DreamWorks Animation

Overview

DreamWorks Animation is one of the largest animation studios in the world, producing computer-animated feature films and television series as a subsidiary of Universal Pictures (NBCUniversal). The studio has created some of the most commercially successful animated franchises in cinema history, collectively generating billions in worldwide box office and merchandise revenue.

The studio operates from its campus in Glendale, California, and employs approximately 1,500 people during peak production. DreamWorks Animation releases two to three theatrical features per year alongside a substantial slate of animated series for Peacock, Netflix, and other platforms.

History

Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steven Spielberg, and David Geffen founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994 as a live-action and animation studio. The animation division quickly became the most profitable part of the company. Antz (1998) was the studio's first animated feature, but Shrek (2001) established DreamWorks Animation as a legitimate rival to Pixar. Shrek grossed $484 million worldwide, won the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and launched a franchise that generated over $3.5 billion.

DreamWorks Animation spun off as an independent publicly traded company in 2004 and went on to produce Madagascar (2005), Kung Fu Panda (2008), How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Megamind (2010), The Croods (2013), The Boss Baby (2017), and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022). Universal acquired DreamWorks Animation in 2016 for $3.8 billion, integrating it alongside Illumination as one of Universal's two animation labels.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) marked a creative resurgence for the studio, earning widespread critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for its innovative animation style that blended traditional and computer-generated techniques.

What Filmmakers Should Know

DreamWorks Animation develops projects internally through its story and development department. The studio produces original properties and franchise sequels, with an increasing emphasis on visually distinctive animation styles. Employment at the studio is the primary pathway to contributing to DreamWorks features and series.

The studio recruits animators, story artists, technical directors, and other specialists through industry channels and its parent company Universal's recruiting infrastructure.

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.