Chris Sanders facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Sanders
Sanders at the 2014 Golden Globe Awards
Born	Christopher Michael Sanders (1962-03-12) March 12, 1962 (age 63) Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.
Alma mater	California Institute of the Arts (BFA)
Occupation	Film director screenwriter producer animator illustrator voice actor
Years active	1984–present
Employer	Walt Disney Animation Studios (1988–2007) DreamWorks Animation (2007–present)
Spouse(s)	Jessica Steele-Sanders ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	1
Signature

Christopher Michael Sanders, born on March 12, 1962, is a talented American filmmaker, animator, and voice actor. He is well-known for creating and directing popular animated movies. Some of his most famous works include Lilo & Stitch (2002) and How to Train Your Dragon (2010). He also co-directed The Croods (2013) and directed The Call of the Wild (2020).

Sanders is the person who created the beloved character Stitch in 1985. He wrote the story for the Lilo & Stitch movie and even voiced Stitch in most of his appearances. His films have been nominated for Academy Awards, which are very important movie awards.

Early Life and Education

Chris Sanders grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He attended Arvada High School in Arvada, Colorado. After high school, he studied at the California Institute of the Arts. He graduated from there in 1984.

Career in Animation

Working at Disney

Sanders created the Lilo & Stitch character Stitch in 1985, and voiced the character.

Sanders started his career working on Jim Henson's Muppet Babies. He then joined Walt Disney Animation Studios. At Disney, he was a lead artist for storyboards, which are like comic book versions of a movie's scenes. He also worked on character designs and production designs for many famous Disney films. These included Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1994), and Mulan (1998).

Creating Stitch and Lilo & Stitch

In 1985, Chris Sanders came up with a character named "Stitch". He first created Stitch for a children's book idea that didn't get published. Years later, when Disney wanted to make a smaller, less expensive animated film, Sanders brought Stitch back. He chose Kauaʻi in Hawaii as the perfect setting for the story.

Stitch became the main character of the 2002 film Lilo & Stitch. Sanders not only co-directed and co-wrote the movie with Dean DeBlois, but he also voiced Stitch! The movie was a big hit and led to a whole franchise. This included three sequel films and three TV series. Sanders continued to voice Stitch in many of these projects.

Creative Ideas at Disney

In the late 1980s, Sanders wrote a special picture book called The Big Bear Aircraft Company. This book was a way for him to share his thoughts about how movies were made at Disney. He felt that the company often focused on big, safe ideas that were similar to past successes. He believed this made it hard for new, creative ideas to shine.

Sanders wanted to see more unique and innovative stories. He thought that artists needed trust and time to develop smaller, more original ideas. This belief helped inspire him to create Lilo & Stitch, which he described as "a story about a villain who becomes a hero."

In 2006, Sanders was no longer directing a Disney film called American Dog. This film was later renamed Bolt. Sanders left Disney in 2007 but said he was happy with how Bolt turned out. He also continued to voice Stitch for Disney even after he left.

Moving to DreamWorks Animation

In March 2007, Chris Sanders joined DreamWorks Animation. He took over as director for a project called Crood Awakening, which later became The Croods. He was excited to try new things in animation at DreamWorks.

Directing How to Train Your Dragon

In 2008, it was announced that Sanders and Dean DeBlois would work together again. They wrote and directed How to Train Your Dragon for DreamWorks. The movie came out in 2010 and was a huge success! Critics loved it, and it earned almost $500 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Animated Feature. The movie also won ten Annie Awards, which celebrate animation.

Returning to The Croods

After How to Train Your Dragon, Sanders went back to work on The Croods. The film was released in 2013. He shared directing and writing credits with Kirk DeMicco. The Croods was also very successful, making over $500 million. Sanders and DeMicco worked on a sequel for a few years, but it was canceled. Later, the sequel, The Croods: A New Age, was brought back with a new director. Sanders and DeMicco were still credited for the story, and Sanders voiced the character Belt in the film.

New Projects and Return to Disney

In 2017, Sanders directed a live-action film adaptation of the classic novel The Call of the Wild. This was his first time directing a live-action movie by himself. The film was released in 2020.

In 2023, it was confirmed that Chris Sanders would once again voice Stitch in the live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. He had always said he was open to returning to voice his famous creation.

Back to DreamWorks

In 2023, Sanders returned to DreamWorks Animation. He is writing and directing an animated film based on Peter Brown's book series The Wild Robot. The movie was released in September 2024 and received great reviews. Sanders has also confirmed he will direct a sequel to the film.

Personal Life

Chris Sanders is married to Jessica Steele-Sanders. They wrote an illustrated novel together called Rescue Sirens: The Search for the Atavist in 2015. Sanders also used to draw a webcomic called Kiskaloo. He has a daughter named Nicole.

Filmography

Films

Filmmaking Credits

Animation Department

Executive Producer Only

Voice Acting Credits

Television Series

Video Games