam Goodman, stepping in to directly oversee the studio.[12] It was also announced that The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, a standalone sequel to 2004's The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, would be the studio's first film and would be released in 2014. A short time after, the film was delayed to early 2015.[13]

In August 2012, Variety reported that Paramount Animation was in the process of starting development of several animated films in collaboration with Nickelodeon, Mary Parent, and J. J. Abrams. Besides the SpongeBob sequel, Paramount Animation considered adapting Dora the Explorer, The Legend of Korra, and Monkey Quest into films. The increase in animated film production was due to DreamWorks Animation being in talks with other studios to distribute their post-2012 animated films.[14]

On July 31, 2013, Paramount Animation announced that they were developing a new live-action/animated franchise in the vein of the Transformers series, which was titled Monster Trucks. Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger were set to write the film's script, Chris Wedge (director of 2002's Ice Age) was set to direct the film, and Mary Parent was set to produce the film, with an initial release date set for May 29, 2015.[15]

The studio's first film, The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, was released on February 6, 2015, to positive reviews[16] and was a box office success, grossing over $325 million worldwide and becoming the fifth highest grossing animated film of 2015.[17] That same month, Paramount fired Adam Goodman due to the studio's thin film slate and Goodman greenlighting box office bombs at the studio.[18] Paramount announced another SpongeBob film later that year.[19]

In the summer of 2015, Paramount Pictures participated in a bidding war against Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures Animation for the rights to produce The Emoji Movie, based on a script by Tony Leondis and Eric Siegel. Sony won the bidding war in July and released the film in 2017.[20] The studio's head Bob Bacon also left Paramount Animation that summer.[18]

In June 2015, it was revealed that Spain's Ilion Animation Studios (the studio behind 2009's Planet 51) won a bidding war against other animation studios to produce a 3D animated tentpole film for Paramount Animation, which was already in production since 2014.[21] In November 2015, Paramount Animation officially announced the project as Amusement Park, (later renamed Wonder Park) with former Pixar animator Dylan Brown helming. The studio also announced Monster Trucks, The Little Prince, Sherlock Gnomes, and the third SpongeBob film.[22]

The studio's second film, The Little Prince, was released on July 29, 2015, in France. It was scheduled to be released on March 18, 2016, in the United States, but Paramount canceled the American release due to the French producers not paying an additional, previously agreed $20 million for the North American prints and advertising budget, however they still retained the distribution rights in France. It was later released onto Netflix on August 5, 2016, as a Netflix original film.[23][24]

The studio's third film, Anomalisa, was given a limited release on December 30, 2015, while getting a wider release in January the following year. It received positive reviews, but grossed $5.7 million on an $8 million budget.

On May 4, 2016, Paramount Pictures announced that they had signed a deal with UK-based Locksmith Animation to co-develop and co-produce three original animated projects to be released under the Paramount Animation label (with animation produced by DNEG).[25]

The studio's fourth film, Monster Trucks was released to mixed reviews[26] and became a box office failure, grossing $64.5 million on a $125 million budget and losing the studio $120 million.[18][27][28]

In March 2017, Skydance Media formed a multi-year partnership with Ilion Animation Studios, forming Skydance Animation.[29]

Jim Gianopulos/Mireille Soria era (2017–2021)

[edit]

In April 2017, Paramount ended its deal with Locksmith Animation when Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey was replaced by Jim Gianopulos, who decided that their projects did not fit in with Paramount's other upcoming releases. Locksmith formed a multi-year production deal with 20th Century Fox four months later.[30][31]

In July 2017, Paramount Pictures named former DreamWorks Animation co-president Mireille Soria as the president of the studio.[32] Soria restructured the studio, increasing its number of employees from 10 to over 110, and created a new goal of releasing two tentpole animated films a year with different animation styles and genres. She would also look over the completion of Sherlock Gnomes and Wonder Park, which were in production before her arrival. That same month, Skydance announced its first two animated feature films for Skydance Animation — Split (later retitled Spellbound) and Luck.[33] Both films would be distributed by Paramount Pictures as part of their deal with Skydance. On October 10, 2017, Bill Damaschke was hired to head the division as president of animation and family entertainment.[34]

The studio released its fifth film, Sherlock Gnomes, on March 23, 2018, and became a critical[35] and financial disappointment, grossing $90.3 million on a $59 million budget.[36]

