The Walt Disney Company has owned and operated several animation studiossince the company's founding on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio; the current Walt Disney Animation Studiosin Burbank, California is the company's flagship feature animation studio and claims heritage from this original studio. Adding to the growth of the company and its motion picture studio division The Walt Disney Studios, several other animation studios were added through acquisitions and through openings of satellite studios outside the United States. These expanded the company's animation output into television, direct-to-video, and digital releases, in addition to its primary feature animation releases.
Currently Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar and Lucasfilm Animation(through Lucasfilm) are parts of The Walt Disney Studios unit. This article does not include other animation studios whose films were released by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (the company's distribution unit) and not acquired by the company, nor does it count the Laugh-O-Gram Studio (1921–23), Disney's first animation studio, which predated the founding of The Walt Disney Company. For example, certain Studio Ghibli films were distributed by Disney internationally but never owned by the company.[1] Also, Miramax, a independently operating unit of the Walt Disney Studios, also purchased US rights to foreign animated movies.[2]
Full list[]
| Studio | Established | Parent unit |
|---|---|---|
| Walt Disney Animation Studios | 1923 | The Walt Disney Studios |
| Animation: Theatrical feature films and short films in Hand-drawn and CGI
Former Names: Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio (1923),[Note 1] Walt Disney Studios (1926),[Note 2] Walt Disney Productions (1929–1985),[Note 3] Walt Disney Feature Animation (1986–2006)[Note 4] | ||
| Pixar | 1979 | The Walt Disney Studios |
| Animation: Computer generated animated theatrical feature films and short films Acquired in 2006.
Former Names: Graphics Group (1979–1986) | ||
| Disney Television Animation | 1984 | Disney Channels Worldwide[3](Disney–ABC Television Group) |
| Animation: Television series
Originally a part of the Disney animation group, Disney TV Animation was transferred into Disney Television and later to the Disney Channel Former Names: Walt Disney Pictures Television Animation Group (1984), Walt Disney Television Animation (1987–2011) Former satellite studios: Disney Animation Australia/DisneyToon Studios Australia (1988–2006) Disney Animation Canada (1996–2000) Disney Animation France/Disney Animation Paris (1989–2003) Disney Animation Japan (1989–2004) Disney MovieToons (1990–2003; theatrical name)/Disney Video Premieres (1994–2003; direct to video) Jetix Animation Concepts (2004–2009) | ||
| Studio | Established | status |
|---|---|---|
| Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida | 1989 | closed in 2004 |
| Domestic division created to be an active attraction at Disney-MGM Studios and for additional output. | ||
| DisneyToon Studios | 1990 | closed in 2018 |
| Animation: theatrical, direct to video, short and television films and Wrap-around animation Began as a sequel theatrical unit of Disney Television Animation an adding direct to video features before being transferred to Features Animation in 2003 and Disney Studios from 2006 to 2008 Former Names: Disney MovieToons (1990–2003; theatrical name), Disney Video Premieres (1994–2003; direct to video) Former satellite studios: Disney Animation Australia/DisneyToon Studios Australia (1988–2006) Disney Animation Canada (1996–2000) Disney Animation France/Disney Animation Paris (1989–2003) Disney Animation Japan (1989–2004) | ||
| DIC Entertainment | 1971 | sold in 2000 |
| Animation: Television series and Feature films
Founded in 1971 and was acquired with the purchase of Capital Cities/ABC in 1996. Founder with investment firms backing purchased the company in 2000. | ||
| Jumbo Pictures, Inc. | 1990 | closed in 2000 |
| Founded by Jim Jinkins and David Campbell and acquired by Disney in 1996. | ||
| The Baby Einstein Company | 1997 | discontinued animation |
| Founded in 1997 by stay-at-home mom and former teacher Julie Aigner-Clark, Acquired by Disney in 2000.[2] Discontinued making videos in 2009. | ||
| Dream Quest Images | 1996 | merged in 1999 |
| VFX & animated unit acquired in 1996 and merged into Secret Labs in 1999. | ||
| Secret Labs | 1999 | closed in 2001 |
| Formed from the merger of Dream Quest Images and Disney Feature Animation's Computer Graphics division. | ||
| Greengrass Productions | ||
| Live production unit of ABC that dabbled in TV and feature film animation. | ||
| Disney Circle 7 Animation | 2004 | closed in 2006 |
| Also known as: Circle 7 Animation
a short-lived division of Walt Disney Feature Animation specializing in computer generated imagery (CGI) animation and was originally going to work on making sequels to the Disney-owned Pixar properties. | ||
| ImageMovers Digital | 2007 | closed in 2011 |
| Joint venture between Disney and ImageMovers, venture cancelled after two films. | ||
| Saban Entertainment | 1984 | |
| Formed in 1984 by music and TV producers Haim Saban and Shuki Levy. Acquired as part of Fox Family Worldwide on October 24, 2001. Renamed to BVS Entertainment (main company) and Sensation Animation (Team that worked on the Digimon dub).
