Locksmith Animation

Last updated

Locksmith Animation Ltd.
Company type Subsidiary
Industry CGI animation
Founded2014;10 years ago (2014)
Founder Sarah Smith
Julie Lockhart
Elisabeth Murdoch [1]
Headquarters
113 Regent's Park Road, London, England
,
United Kingdom
Number of locations
2 locations (2023)
Key people
Julie Lockhart (President of Prod.)
Natalie Fischer (CEO)
Mary Coleman (CCO)
Britt Gardiner (COO)
Daphne Mather (Head of Culture)
Doug Ikeler (CTO/SVP Digital Prod.)
Shelley Page (Head of Talent)
OwnerSister Group (20%)
Elisabeth Murdoch
Julie Lockhart
Natalie Fischer
Number of employees
60 (2022)
Parent SISTER
Website www.locksmithanimation.com

Locksmith Animation is an independent animation studio. Based in London, England and Los Angeles, California, Locksmith describes itself as "An independent producer of high-quality animated features and series for global audiences." [2]

Contents

Locksmith Animation's first film, Ron's Gone Wrong, was released on 22 October 2021, distributed by 20th Century Studios (which had recently been acquired by Disney two years prior) with positive reviews. Its next films are: That Christmas , a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, to be released by Netflix in December 2024; Bad Fairies, a subversive original musical-comedy film set in contemporary London, The Lunar Chronicles, an animated feature film adaptation project based on the author Marissa Meyer's four young adult science fiction fantasy novels by the same name.

History

Locksmith was founded in 2014 by Aardman Animations collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch, the studio was named after Julie Lockhart and Sarah Smith's last names. [3] In April 2014, visual effects studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith where it will provide the CGI animation for Locksmith's films, this was before DNEG's animation division, DNEG Feature Animation (now known as DNEG Animation) was founded. [4]

In May 2016, Locksmith formed a production deal with Paramount Pictures, with Paramount acting as the distributor for Locksmith's films to be produced under the Paramount Animation label. [3] The following year, however, Paramount abandoned its deal with Locksmith when Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey was replaced by Jim Gianopulos. [5]

In September 2017, Locksmith formed a multi-year production deal with 20th Century Fox, which would distribute Locksmith's films; 20th Century Fox Animation was brought in to oversee the deal, as Locksmith was aiming to release a film every 12–18 months. [5] [6] The first film to be released under the production company was Ron's Gone Wrong , which was released on 22 October 2021 by 20th Century Studios. [5] [7] In February 2018, it was announced that Locksmith was developing Wed Wabbit, a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book, serving as the first live-action/animated hybrid film from Locksmith. [8] In October 2019, while Disney took over 20th Century Animation, Locksmith formed a new multi-year production deal with Warner Bros., which will distribute future Locksmith films under the Warner Animation Group label after the release of Ron's Gone Wrong, which was now the only theatrical Locksmith film to be distributed by 20th Century Studios. [1]

The studio's logo with the SISTER byline used in 2021. Locksmith Animation (2021).svg
The studio's logo with the SISTER byline used in 2021.

With the release of Ron's Gone Wrong in October 2021, Sister Pictures became the parent of Locksmith Animation since Elisabeth Murdoch is the President of Production of the studio.

In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of Illumination Entertainment, would step in as CEO. Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith exited the company to pursue her own creative endeavours. It was also announced that Locksmith is currently in production on The Empty Stocking (now entitled That Christmas), [9] a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, and they are working on an original musical-comedy film. [10] That Christmas was unveiled in June 2022 as part of Netflix's slate of animated films. [11]

In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt Marissa Meyer's fantasy novel series The Lunar Chronicles . [12]

In April 2023, Locksmith rebranded with a new logo, location and colours being orange and blue (sometimes white, maroon, or yellow).

In June 2023, as part of the rebranding of WAG now called Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, it was announced that the studio had signed a first-look deal with Locksmith to develop and produce animated features for worldwide distribution, which include Bad Fairies and The Lunar Chronicles. [13]

In December 2023, Locksmith updated their new website.