In April 2018, Paramount Pictures named former Blue Sky Studios and Nickelodeon Movies producer Ramsey Ann Naito as the executive vice president of the studio.[37][38] She later left the company in order to become the head of animation at Nickelodeon.[39][40] In the same month, Soria greenlit the studio's first three animated features under her leadership to be released in 2020 and beyond: The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge (later renamed Sponge On the Run), Reel FX's Monster on the Hill (later renamed Rumble), and Skydance Animation's Luck.[41]

On January 14, 2019, Mireille Soria announced that the team at Paramount Animation will no longer work with Skydance Animation because of their hiring of former Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar CCO John Lasseter as the head of animation.[42] Luck and Spellbound were still going to be released by Paramount Pictures without the Paramount Animation brand[43] until Apple TV+ acquired the distribution rights to both films in December 2020 and made a larger pact with Skydance Animation in February 2021.[44][45] Apple Original Films would replace Paramount for both Luck and Spellbound.

The studio's sixth film, Wonder Park was released on March 15, 2019. It received mixed reviews[46] and it became a box office flop, grossing only $119.6 million worldwide on a budget of less than $100 million.[47]

In June 2019, Paramount Animation announced a new slate of animated features, including an animated Spice Girls film, a live-action/animated Mighty Mouse film, an animated film adaptation of The Tiger's Apprentice, a musical film titled Jersey Crabs (later Under the Boardwalk), and the Imagine Entertainment co-production The Shrinking of Treehorn.[48]

The studio's seventh film The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run theatrically released only in Canada on August 14, 2020, with a March 4, 2021, release in the United States on Paramount+ and a November 5, 2020, release internationally on Netflix due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[49][50][51] The film received positive reviews from critics, and grossed $4.4 million worldwide with a $60 million budget.[52]

In January 2021, Paramount Animation picked up two new films: an adaption of the upcoming Tom Wheeler book C.O.S.M.O.S.[53] and an original animated film from the Comedy Central star Trevor Noah.[54]

Brian Robbins/Ramsey Ann Naito era (2021–present)

[edit]

On September 30, 2021, shortly after Brian Robbins replaced Jim Gianopulos as the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures, it was announced that Ramsey Ann Naito would replace Mireille Soria as the president of Paramount Animation in addition to her current role as the president of Nickelodeon Animation Studio.[1]

The studio's eighth film Rumble was released on December 15, 2021, on Paramount+. It was originally expected to be released in theaters on February 18, 2022, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was later moved to Paramount+. It received mixed reviews.

On January 20, 2022, Latifa Ouaou (a veteran of both Illumination and DreamWorks Animation via Universal Pictures) was hired as the executive vice president of movies and global franchises for both Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation Studio. In this position, Ouaou will oversee both streaming and theatrical films for the two companies. It was also revealed that The Tiger’s Apprentice (which was originally being directed by Carlos Baena) will now be directed by Raman Hui, with Paul Watling and Yong Duk Jhun being co-directors. Bob Persichetti (the Academy Award-winning co-director of Sony Pictures Animation's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse) had also joined the film as a producer.[2]

On July 26, 2023, Robbins revealed in a Variety article that the original film Under the Boardwalk would be released straight to Paramount+ instead of theaters (similar Rumble). He stated, “We’re not going to release an expensive original animated movie and just pray people will come,” while also pointing to the box office underperformances of Pixar animated films such as Lightyear and Elemental.[55] This statement received widespread criticism on social media, including from those in the industry such as Guillermo del Toro, Jorge R. Gutierrez, and Christopher Miller.[56][57][58] This also contradicts an earlier statement by the division’s president Naito, who stated in a Deadline interview that she plans to release original animated features to continue building franchises.[59] Under the Boardwalk, the studio's ninth film was instead given a limited theatrical release under the Nickelodeon Movies imprint. It was released on October 27, 2023, with a video-on-demand release on November 7.[60]

The studio's tenth film, The Tiger's Apprentice, was released on February 2, 2024 on Paramount+, after facing several theatrical delays and its theatrical release being cancelled.[61] It received mixed reviews from critics.

On March 5, 2024, Paramount Animation signed a multi-year first-look deal with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem director Jeff Rowe. Under this deal, Rowe will produce and direct both animated and live-action films, including the 2026 Mutant Mayhem sequel.[62]

The studio's eleventh film, Transformers One, was released on September 20, 2024. It received positive reviews from critics but became a financial disappointment grossing 128.9 million worldwide on a budget of $75–147 million.