Units: SIP Animation (part owner), Saban International | ||
| SIP Animation | 1977 | closed in 2008 |
| Founded in France by Haim Saban and Jacqueline Tordjman in 1977 as Saban International Paris. Acquired alongside parent company Saban Entertainment in 2001 as part of the Fox Family Worldwide buyout. Separated from parent company in 2001 to become independent with a stake purchased by Disney. Closed in 2009.
Former Names: Saban International Paris | ||
| Jetix Animation Concepts | 2004 | Discontinued in 2009 |
| Jetix acquired programming label | ||
| Disney Animation Australia | 1998 | Closed in 2006 |
| Also known as: DisneyToon Studios Australia Started in 1998 for animated TV series but became one of the general satellite studios of Disney Television Animation, Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premiere and Disney Feature Animation. | ||
| Disney Animation Canada | 1996 | Closed in 2000 |
| Started in 1996 for animated TV series but became one of the general satellite studios of Disney Television Animation, Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premiere and Disney Feature Animation. | ||
| Disney Animation France | 1996 | Closed in 2003 |
| Former name: Brizzi Films Also known as: Disney Animation Paris Acquired in 1989 for animated TV series but became one of general satellite studios of Disney Television Animation, Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premiere and Disney Feature Animation. | ||
| Disney Animation Japan | 1989 | Closed in 2004 |
| Acquired in 1989 for animated TV series but became one of general satellite studios of Disney Television Animation, Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premiere and Disney Feature Animation. | ||
| Pixar Canada | 2010 | Closed in 2013 |
| This was a wholly owned subsidiary of Pixar Animation Studios. It was located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The studio was tasked to produce short films based on Pixar's feature film characters. | ||
Disney-ABC Television Group[]
Main article: Disney-ABC Television Group
Disney Television Animation[]
Main article: Disney Television Animation
In January 2003, Disney initiated a reorganization of its theatrical and animation units to improve resource usage and continued focus on new characters and franchise development. TV Animation was transferred to Disney Channel Worldwide.[4] Disney MovieToons/Disney Video Premieres unit was transferred from Television Animation to Feature Animation.[5][6]
DIC Entertainment[]
With Disney's acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC in 1996 came another animated unit, DIC Entertainment. DiC management arranged for DiC to become independent from Disney on November 17, 2000.[2]
Greengrass Productions[]
Greengrass Productions is a unit of ABC at the time CC/ABC was acquired by Disney and produced some animation.[2]
[]
Disney purchased Fox Family Worldwide on October 24, 2001 for the Fox Family Channel and also received ownership of several animation units, including Saban Entertainment and Saban International N.V. Fox Family, Fox Kids international, Saban Entertainment and Saban International N.V. were renamed ABC Family, Jetix, Sensation Animation and BVS International N.V. respectively.[2] The Saban library included the acquired Marvel Productions and Marvel Film Animation library.[7] Saban also sold Saban International Paris in 2001 with the purchase of Fox Family Worldwide, which was followed by The Walt Disney Company taking a stake in the company and a name change to SIP Animation on October 1, 2002.[8][9][10] Jetix Animation Concepts, also Jetix Concepts Animation, was a brand used for animation co-produced by and for the Jetix global group by the American partner, ABC Disney Cable Group, from 2004 to 2009.[11]
- Jetix Animation Concepts
- Saban Entertainment
- Sensation Animation – dubbing for Digimon
- SIP Animation
Walt Disney Studios[]
Main article: The Walt Disney Studios (division)
Walt Disney Animation Studios[]
Main article: Walt Disney Animation Studios
Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida[]
Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida, a division of Walt Disney Feature Animation, opened in 1989 with 40 employees. Its offices were in the backlot of the Disney-MGM Studios theme park and visitors were allowed to tour the studio to observe animators at work from behind glass-paneled overhead breezeways. The company had primarily animated Mulan, Lilo & Stitch, and Brother Bear.[13]
Walt Disney Animation placed Max Howard in charge of starting up its Florida animation studio in 1988.[15] Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida began operations in May 1989. The division was originally planned to work on featurettes and shorts that they could do on its own. 70 animators including Disney veteran supervising animator Mark Henn were hired by 1990. After doing its first work, the Roger Rabbit short, Roller Coaster Rabbit, the division was enlisted to help finish The Rescuers Down Under and work on its companion featurette, The Prince and the Pauper.[16] On October 7, 1992, the Florida unit was incorporated.[17] On April 22, 1998, Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida moved to a new $70 million facility at the Disney-MGM Studios.[13][18] In June 1998, the Florida division's first feature film, Mulan, was released.[19] The unit continued as a division with its corporate form was merged out on September 30, 1999.[20] Andrew Millstein took charge of the division as senior vice president and general manager of production in 2001 transferring in from The Secret Lab.[21]