Filmography

Feature films

Released

TitleRelease dateDirector(s)DistributorCo-production withAnimation service(s)BudgetGross Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Ron's Gone Wrong 22 October 2021 Sarah Smith
Jean-Philippe Vine
Co-director:
Octavio E. Rodriguez		 20th Century Studios [lower-alpha 1] 20th Century Animation
TSG Entertainment 		DNEG Animation N/A$60.6 million81% (103 reviews) [14] 65 (23 reviews) [15] A [16]

Upcoming

TitleRelease dateDirector(s)DistributorCo-production withAnimation service(s)Production statusRef.
That Christmas 2024 Simon Otto Netflix Netflix Animation DNEG Animation In production [17] [18] [19]
Bad FairiesTBAMegan Nicole Dong Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Animation TBAIn development [20]
The Lunar Chronicles Noëlle Raffaele [12]
Wed Wabbit [lower-alpha 2] TBA [8]

Accolades

Annie Awards

YearFilmCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2021 Ron's Gone Wrong Outstanding Achievement for
Character Design in a Feature Production 		Julien BizatNominated
Outstanding Achievement for
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production 		Aurélien Predal, Till Nowak and Nathan Crowley

British Animation Awards

YearFilmCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2022 Ron's Gone Wrong Best Long FormSarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio E. RodriguezWon
Best Design
Writers AwardSarah Smith and Peter BaynhamNominated

Notes

  1. ↑ through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
  2. ↑ Combines live-action with animation

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Sarah Smith is an English film director, broadcast producer, and screenwriter. She is the co-founder and former CEO of Locksmith Animation. She is writer and director of the animated feature films Arthur Christmas (2011) and Ron's Gone Wrong (2021). Smith began her career in radio before serving as a television producer for live action British comedy, including as writer for the Armistice news review shows. She later served various other assisting production roles in television, and as writer for the adult animated series I Am Not an Animal. She then joined Aardman Animations as creative director, going on to direct her first feature film Arthur Christmas. She left Aardman and set up Locksmith Animation to direct Ron's Gone Wrong.

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That Christmas is an upcoming animated Christmas fantasy comedy film produced by Locksmith Animation, animated by DNEG Animation and distributed by Netflix. Directed by Simon Otto in his directorial debut and based on a series of children's books by Richard Curtis, it stars the voices of Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, and Bill Nighy.

References

  1. 1 2 Clarke, Stewart (31 October 2019). "Warner Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Elisabeth Murdoch's Locksmith Animation". Variety. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. ↑ "About | Locksmith Animation". locksmithanimation.com. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 "Paramount and Locksmith Animation Enter Exclusive Multi-Pic Deal". Animation Magazine. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  4. ↑ Emmett, Neil (11 April 2014). "British Studios Locksmith and Double Negative Plan To Make CG Features". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Lang, Brent (20 September 2017). "Fox, Locksmith Animation Ink Multi-Year Production, Development Deal (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety Magazine. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  6. ↑ Amidi, Amid (20 September 2017). "UK's Locksmith Animation Announces Production Agreement with 20th Century Fox". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  7. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (12 October 2017). "20th Century Fox & Locksmith Animation Slate 'Ron's Gone Wrong' As First Project". Deadline. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  8. 1 2 White, Peter (29 January 2018). "Locksmith Animation Sets Up Animated Feature Based On 'Wed Wabbit' Kids' Books". Deadline. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  9. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (6 November 2019). "Locksmith Teams with Richard Curtis for Christmas Movie". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  10. ↑ Yossman, K.J. (10 June 2021). "Liz Murdoch's Locksmith Animation Hires Natalie Fischer as CEO, Co-Founder Sarah Smith Exits". Variety. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  11. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (9 June 2022). "Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animation from Europe Ahead of Annecy". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  12. 1 2 Grobar, Matt (25 January 2022). "The Lunar Chronicles: Locksmith Animation Options Marissa Meyer's New York Times Bestselling Novel Series For Film". Deadline . Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (9 June 2023). "Warner Bros Pictures Animation Inks First-Look Deal With Locksmith Animation; First Pics Are Bad Fairies & The Lunar Chronicles". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "Ron's Gone Wrong". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  15. ↑ "Ron's Gone Wrong Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  16. ↑ El-Mahmoud, Sarah (27 October 2021). "Could Ron's Gone Wrong Get A Sequel? Here's What The Filmmakers Say". Cinemablend.
  17. ↑ Motayor, Rafael (14 June 2021). "Simon Otto to Helm Animated 'That Christmas' Adaptation, Based on Books by 'Love Actually' Writer". Collider. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  18. ↑ Tasha Robinson (25 April 2023). "Netflix reveals every original animated movie set for release in the next two years". Polygon . Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  19. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (9 June 2022). "Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animation from Europe Ahead of Annecy". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  20. ↑ Yossman, K.J. (10 June 2021). "Liz Murdoch's Locksmith Animation Hires Natalie Fischer as CEO, Co-Founder Sarah Smith Exits". Variety. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
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