Marvel Animation | |
Company type | Division |
Industry |
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Genre | Superhero fiction |
Founded | July 21, 2021 |
Headquarters | , United States |
Key people |
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Products | Animation |
Services |
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Parent | Marvel Studios |
Marvel Studios Animation (also known as Marvel Animation) is a division of American production company Marvel Studios centered on development of its animated projects based on Marvel Comics. The division was created by Marvel Studios as a "mini studio" and mainly produces projects set within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and also oversees the development of non-MCU animated projects.
Since 2021, Marvel Studios Animation has released three projects – the series What If...? and X-Men '97 , and the shorts I Am Groot – with four more in development. Additionally, they took over production of the Disney Jr. series Spidey and His Amazing Friends starting with its second season. The division outsources animation to other studios for each project.
In March 2019, it was revealed that Marvel Studios was developing an animated anthology series based on the What If comic book concept to explore how the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would be altered if certain events had occurred differently. [1] Disney and Marvel officially announced What If...? the following month. [2] The series of animated short films I Am Groot was announced in December 2020. [3] [4]
In June 2021, Marvel Studios executive vice president of film production Victoria Alonso said the studio's expansion to animation with the series What If...? was an opportunity to make the MCU more diverse. [5] At that time, Marvel Studios was creating an "animation branch and mini studio", [6] [7] to focus on more animated content beyond What If...?, building infrastructure to handle multiple animated series at once and looking to hire around 300 new staff for production roles on a slate of Disney+ animated series. [6] [8] [9] Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum, the executive who was in charge of What If...?, was promoted to head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, [10] and in September, Alonso was promoted to president of physical and post-production, VFX and animation. [11] Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt also serves as the vice president of animation. [12] During the Disney+ Day event in November 2021, Marvel Studios officially announced an animated Spider-Man prequel series titled Spider-Man: Freshman Year, the What If...?-related Marvel Zombies , [13] and X-Men '97 , a revival and continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series . [14] What If...? director Bryan Andrews said each additional animated series would exist "on its own term[s] and hopefully explore unexpected facets of the MCU", [15] with Winderbaum saying the studio would only tell stories that they felt needed to be told in animated form. [8]
By April 2022, the division was announced to be taking over production for the Disney Jr. preschool series Spidey and His Amazing Friends starting with its second season; [16] the series' first season was released under Marvel Entertainment. [17] During Marvel Studios' animation panel at the July 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, the projects discussed were introduced as being part of the "Marvel Animated Multiverse". [18] [19] Shortly after, Winderbaum said the Multiverse Saga of the MCU and its exploration of the multiverse allowed the studio to "look at alternate paths and other takes on the characters... see[ing] them expanding and growing in unforeseen, unexpected ways", which he stated was the "guiding light" for the animated projects. [20] By September, Brian Kesinger was attached to direct an animated series for Marvel Studios, [21] though it was canceled shortly after. [22]
By January 2023, the division was being referred to as "Marvel Studios Animation". [7] In March 2023, Alonso was fired from her role at Marvel Studios by a group including Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman and Disney's human resources and legal departments for serving as a producer on the Amazon Studios film Argentina, 1985 (2022); this was a breach of a 2018 agreement between Alonso and Disney which stated employees would not work for a competing studio. [23] [24] Alonso reportedly did not seek permission to work on the film, and was asked by Disney to stop working on the film, as well as not to promote or publicize it, with the situation "deemed serious enough" that Disney requested a new agreement be signed. Despite this, Alonso continued to promote the film following its September 2022 premiere, and was consistently reminded of her agreement and breach of contract, ultimately leading to her firing. [23] Alonso's lawyers refuted this claim, stating Disney was aware of, and agreed to, Alonso's work on Argentina, 1985, and that she was instead "silenced[... and] was terminated when she refused to do something she believed was reprehensible"; [25] this incident was reported to be a disagreement with a Disney executive over the censoring of gay pride elements in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) to release the film in Kuwait and comply with its restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws. [26] [27] A Disney spokesperson reiterated the notion that she was fired due to "an indisputable breach of contract and a direct violation of company policy" among other "key factors". [25]
In December 2023, Marvel Animation announced Eyes of Wakanda , with Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) director Ryan Coogler involved through his production company Proximity Media. [28] [29] Freshman Year was also retitled Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man . [28] The division's formal name of Marvel Animation was further confirmed in February 2024 with the release of the first trailer for X-Men '97. [30] [31] [32] [33] A logo for the division was also revealed. [33] The "Marvel Animation" name and banner was used for the division's projects moving forward, existing alongside Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" banner for its live-action Disney+ series. This was done to help indicate to audiences that they did not have to watch all of the studio's projects to understand the overall story and could choose which storylines and characters under these banners to follow. [34] The Marvel Animation and Television banners still exist under Marvel Studios, which Feige noted was not the case with the previous incarnations of each. [35] In July 2024, it was reported that the studio had spent nearly $20 million on an upcoming project between June 2022 and June 2023, which was believed to be Eyes of Wakanda. [36]