In January 2003, Disney initiated a reorganization of its theatrical and animation units to improve resource usage and continued focus on new characters and franchise development. Additionally, Feature Animation was transferred under The Walt Disney Studios in January 2003.[6] In June 2003, 50 animators were laid off after Brother Bear finished up production. The division was developing A Few Good Ghosts (also known as My Peoples) until it was canceled on November 15, 2003. On January 12, 2004, Disney Feature Animation President David Stainton announced the shut down of Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida.[14]
Some laid-off animators were offered transfers to the main studio while most chose to stay in Orlando or were recruited to work for rival animation studios. Other animators created their own startup studios. Legacy Animation Studios was formed by Eddie Pittman along with 15 artists previously laid off from the company.[22] Laid off animators Travis Blaise, Todd Gilbert and Matt Gunther formed their own company, Magnetic Entertainment.[14] Project Firefly animation studio was set up by five former employees on Universal Studios Florida's backlot and worked on Curious George for Universal, two direct to videos for DisneyToon Studios, Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie and Brother Bear 2 and Farm Force, a short/pilot as an internal project.[23] Millstein was tapped to head up Florida's replacement and Pixar sequel division, Circle 7 Animation.[12]
Projects[]
| Release date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| June 23, 1989 | Tummy Trouble | Released with Honey, I Shrunk the Kids |
| November 22, 1989 | The Little Mermaid | Ink and paint Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 15, 1990 | Roller Coaster Rabbit | Released with Dick Tracy |
| November 16, 1990 | The Prince and the Pauper | Animated ten minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| The Rescuers Down Under | Animated ten minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation | |
| November 22, 1991 | Beauty and the Beast | Partial animation of Belle and animated ten minutes including the "Be Our Guest" sequence[24] Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| November 25, 1992 | Aladdin | Animated ten minutes and the partial animation of Princess Jasmine[24][25] Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| March 12, 1993 | Trail Mix-Up | Released with A Far Off Place |
| June 24, 1994 | The Lion King | Animated twenty-two minutes including "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence[26] Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 23, 1995 | Pocahontas | Animated eighteen minutes[27] Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| June 21, 1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Animated four minutes Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation with Walt Disney Animation France[27] |
| June 19, 1998 | Mulan | |
| June 18, 1999 | Tarzan | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney Animation France[28] |
| 2000 | John Henry | [29] |
| December 15, 2000 | The Emperor's New Groove | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney Animation France[30] |
| June 15, 2001 | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney Animation France[31] |
| June 21, 2002 | Lilo & Stitch | |
| November 1, 2003 | Brother Bear |
DisneyToon Studios[]
Main article: DisneyToon Studios
DisneyToon Studios, formerly Disney Movietoons,[32] was an American animation studio owned by The Walt Disney Company, responsible for producing direct-to-video and occasional theatrical films for Disney Animation Studios, a part of The Walt Disney Studios.[3]
Disney Circle 7 Animation[]
Main article: Circle 7 Animation
Circle 7 Animation, or Disney Circle 7 Animation, was a short-lived division of Walt Disney Feature Animation specializing in computer generated imagery(CGI) animation and was originally going to work on making sequels to the Disney-owned Pixar properties, leading rivals and animators[12] to derisively nickname the division "Pixaren't". The company released no movies during its tenure.[33]
Steve Jobs, Pixar CEO, announced in January 2004 that Pixar would not renew their agreement with Disney and would seek out other distributors for releases starting in 2006.[34] In 2004, Disney Circle 7 Animation was formed as a CG animation studio to create sequels to the Disney-owned Pixar properties.[33] In Late January 2006, new Disney CEO Bob Iger and Jobs agreed to have Disney purchase Pixar[35] which led to Disney closing Circle 7.[36]
The Secret Lab[]
The Secret Lab was an American special effects company that operated from 1980 to 2001, and was the result of a merger between Dream Quest Images and Walt Disney Feature Animation's Computer Graphics division.