If the pending merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media happens, John Lasseter, who is head of Skydance Animation will become head of Paramount Animation.[63]

[edit]

Initially, Paramount Animation did not have its own opening logo. Its first six features (and Transformers One) just used the standard Paramount logo. On September 19, 2019, Paramount Animation introduced a new animated logo featuring a character nicknamed "Star Skipper".[64] When Mireille Soria came to Paramount Animation, one of the first goals set by Jim Gianopulos was to make a logo for the division. The crew wanted to put a female character in the logo because the studio's team is mostly female, and according to Soria, it captures "the magic" of the division. The logo and the character of Star Skipper were designed by Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie lead visual development artist and art director Christopher Zibach and animated by ATK PLN and Reel FX Creative Studios.[64] This logo debuted in front of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run in 2020. The logo's music is the same as the standard Paramount Pictures logo, which is composed by Michael Giacchino.

Process

[edit]

Similar to Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Illumination, and Sony Pictures Animation, Paramount Animation outsources its animation production to other animation studios such as Mikros Image, Reel FX,[65] and Industrial Light & Magic (Transformers One). Rumble was developed outside of Paramount Animation by Reel FX, but the studio acquired the rights to the film and co-produced it.[66][67]

Like 20th Century Animation with animated films under 20th Century Studios, the studio also acts as somewhat of a distribution label for animated films that are made under or acquired by Paramount Pictures. The earliest case of this would be the aborted deal with Locksmith Animation.[25] Additionally, Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank, originally expected to be distributed by Open Road Films and STX Entertainment, was acquired by Paramount to be distributed under Paramount Animation, later being distributed under Nickelodeon Movies.[5]

Paramount Animation does not have an in-house animation style. According to Mireille Soria, each film has their own unique style created by the filmmakers, which would be helped by outsourcing animation to different vendors.[68]

When Ramsey Ann Naito took charge of Paramount Animation in September 2021, she brought over the culture of the Nickelodeon Animation Studio, which she describes as "artist-driven" and "creative". Both companies are now united under one team, in a move different from Disney and Universal's animation studios (Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar post-Lasseter for the former and Illumination and DreamWorks for the latter).[69]

Filmography

[edit]

