DreamWorks Animation

Overview

DreamWorks Animation (DWA) is a computer animation studio owned by NBCUniversal (Comcast) and operated as part of Universal Pictures. Headquartered at 1000 Flower Street in Glendale, California, the studio has produced 54 feature films that have grossed more than $17 billion at the global box office. Approximately 1,500 employees work across the Glendale campus and international offices as of late 2025.

The studio produces 2 to 4 theatrical features per year alongside animated series for Peacock, Netflix, and other platforms. Margie Cohn serves as president of DreamWorks Animation, with Kristin Lowe as chief creative officer of features.

2025 was the studio's most prolific year, with four theatrical releases: Dog Man (January 31, $145.6 million worldwide on a $40 million budget), How to Train Your Dragon live-action remake (June 13, $636.4 million worldwide on a $150 million budget), The Bad Guys 2 (August 1, $239.7 million worldwide on an $80 million budget), and Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (September 26, $80.3 million worldwide on a $32 million budget). The four films combined for approximately $1.1 billion in global box office.

History

Founding and Early Years (1994 to 2004)

Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, and David Geffen founded DreamWorks SKG in October 1994 as a combined live-action and animation studio. The animation division launched with Antz (1998) and The Prince of Egypt (1998). Shrek (2001) established DWA as a commercial rival to Pixar, grossing $484 million worldwide and winning the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The Shrek franchise has since generated over $3.98 billion across five films and spin-offs.

DreamWorks Animation spun off as an independent publicly traded company in 2004. Key franchise launches followed: Madagascar (2005, $1.89 billion franchise total), Kung Fu Panda (2008, $2.37 billion franchise total), How to Train Your Dragon (2010, $1.66 billion franchise total across the animated trilogy), The Croods (2013), and Trolls (2016).

Universal Acquisition (2016 to 2023)

NBCUniversal acquired DreamWorks Animation in 2016 for $3.8 billion, integrating it alongside Illumination (Minions, Despicable Me) as Universal's second animation label. Under Universal, DWA released The Boss Baby (2017, $528 million worldwide), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022, $484.7 million worldwide, Academy Award nominee), Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024, $548 million worldwide), and The Wild Robot (2024, $332 million worldwide, Academy Award nominee, 97% Rotten Tomatoes).

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish marked a creative turning point. Its innovative animation style, blending traditional and computer-generated techniques, influenced subsequent DWA productions including The Wild Robot and the studio's broader visual direction.

In October 2023, Cartoon Brew reported that DWA was moving away from producing films entirely in-house at the Glendale campus, shifting toward a mixed production model using outside studios. Sony Pictures Imageworks was named as the animation service for The Bad Guys 2, with pre-production and 50% of asset building done in-house and the remainder handled externally. This shift coincided with workforce reductions: headcount declined from 2,048 in early 2023 to 1,521 by late 2025, a 25.7% reduction.

Live-Action Expansion and Record Year (2024 to 2025)

November 2024 marked DWA's 30th anniversary and its expansion into live-action filmmaking. The live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon (June 2025) was the studio's first live-action release, grossing $636.4 million worldwide. Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (September 2025) was DWA's first original live-action project (not a remake), based on the popular Netflix preschool series.

2025 was the first year DWA released four films, and the combined $1.1 billion global gross made it one of the studio's highest-grossing years. How to Train Your Dragon became DWA's sixth highest-grossing film of all time.

Upcoming Slate (2026 to 2028)

Confirmed upcoming releases include:

• Forgotten Island (September 25, 2026)
• Cocomelon: The Movie (February 26, 2027)
• How to Train Your Dragon 2 live-action remake (June 11, 2027)
• Shrek 5 (June 30, 2027), returning to the franchise after 16 years
• Donkey (June 30, 2028), a Shrek spin-off
• Two untitled films (September 24, 2027 and September 22, 2028)

Business Model

Feature Animation

DWA develops projects internally through its story and development department, led by chief creative officer Kristin Lowe. The studio produces both original properties (The Wild Robot, Dog Man) and franchise sequels (Kung Fu Panda, The Bad Guys, Shrek). Production budgets range from $32 million (Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie) to $165 million (How to Train Your Dragon animated films).