Dream Quest was founded in a Santa Monica, California garage in 1979[39] [37]by Hoyt Yeatman, Scott Squires, Rocco Gioffre, Fred Iguchi, Tom Hollister and Bob Hollister.[40] Initial they did piecemeal work on Escape from New York, ET, and One From the Heart,[40] The company then moved to Culver City. DQ Films, the company's television commercial production division, remained in Santa Monica. In 1987, DQI model-making operations moved into a Simi Valleyindustrial park with the most of the company following them to Simi Valley later.[39] The Abyss and Total Recall special effects works each earned the company an Oscars Award.[41]
The Walt Disney Company purchased the company in April 1996 and subsequently moved the company to Burbank, California.[39] DQI was purchased to replace Buena Vista Visual Effects.[42] Soon after 1997, Andrew Millstein was appointed general manager of the company.[21]
In October 1999, Dream Quest Images merged with Walt Disney Feature Animation's computer graphics division to form The Secret Lab[43][37] with Millstein continuing as general manager and vice president.[21][43] The DQI and WDFA units were moved into a new location at Disney's Northside facility on Thornton Avenue just east of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport, the former Lockheed Corp.'s Skunk Works Building 90 until it was renovated for WDFA's headquarters in 1995. DQI's physical production facilities remained in Simi Valley.[43]
The Secret Lab only produced one CG animated motion picture, Dinosaur, in 2000.[43] After Dinosaur, the Lab and Disney Feature Animation started working on Wildlife which was canceled in September 2000.[44]
The Lab being passed over for Disney work (and general industry decline) led to the unit being closed in 2001. The Secret Lab's last work was for the Touchstone Pictures/Spyglass Entertainment film Reign of Fire and the Castle Rock Entertainment/Warner Bros. comedy Kangaroo Jack.[37] An artist at The Secret Lab purportedly confided to Harry Knowles of Ain't It Cool News that the studio was shut down by Disney when it proved to be too expensive.[45]
- VFXography
- Con Air
- The Rock
- Armageddon
- Mighty Joe Young
- Bicentennial Man
- Gone in 60 Seconds
- Mission to Mars
- 102 Dalmatians
- Shanghai Noon
- Tennessee[43]
- Dinosaur
- Mission to Mars
- Inspector Gadget[38]
Lucasfilm[]
Lucasfilm Animation[]
Lucasfilm Animation was added as an animation unit as part of the acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012.[46]
Pixar[]
Main article: Pixar
Pixar (/ˈpɪksɑːr/) is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio is best known for its CGI-animated feature films created with PhotoRealistic RenderMan, its own implementation of the industry-standard RenderMan image-rendering application programming interface used to generate high-quality images. Pixar began in 1979 as the Graphics Group, part of the computer division of Lucasfilm before its spin-out as a corporation in 1986 with funding by Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who became its majority shareholder.[citation needed] Pixar and Disney had a seven feature agreement that allowed Disney to distribute the films with Disney owing the character rights. With the success of Toy Story 2 in 1999, then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner and Pixar CEO Steve Jobs began to disagree on how Pixar should be run and the terms of their continued relationship.[33] Eisner claimed that Toy Story 2 would not count towards the "original" film count of the agreement.[47] Jobs announced in January 2004 that Pixar would not renew their agreement with Disney and would seek out other distributors for releases starting in 2006.[34] In 2004, Disney Circle 7 Animation was formed as a CG animation studio to create sequels to the Disney-owned Pixar properties.[33] In Late January 2006, new Disney CEO Bob Iger and Jobs agreed to have Disney purchase Pixar[48] which led to Disney closing Circle 7.[49]
Pixar Canada[]
Main article: Pixar Canada
Distribution deals[]
Main article: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
In August 1996, Disney and Tokuma Shoten Publishing agreed that Disney would internationally distribute Tokuma's Studio Ghibli animated films.[1] In 2002, Disney signed a four-picture deal with Vanguard Animation,[50] although, only one film was released under that negotiation.[51]
Marvel Entertainment[]
Marvel Entertainment's subsidiary, Marvel Television, is the parent company of Marvel Animation.