Released films

[edit]
Films produced by Paramount Animation
Title Release date Director(s) Writers(s) Producer(s) Composer(s) Co-production with Animation services
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water[a] February 6, 2015 Paul Tibbitt
Mike Mitchell (live-action sequence) 		Based on SpongeBob SquarePants created by:
Stephen Hillenburg 		Paul Tibbitt
Mary Parent 		John Debney Nickelodeon Movies
United Plankton Pictures 		Rough Draft Studios Korea
Iloura
Stephen Hillenburg
Paul Tibbitt
(story)
Jonathan Aibel
Glenn Berger
(screenplay)
The Little Prince[b] July 29, 2015[c] Mark Osborne Based on the book by:
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 		Aton Soumache
Dimitri Rassam
Alexis Vonarb 		Hans Zimmer
Richard Harvey 		ON Animation Studios
Orange Studio
LPPTV
M6 Films 		Onyx Entertainment
Mikros Image
Lucky Red[d]
Irena Brignull
Bob Persichetti
Anomalisa[b][e] December 30, 2015 Charlie Kaufman
Duke Johnson 		Charlie Kaufman Rosa Tran
Duke Johnson
Charlie Kaufman
Dino Stamatopoulos 		Carter Burwell Starburns Industries —
Monster Trucks[a] January 13, 2017 Chris Wedge Matthew Robinson
Jonathan Aibel
Glenn Berger
(story)
Derek Connolly
(screenplay) 		Mary Parent
Denis L. Stewart 		Dave Sardy Nickelodeon Movies
Disruption Entertainment 		Mr. X
Moving Picture Company
Sherlock Gnomes March 23, 2018 John Stevenson Based on Sherlock Holmes created by:
Arthur Conan Doyle
and the characters created by:
Rob Sprackling
John Smith
Andy Riley
Kevin Cecil
Kelly Asbury
Steve Hamilton Shaw 		Steve Hamilton Shaw
David Furnish
Carolyn Soper 		Chris Bacon
(score)
Elton John
Bernie Taupin
(songs) 		Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Rocket Pictures 		Mikros Image
Reel FX Creative Studios
Ben Zazove
Wonder Park March 15, 2019 Dylan Brown
(uncredited)[70] 		Robert Gordon
Josh Appelbaum
André Nemec
(story)
Josh Appelbaum
André Nemec
(screenplay) 		Josh Appelbaum
André Nemec
Kendra Haaland 		Steven Price Nickelodeon Movies Ilion Animation Studios[d]
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run[a] August 14, 2020[f] Tim Hill Based on SpongeBob SquarePants created by:
Stephen Hillenburg 		Ryan Harris Hans Zimmer
Steve Mazzaro 		Nickelodeon Movies
United Plankton Pictures
MRC 		Mikros Image
Tim Hill
Jonathan Aibel
Glenn Berger
(story)
Tim Hill
(screenplay)
Rumble December 15, 2021[g] Hamish Grieve Based on Monster on the Hill by:
Rob Harrell 		Brad Booker
Mark Bakshi 		Lorne Balfe WWE Studios
Walden Media
Reel FX Animation Studios 		Reel FX Creative Studios
Hamish Grieve
Matt Lieberman
Under the Boardwalk October 27, 2023[h] David Soren Lorene Scafaria
David Dobkin
(story)
Lorene Scafaria
David Soren
(screenplay) 		David Dobkin
Dagan Potter
Allison Gardner 		John Debney
Jonathan Sadoff
(score)
Sean Douglas
Jonathan Sadoff
(songs) 		Big Kid Pictures DNEG Animation
The Tiger's Apprentice February 2, 2024[g] Raman Hui
Co-directors:
Paul Watling
Yong Duk Jhun 		Based on the book by:
Laurence Yep 		Jane Startz
Sandra Rabins
Bob Persichetti 		Steve Jablonsky New Republic Pictures (uncredited)
Jane Startz Productions 		Mikros Animation
David Magee
Christopher Yost
Transformers One September 20, 2024 Josh Cooley Based on the toy line by:
Hasbro 		Lorenzo di Bonaventura
Tom DeSanto
Don Murphy
Michael Bay
Mark Vahradian
Aaron Dem 		Brian Tyler Hasbro Entertainment
New Republic Pictures
Di Bonaventura Pictures
Bayhem Films 		Industrial Light & Magic
Eric Pearson
Andrew Barrer
Gabriel Ferrari
(screenplay)
Andrew Barrer
Gabriel Ferrari
(story)

Upcoming films

[edit]
Films produced by Paramount Animation
Title Release date Director(s) Writers(s) Producer(s) Composer(s) Co-production with Animation service(s) Production Status Ref.
The Smurfs Movie July 18, 2025 Chris Miller
Co-director:
Matthew Landon 		Based on The Smurfs by:
Peyo 		Ryan Harris
Rihanna
Laurence "Jay" Brown
Tyran "Ty-Ty" Smith 		TBA Nickelodeon Movies
Marcy Media Films
LAFIG Belgium
Peyo Company 		Cinesite Vancouver In production [71][72][73]
Pam Brady

In development

[edit]
Title Notes
C.O.S.M.O.S. [74]
Dropz co-production with Gloria Sanchez Productions[75]
Muttnik co-production with Imagine Entertainment[75]
Once Upon a Motorcycle Dude co-production with Sunswept Entertainment[75]
Rainbow Serpent co-production with Imagine Entertainment and Animal Logic[76]
Real Pigeons Fight Crime [75]
Stray Dogs co-production with Image Comics and Coin Operated[77]
Superworld co-production with Temple Hill Entertainment[78]
Swan Lake co-production with Temple Hill Entertainment[75]
Untitled Mighty Mouse film[a] [79]
Untitled Mindy Kaling comedy [80]
Untitled Spice Girls film co-production with 19 Entertainment[79]
Untitled Trevor Noah animated film co-production with Day Zero Productions and Mainstay Entertainment[54]
Yokai Samba co-production with Nickelodeon Movies[75]
[edit]

All films listed are distributed by Paramount Pictures unless noted otherwise.

