By Danielle Broadway
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Netflix has signed a multi-year agreement with Skydance Animation to develop animated feature films that will be released exclusively on Netflix, the streaming service said on Wednesday.
John Lasseter, Walt Disney Co’s former animation head and co-founder of Pixar, will guide production of the films. Lasseter began working at Skydance Animation in 2019 after taking a leave of absence from Disney in 2017. He was a driving force behind animation hits like “Toy Story” and “Cars.”
The deal with Netflix comes after several creative collaborations between the two companies, including the films “The Adam Project” and “Spy Kids: Armageddon” as well as the TV series “FUBAR” and “Altered Carbon.”
Skydance Animation previously worked with Apple TV+, including on the animated film “Luck,” which premiered in 2022.
The first film of the multi-year deal to be released on Netflix in 2024 will be “Spellbound,” the story of a princess on a mission to save her family from a supernatural spell. Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem are featured in the voice cast.
The buddy comedy “Pookoo” about a small woodland creature and a majestic bird will be released in 2025.
Skydance Animation, based in Los Angeles and Madrid, will also roll out “Ray Gunn” with “Ratatouille” director Brad Bird and an untitled Jack and the Beanstalk project directed by Rich Moore of “Zootopia.”
(Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Mary Milliken and Josie Kao)