Marvel AnimationEdit[]
With Disney's 2009 purchase of Marvel Entertainment, Disney acquired Marvel Animation, a component of Marvel Entertainment.[52] which now has a Studio in Glendale, California.[53][54]
Overseas studios[]
Three overseas animation studios (Australia, Japan and Canada) were set up to produce the company's animated television series. As direct-to-video increased in importance, the overseas studios moved to making feature films.[55]
Disney Animation Australia[]
Disney Animation Australia (DAA), also DisneyToon Studios Australia,[58] was a Disney animation studio located in Sydney.[56]
DAA was started in 1988 at the former Hanna-Barbera overseas studio in St Leonards, Sydney. Initially, Animation Australia worked on various television shows including Aladdin, Timon & Pumbaa, and Goof Troop. As staffing increased, the studio moved to Castlereagh Street.[57]
Disney began producing direct-to-video sequels of its Feature Animation productions, the first of which was the Aladdin sequel The Return of Jafar. When Aladdin was selected as a possible candidate as an animated TV series (before the film's release), as with many animated series, the first three episodes were one multi-part story which Disney used as a potential 'family movie special' for the Friday night before the series' premiere. With work handed out to the Australia animation studio, the opening story was instead greenlit for a direct-to-video release. Thus with "Jafar" and its success, the direct-to-video unit, Disney Video Premieres, started. A second sequel, Aladdin and the King of Thieves, provided work to both the Australia and Japanese animation units.[3]
Australia was assigned additional film sequels: The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, An Extremely Goofy Movie and Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure. The company's first feature film was Return to Never Land in 2002 grossing over $100 million worldwide at the box office. In 2005, the studio produced three animated movies: Tarzan II, Lilo & Stitch 2 and Bambi II. Disney Animation Australia was closed in mid-2006 after finishing Brother Bear 2 and Cinderella III.[57]
| Title | Release type | Release date | Franchise | Other production company(ies)[58] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Return of Jafar | Direct-to-video | May 20, 1994 | Aladdin | Disney Video Premieres Disney Animation Japan |
| A Goofy Movie | Theatrical[59] | April 7, 1995 | Goofy |
|
| Aladdin and the King of Thieves | Direct-to-video | August 13, 1996 | Aladdin | Disney Video Premieres Disney Animation Japan[1] |
| Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World | Direct-to-video | August 25, 1998 | Pocahontas |
|
| The Lion King II: Simba's Pride | Direct-to-video | October 27, 1998 | The Lion King | Disney Video Premieres |
| An Extremely Goofy Movie | Direct-to-video | February 29, 2000 | Goofy | Disney Video Premieres[57] |
| Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure | Direct-to-video[47] | February 27, 2001 | Lady and the Tramp | Disney Video Premieres |
| Return to Never Land | Theatrical[3] | February 15, 2002 | Peter Pan |
|
| The Jungle Book 2 | Theatrical[3] | February 14, 2003 | The Jungle Book | DisneyToon Studios |
| The Lion King 1½ | Direct-to-video[3] | February 10, 2004 | The Lion King | |
| Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers | Direct-to-video[3] | August 17, 2004 | Mickey Mouse | |
| Tarzan II | Direct-to-video | June 14, 2005 | Tarzan | |
| Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch | Direct-to-video | August 30, 2005 | Lilo & Stitch | |
| Bambi II | Direct-to-video/Theatrical | February 7, 2006 | Bambi | |
| Brother Bear 2 | Direct-to-video[6] | August 29, 2006 | Brother Bear | |
| The Fox and the Hound 2 | Direct-to-video[6] | December 11, 2006 | The Fox and the Hound | |
| Cinderella III: A Twist in Time | Direct-to-video | February 6, 2007 | Cinderella | |
| The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh | TV shows[57] | 1988–1991 | Winnie the Pooh | Disney Television Animation |
| Darkwing Duck | 1991–1992 | DuckTales | ||
| Goof Troop | 1992–1993 | Goof | ||
| Bonkers | 1993–1994 | Raw Toonage | ||
| Aladdin | 1994–1995 | Aladdin | ||
| Timon & Pumbaa | 1995–1999 | Lion King | ||
| Quack Pack | 1996 | DuckTales |
Disney Animation Canada[]
Walt Disney Animation Canada, Inc. (WDAC) was a Canadian animation production company and subsidiary of Disney Television Animation.[55]
Walt Disney Animation Canada was opened in January 1996 to tap Canada's animator pool and produce direct-to-video. Industry Canada rules were dispensed by the Canadian Government with a multi-year commitment from Disney for the company.[61]