Title Release date Studio Animation services Notes
Rango March 4, 2011 Nickelodeon Movies
Blind Wink
GK Films 		Industrial Light & Magic Directed by Gore Verbinski. Led to the creation of Paramount Animation.
Tad, The Lost Explorer April 8, 2012 Telecinco Cinema
El Toro Pictures
Lightbox Entertainment
Ikiru Films
Telefónica Studios
Media Networks 		N/A Directed by Enrique Gato. Only distributed by Paramount Pictures in the Spanish, Mexico, Latin America and Brazil.
Capture the Flag August 28, 2015 4 CATS Pictures
Lightbox Entertainment
Los Rockets AIE La Película
Telecinco Cinema
Telefonica Studios
Ikiru Films 		N/A Directed by Enrique Gato.
Tad the Lost Explorer and the Secret of King Midas December 1, 2017 Ikiru Films
Telecinco Cinema
El Toro Pictures
4 CATS Pictures
Lightbox Entertainment
Tadeo Jones y el Secreto de Midas AIE
Telefónica Studios 		N/A Directed by Enrique Gato.
Sonic the Hedgehog February 14, 2020 Sega Sammy Group
Original Film
Marza Animation Planet
Blur Studio 		Moving Picture Company
Trixter
Digital Domain 		Directed by Jeff Fowler. Based on the Sega video game series of the same name.
PAW Patrol: The Movie August 20, 2021 Nickelodeon Movies
Spin Master Entertainment 		Mikros Image Directed by Cal Brunker. Based on PAW Patrol by Keith Chapman
The Loud House Movie Nickelodeon Movies Top Draw Animation Directed by Dave Needham. Based on The Loud House by Chris Savino. Originally slated to be released by Paramount Pictures.
My Little Pony: A New Generation September 24, 2021 Entertainment One
Hasbro 		Boulder Media[d] Directed by Robert Cullen and José Luis Ucha. Originally slated to be released theatrically by Paramount Pictures, later removed in February 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as eOne sold the rights to Netflix.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 April 8, 2022 Sega Sammy Group
Original Film
Marza Animation Planet
Blur Studio 		Moving Picture Company
DNEG 		Directed by Jeff Fowler. Based on the Sega video game of the same name. Sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog.
Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank July 15, 2022 Nickelodeon Movies
GFM Animation
Blazing Productions, Ltd.
Aniventure
Brooksfilms
Flying Tigers Entertainment
Align
HB Wink Animation 		Cinesite[d] Directed by Rob Minkoff, Chris Bailey and Mark Koetsier. Acquired by Paramount Pictures in January 2022 to be released under Paramount Animation.;[5] released under Nickelodeon Movies.
Tad, the Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet November 4, 2022 Telecinco Cinema
Lightbox Animation Studios
Ikiru Films
mAnangu Grup
La Tadeopelícula AIE 		N/A Directed by Enrique Gato.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem August 2, 2023 Nickelodeon Movies
Point Grey Pictures 		Mikros Animation
Cinesite Vancouver 		Directed by Jeff Rowe. Based on characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman.
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie September 29, 2023 Nickelodeon Movies
Spin Master Entertainment 		Mikros Animation Directed by Cal Brunker. Based on PAW Patrol by Keith Chapman. Sequel to PAW Patrol: The Movie.
IF May 17, 2024 Sunday Night Productions
Maximum Effort 		Framestore Written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 December 20, 2024 Sega Sammy Group
Original Film
Marza Animation Planet
Blur Studio 		Moving Picture Company
Clear Angle Studios
Fin Design + Effects 		Directed by Jeff Fowler. Based on the Sega video game of the same name. Sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog 2.
Aang: The Last Airbender January 30, 2026 Nickelodeon Movies
Avatar Studios 		Flying Bark Productions Directed by Lauren Montgomery. Based on Avatar: The Last Airbender by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Untitled third PAW Patrol film July 31, 2026 Nickelodeon Movies
Spin Master Entertainment 		Mikros Animation Directed by Cal Brunker. Based on PAW Patrol by Keith Chapman. Sequel to PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie.
Untitled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem sequel October 9, 2026 Nickelodeon Movies
Point Grey Pictures 		Mikros Animation
Cinesite Vancouver 		Directed by Jeff Rowe. Based on characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. Sequel to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
The Shrinking of Treehorn TBA Imagine Entertainment Animal Logic[d] Directed by Ron Howard. Originally slated to be released theatrically by Paramount Pictures, later sold the rights to Netflix.