Similar to other animation studios, Marvel Studios Animation outsources its animation to other studios; [37] Alonso said the medium of animation allowed Marvel Studios to work with new companies around the world. [5] Winderbaum stated that Marvel Studios was open to working with corporate siblings Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios on animated MCU content "under the right circumstances". [37] Spidey and His Amazing Friends and Iron Man and His Awesome Friends are co-produced with Disney Jr. in association with animation studio Atomic Cartoons, [38] [39] and Eyes of Wakanda will be produced alongside Proximity Media. [29]
According to Marvel Studios' head of visual development Ryan Meinerding, Marvel Studios Animation uses techniques similar to those used in comics, which allows the studio to adapt Marvel comics "in a way that's maybe more powerful than the films". [19] Winderbaum noted Marvel Studios had to alter its production process for its animated projects, noting "it requires so much more forethougth" than live-action production, where Marvel Studios usually makes most changes to its projects during post-production. [10] He also said that the type of animation used in a series would depend on what the producers felt fit for each series. [40] Unlike VFX artists for the live-action productions, artists at the animation studio are hired directly by Marvel and work in-house at Marvel Studios Animation. The studio works under a strict deadline structure, which was criticized by a senior animator as the studio "asking for things that can't be done". [7]
Title | Released | No of seasons | Production partner | Animation services | Original network | Notes |
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What If...? | 2021–2024 | 3 | — |
| Disney+ | Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe [2] [a] |
Spidey and His Amazing Friends | 2022–present | 3 | Atomic Cartoons [38] | Disney Jr. | Season 2 onward; [16] renewed for season 4 [43] | |
I Am Groot | 2022–2023 | 2 | — | Disney+ | Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe | |
X-Men '97 | 2024–present | 1 | — |
| Revival of X-Men: The Animated Series ; [14] renewed for seasons 2 and 3 [46] |
Title | Released | No of seasons | Production partner | Animation services | Original network | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man [47] | 2025 | 1 | — | Disney+ | Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; [a] renewed for season 2 [18] | |
Eyes of Wakanda [47] | Proximity Media [29] | TBA | Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe | |||
Marvel Zombies [47] | — | Stellar Creative Lab [50] | Part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; [a] spin-off from What If...? [13] | |||
Iron Man and His Awesome Friends | Atomic Cartoons [39] |
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Marvel Studios, LLC, formerly known as Marvel Films, is an American film and television production company. Marvel Studios is the creator of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a media franchise and shared universe of films and television series produced by the studio, based on characters that appear in Marvel Comics publications. The studio was founded in 1993 by Avi Arad as part of Marvel Entertainment Group and has been led by producer Kevin Feige, who serves as its president since 2007. The studio originally licensed the film rights to several Marvel characters before beginning to produce its own films in 2004, and has since regained many of those rights. In 2009, the Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Studios' parent company Marvel Entertainment, and in 2015, they transferred Marvel Studios to the Walt Disney Studios, which has been a part of the Disney Entertainment division since 2023. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures has distributed most of the studio's films since The Avengers (2012).
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. The franchise also includes several television series, short films, digital series, and literature. The shared universe, much like the original Marvel Universe in comic books, was established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
What If...? is an American animated anthology television series created by A. C. Bradley for the streaming service Disney+ based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It is the fourth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Marvel Studios, the first animated series from the studio, and the first series produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The series explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that show what would happen if major moments from the MCU films occurred differently. Bradley served as head writer for the first two seasons, with Matthew Chauncey taking over for the third, and Bryan Andrews as the lead director.
Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Five features all of the Marvel Studios productions released from 2023 until mid-2025, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributing the films, while the series release on Disney+. Starting with Agatha All Along in late 2024, live-action series were released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label, while animation in the phase was produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The first film in the phase is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was released in February 2023, while the first series in the phase, Secret Invasion, premiered in June 2023. The release schedule of Phase Five was changed several times due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Kevin Feige produces every film and serves as executive producer of every series in this phase, alongside producers Stephen Broussard for Quantumania; Lauren Shuler Donner, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy for Deadpool & Wolverine; and Nate Moore for Captain America: Brave New World.
Ironheart is an upcoming American television miniseries created by Chinaka Hodge for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the 14th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Television label, alongside Proximity Media sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. Hodge serves as head writer.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is an American television special written and directed by James Gunn for the streaming service Disney+, based on Marvel Comics featuring the superhero team Guardians of the Galaxy. It is the second Marvel Studios Special Presentation in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films and television series of the franchise. The special was produced by Marvel Studios, and follows the Guardians of the Galaxy as they celebrate Christmas and search for a present for their leader, Peter Quill.