WDAC produced in 1997 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas then worked with Australia and Japan subcontractors on Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.[61] In fall 1999, Animation Canada stopped work on Peter and Jane, a Peter Pan sequel original designed as its first theatrical release but was changed to a video release.[61] In Spring 2000, due to weak financial performance, Animation Canada was closed.[61][63] With Canada's closure, work on Peter and Jane was moved to the Australia and Japan units.[61]
| Title | Release type | Release date | Franchise | Other production company(ies) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Goofy Movie | Theatrical[59] | April 7, 1995 | Goofy |
|
| Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | Direct-to-video | November 11, 1997 | Beauty and the Beast | for Disney Video Premieres |
| Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World | Direct-to-video[64] | August 25, 1998 | Pocahontas |
|
| The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea | Direct-to-video | September 19, 2000 | The Little Mermaid | Disney Video Premiere[63] |
| Peter and Jane | Theatrical[3] | February 15, 2002 | Peter Pan |
|
Disney Animation France[]
Walt Disney Animation, France S.A. (DAF), also credited as Walt Disney Feature Animation - Paris[67] and originally named Brizzi Films, was an animation company based in France that operated from 1986 to 2003.
Brizzi Films was founded by Paul and Gaëtan Brizzi in 1986, in Paris, France. Brizzi worked on Babar in 1986 for Nelvana. In 1989, the Brizzi brothers sold the company to Disney Television Animation. The brothers continued on as general managers under the company's new name, Walt Disney Animation, France S.A.[65] The first production they work on under Disney was DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp for Disney MovieToons.[32] In 1990, WDA France worked on several TV shows and specials.[65]
In 1994, the Brizzi brothers transferred to Walt Disney Feature Animation as sequence directors for The Hunchback of Notre Dame[65] for which Disney France did 20 percent of the animation.[66] By January 1998, David Stainton was heading up Disney Animation France, which was when he was promoted to senior vice president of creative affairs for Disney Feature Animation.[68]
Stainton was promoted in January 2000, and moved to Walt Disney Television Animation.[68] In summer 2003, Disney Animation France was closed.[50]
Projects[]
| Title | Release type | Release date | Franchise | Other production company(ies) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Babar: The Movie | July 28, 1989 | Produced for Nelvanaas Brizzi Films[65] | ||
| DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp | Theatrical[69] | August 3, 1990 | DuckTales | for Disney MovieToons[32] |
| TaleSpin | TV episodes | 1990–91 | The Jungle Book | for Walt Disney Television Animation[65] |
| Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too | TV special | December 14, 1991 | Winnie the Pooh | |
| Goof Troop | TV episodes & specials | 1992 | Goofy | |
| Marsupilami | Special | 1993 | ||
| Bonkers | Special | 1993–94 | ||
| A Goofy Movie | Theatrical[59] | April 7, 1995 | Goofy |
|
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame | feature film | June 21, 1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida[27] |
| Hercules | feature film: Animated ten minutes[70] | June 27, 1997 | Hercules | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation |
| Tarzan | feature film | June 18, 1999 | Tarzan | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney Feature Animation Florida[28] |
| Fantasia 2000 | Animated The Firebird Suite—1919 Versionsegment[71] | December 17, 1999 | Fantasia | |
| The Emperor's New Groove | feature film | December 15, 2000 | The Emperor's New Groove | Co-produced with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Disney Feature Animation Florida[30] |
| Atlantis: The Lost Empire | feature film | June 15, 2001 | Atlantis | Co-produced with Disney Feature Animation and Disney Feature Animation Florida[31] |
Disney Animation Japan[]
Walt Disney Animation Japan (株式会社ウォルトディズニーアニメーションジャパン Kabushiki gaisha Uoruto Dizunī Animēshon Japan) (WDAJ), officially Walt Disney Animation (Japan) Inc., and formerly known as Pacific Animation Corporation (パシフィックアニメーション株式会社 Pashifikku animēshon kabushiki gaisha), was an animation production subsidiary of Disney Television Animation, a component of The Walt Disney Company.