Cancelled or inactive projects

[edit]
Main article: List of unproduced Paramount Pictures animated projects
Title Description
The New Kid Feature film based on the comic Penny Arcade. Announced in June 2011,[10] the project was canceled by 2016 due to leadership changes at Paramount Pictures despite the script being complete.[81]
Shedd Announced in January 2014 with John Kahrs joining as the director and was based on an original idea by Adam Goodman.[82]
Giant Monsters Attack Japan Originally announced in 2006 as a live-action Nickelodeon Movies production from Matt Stone and Trey Parker, the film moved to Paramount Animation in 2015 with a script written by Matt Lieberman.[83]
Bodacious Announced in October 2015 as an animated feature produced by Eddie Murphy based on the infamous bull of the same name.[84]
Untitled sci-fi film Paramount Animation acquired the rights to an untitled sci-fi pitch from screenwriter David Frigerio in October 2015, which was described as "tonally Cars set in space".[85]
The Flamingo Affair Announced in June 2016 as a co-production with J.J. Abrams through Bad Robot with a script written by Pamela Pettler. The film was described as a comedic Ocean's Eleven-style heist film with animals in Las Vegas.[86]
Adventures in Wonder Park Prior to Wonder Park's release, Paramount Animation announced a television series based on the film, titled Adventures in Wonder Park, to debut on Nickelodeon after the film's theatrical release.[87] Although a trailer for the series was attached to the Blu-ray release of the film, and its first season, consisting of 20 episodes, was completed between 2019 and early 2020, there have been no updates from Nickelodeon on the project as of 2023. The animatic of the pilot was later posted online in December 2022.[88]

Reception

[edit]

Box office grosses

[edit]
Film Budget North America Overseas
gross 		Worldwide gross
(unadjusted) 		Ref(s)
Opening Gross
(unadjusted)
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water $74 million $55,365,012 $162,994,032 $162,192,000 $325,186,032 [89]
The Little Prince $60 million $116,927 $1,339,152 $96,232,098 $97,571,250 [citation needed]
Anomalisa $8 million $135,222 $3,759,286 $1,900,000 $5,659,286 [citation needed]
Monster Trucks $125 million $10,950,705 $33,370,166 $31,123,749 $64,493,915 [90]
Sherlock Gnomes $59 million $10,604,774 $43,242,871 $47,254,907 $90,497,778 [91]
Wonder Park $80–100 million $15,853,646 $45,216,793 $74,342,317 $119,559,110 [92]
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run $60 million $865,824 $4,810,790 — $4,810,790 [93]
Transformers One $75–147 million $24,613,970 $57,966,393 $66,200,000 $124,166,393 [94]

Critical and public response

[edit]
Film Critical
Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water 81% 62
The Little Prince 93% 70
Anomalisa 92% 88
Monster Trucks 32% 41
Sherlock Gnomes 27% 36
Wonder Park 34% 45
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run 67% 65
Rumble 43% 48
The Tiger's Apprentice 53% 60
Transformers One 89% 62

Accolades

[edit]

Academy Awards

[edit]
Year Film Category Recipient(s) Result Refs
2015 Anomalisa Best Animated Feature Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson, and Rosa Tran Nominated [95]

Annie Awards

[edit]
Year Film Category Recipient(s) Result Refs
2016 The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water Animated Effects in an Animated Production Brice Mallier, Paul Buckley, Brent Droog, Alex Whyte and Jonothan Freisler Nominated [96]
Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Tom Kenny
Anomalisa Best Animated Feature Rosa Tran, Duke Johnson, Charlie Kaufman and Dino Stamatopoulos
Best Directing in a Feature Production Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson
Best Music in a Feature Production Carter Burwell
Best Voice Acting in a Feature Production Jennifer Jason Leigh
Best Editing in a Feature Production Garret Elkins

Golden Raspberry Awards

[edit]
Year Film Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
2018 Sherlock Gnomes Worst Actor Johnny Depp Nominated [97]
Worst Screen Combo
His fast-fading film career

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Combines live-action with animation
  2. ^ a b Not produced by Paramount Animation, but released under their label.
  3. ^ The Little Prince was theatrically released on July 29, 2015, in France. It was later released on August 5, 2016, in the United States on Netflix.
  4. ^ a b c d e also production company
  5. ^ Adult animated film
  6. ^ The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run was theatrically released on August 14, 2020, only in Canada. It was later released on Netflix internationally on November 5, 2020, and then on Paramount+ on March 4, 2021, in the United States.
  7. ^ a b Released on Paramount+.
  8. ^ Limited theatrical release only under the Nickelodeon Movies imprint; released digitally and physically on November 7, 2023.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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