I Am Groot is an American series of animated shorts created by Kirsten Lepore for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics featuring the character Groot. It features characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), following Baby Groot on various adventures that get him into trouble between the events of Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and one of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2's (2017) mid-credits scenes. The series is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with Lepore serving as head writer and director.
The first season of the American animated anthology series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that show what would happen if major moments from the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) occurred differently. The season was produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with A. C. Bradley serving as head writer and Bryan Andrews directing. Animation for the season is provided by Blue Spirit, Squeeze, Flying Bark Productions, and Stellar Creative Lab, with Stephan Franck as head of animation.
Victoria Alonso is an Argentine film producer who formerly served as the president of physical and post-production, visual effects, and animation at Marvel Studios.
The second season of the American animated anthology series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that show what would happen if major moments from the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) occurred differently. The season is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with A. C. Bradley serving as head writer and Bryan Andrews primarily directing. Animation for the season is provided by Flying Bark Productions, Stellar Creative Lab, and SDFX Studios, with Scott Wright and Stephan Franck serving as head of animation.
"What If... Zombies?!" is the fifth episode of the first season of the American animated television series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It explores what would happen if the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and Avengers: Infinity War (2018) occurred differently, with members of the Avengers becoming zombies and initiating a worldwide zombie apocalypse, while a group of survivors search for a cure. The episode was written by story editor Matthew Chauncey and directed by Bryan Andrews.
Marvel Zombies is an upcoming American animated television miniseries created by Zeb Wells for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It is intended to be the 16th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Marvel Studios and is produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The series is set in the alternate timeline introduced in the "What If... Zombies?!" episode of the animated series What If...? (2021). Continuing from that episode, Marvel Zombies follows a group of survivors who fight against former heroes and villains that have been turned into zombies. Bryan Andrews served as showrunner and director, with Wells as head writer.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is an upcoming American animated television series created by Jeff Trammell for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man. It is intended to be the 12th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Marvel Studios and is produced by Marvel Studios Animation. The series explores Peter Parker's origin story and early days as Spider-Man, and is set in an alternate timeline from the main films and television series of the MCU where Norman Osborn becomes Parker's mentor instead of Tony Stark. Trammell serves as head writer with Mel Zwyer as supervising director.
X-Men '97 is an American animated television series created by Beau DeMayo for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. It is a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) produced by Marvel Studios Animation, and continues the story of the X-Men from the earlier series. DeMayo was head writer for the first two seasons and Matthew Chauncey took over for the third, with Jake Castorena as supervising director.
The third and final season of the American animated anthology series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name, explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that show what would happen if major moments from the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) occurred differently. The season is produced by Marvel Studios Animation, with Matthew Chauncey serving as head writer and Bryan Andrews and Stephan Franck directing. Animation for the season is provided by Flying Bark Productions and Stellar Creative Lab, with Scott Wright serving as head of animation.
Phase Six of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a group of American superhero films and television series to be produced by Marvel Studios based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Phase Six features all of the Marvel Studios productions set to be released starting from mid-2025 to mid-2027, with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributing the films, while the series release on Disney+. Live-action series are released under Marvel Studios' "Marvel Television" label. The first film in the phase will be The Fantastic Four: First Steps, scheduled for release in July 2025, with the first series in the phase being the animated Eyes of Wakanda, set for release in August 2025. The release schedule of Phase Six was changed several times due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes. Kevin Feige produces every film and executive produces every television series in this phase, alongside producers Anthony and Joe Russo for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, and Amy Pascal for the untitled Spider-Man: No Way Home sequel.
Eyes of Wakanda is an upcoming American animated television miniseries created by Todd Harris for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics location Wakanda. It is intended to be the 15th television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) from Marvel Studios and is produced by Marvel Studios Animation with Proximity Media. The series shares continuity with the films of the MCU. It follows the Hatut Zaraze, Wakandan warriors who carry out dangerous missions throughout history. Harris served as showrunner and director.
"What If... Agatha Went to Hollywood?" is the second episode of the third season and twentieth episode overall of the American animated television series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It explores what would happen if Agatha Harkness became a Golden Age of Hollywood actress and worked alongside the Eternal Kingo to siphon Tiamut's powers. The episode was written by Matthew Chauncey and Ryan Little and directed by Bryan Andrews.
Alonso heads up Marvel's dedicated "mini-studio," Marvel Studios Animation, which is behind such shows as What If ...? [...] and the summer 2022 series of Vin Diesel–voiced original shorts, I Am Groot.
About Marvel Animation: Marvel Animation is an award-winning studio dedicated to creating original animated series inspired by over 85 years of Marvel storytelling. Shows include "What If…?," "I Am Groot" and the upcoming "X-Men '97," among others. Marvel Animation is part of Marvel Studios.