The 2023 shift to a mixed production model means some films are now partially animated by external studios (Sony Pictures Imageworks, Mikros Animation) while pre-production and creative direction remain in-house at Glendale. This reduces fixed labor costs but requires more complex production management.

Television and Streaming

DWA Television produces animated series for streaming platforms. Major titles include Gabby's Dollhouse (Netflix, among the top preschool brands globally with over 3 million toy dollhouses sold), Trollhunters, The Boss Baby: Back in Business, and Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. The television division operates separately from the feature film department but shares IP and creative oversight.

Theme Parks and Consumer Products

DreamWorks IP extends into Universal theme parks. Universal Orlando Resort features DreamWorks Land with attractions based on Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda. Universal Epic Universe (opened 2025) includes a How to Train Your Dragon themed land. Universal Kids Resort in Frisco, Texas (opening July 2026) features DreamWorks characters. Consumer products licensing through Spin Master, Playmates, and other partners generates significant ancillary revenue, particularly from Gabby's Dollhouse toys.

Franchise Valuation

DWA's major franchises by global box office:

What Filmmakers Should Know

Employment and Recruitment

DWA recruits animators, story artists, technical directors, visual effects artists, and production staff through industry channels and NBCUniversal's corporate recruiting infrastructure. The studio hires for both full-time positions and project-based contracts. Average salary is approximately $101,652 globally, with North American median around $115,000.

The workforce is concentrated in the United States (79.2%), with smaller teams in India (6.7%), UK (1%), and Canada (0.9%, fastest-growing). Internship programs open for applications in June each year, covering Artist Management, Development, Production, and Technical Director roles.

Production Model Changes

The 2023 shift to external animation partnerships means DWA now operates with a smaller in-house production team than during its peak years. Filmmakers and animators seeking DWA employment should understand that some roles are project-based contracts tied to specific films rather than permanent positions. The mixed production model also creates opportunities at partner studios (Sony Pictures Imageworks, Mikros Animation) for animators who want to work on DWA projects without being employed directly by the studio.

Creative Direction

Under Margie Cohn and Kristin Lowe, DWA has moved toward visually distinctive animation styles that blend traditional and computer-generated techniques, as demonstrated by Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and The Wild Robot. The studio is also investing in live-action adaptations of its animated properties, creating opportunities for live-action filmmakers within an animation studio's IP ecosystem.

Notable Releases

House Style & Genre Focus

DreamWorks Animation produces broadly appealing animated comedies and adventures, often with irreverent humor and pop-culture references. The studio is known for franchises including Shrek ($2.99 billion across four films plus spin-offs), Kung Fu Panda ($2.37 billion), Madagascar ($1.89 billion), How to Train Your Dragon ($1.66 billion+), and Trolls. Recent films like Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) have pushed visual boundaries with painterly, storybook-inspired aesthetics that blend traditional and computer-generated techniques.

Under Margie Cohn and chief creative officer Kristin Lowe, DWA has moved toward visually distinctive animation styles and live-action adaptations of its animated properties. The live-action How to Train Your Dragon (2025, $636.4 million worldwide) was the studio's first live-action release, creating opportunities for live-action filmmakers within an animation studio's IP ecosystem. The 2023 shift to a mixed production model means some films are now partially animated by external studios (Sony Pictures Imageworks, Mikros Animation) while pre-production and creative direction remain in-house.

The studio produces 2 to 4 theatrical features per year alongside animated series for Peacock, Netflix, and other platforms. Production budgets range from $32 million (Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie) to $150 million (How to Train Your Dragon live-action). DWA does not accept unsolicited ideas or pitches, and hires through formal job applications, paid internship programs, and early career programs including the Trainee Program and LAUNCH Fellowship.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how animation studios operate within major studio ecosystems, see Distribution Deals Explained. For technical context on frame rates in animation, use the Frame Rate Calculator. For production timeline planning on animated features, use the Post Production Timeline Calculator.