Pacific Animation Corporation was one of two animation firms that formed after the end of Topcraft in 1984. Pacific Animation did three TV series and 1 television film for Rankin/Bass. In 1988, Disney Company purchased Pacific Animation Corporation, which was renamed as Walt Disney Animation Japan.[73]
The Japanese studio was set up to provide the animation services for Disney's animated television series in 1989.[55][76] As direct-to-video increased in importance, the overseas studios moved to making feature films.[55]
DAJ worked on The Tigger Movie (2000). In 2003, the company produced Piglet's Big Movie for DisneyToon Studios and 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure. In September 2003, Disney announced the closure of the studio, with Pooh's Heffalump Movie (2004) to be its final work.[76][75]
DAJ was closed in June 2004 with 30 employees expected to be transferred to one of the two Disney's remaining animation units.[72] With the closure of the Japanese studio, its remaining work for DisneyToon Studios was split between its US and Australia animation units.[75] Employees not transferred decided to launch a new company, The Answer Studio.[72][74]
| Title | Release type | Release date | Franchise | Other production company(ies) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific Animation[73] | ||||
| The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus | TV film | 1985 | for Rankin/Bass Productions | |
| Thundercats | TV show episodes | 1985 | ||
| SilverHawks | 1986 | |||
| The Comic Strip | 1987 | |||
| Disney Animation Japan | ||||
| Aladdin and the King of Thieves | Direct-to-video | August 13, 1996 | Aladdin | Disney Animation Australia Disney Video Premieres[1] |
| Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin[64][77] | Direct-to-video | August 5, 1997 | Winnie the Pooh | Disney Video Premieres |
| Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World | Direct-to-video[64] | August 25, 1998 | Pocahontas |
|
| The Tigger Movie[6][78] | Theatrical | February 11, 2000 | Winnie the Pooh | Disney Movietoons[75] |
| Return to Never Land | Theatrical[3] | February 15, 2002 | Peter Pan |
|
| 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure | Direct-to-video | January 21, 2003 | 101 Dalmatians | Disney Video Premiere[74] |
| Piglet's Big Movie | Theatrical[3][75] | March 21, 2003 | Winnie the Pooh | DisneyToon Studios[75] |
| Pooh's Heffalump Movie | February 11, 2005 | |||
Jumbo Pictures[]
Jumbo Pictures was a New York-based animation studio founded by Jim Jinkins and David Campbell in 1990.[79][80] On February 29, 1996, Disney purchased Jumbo Pictures to add Doug to their roster of properties.[2][79] Jumbo Pictures' Doug was a key show of Disney's One Saturday Morning since 1997. Jumbo Pictures also produced one movie, Doug's 1st Movie, in 1999.[79] The studio was closed in 2000.
Filmography
| Title | Release type | Release date | Channel/ block |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doug | TV shows | 1991–1994, 1996-1999 |
Nickelodeon(Seasons 1-4) ABC (Seasons 5-7) |
|
| Allegra's Window | 1994–1996 | Nick Jr. | Puppetry | |
| 101 Dalmatians: The Series | 1997–1998 | ABC | ||
| PB&J Otter[79] | 1998–2000 | Disney:[81]Playhouse Disney | ||
| Doug's 1st Movie | feature film | 1999 | Released theatrically[79] | |
| Sabrina: The Animated Series | TV show | 1999–2000 | UPN |
|
ImageMovers Digital[]
In 2007, The Walt Disney Company and ImageMovers set up a joint venture animation facility, ImageMovers Digital, a Marin County-based film company, where Robert Zemeckis would produce and direct 3D animated films using performance capture technology.[2] ImageMovers Digital closed operations by January 2011, after the production was completed on Mars Needs Moms.[83]