DreamWorks Animation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
DreamWorks Animation LLC

Logo used since 2016
DreamWorks Animation headquarters in Glendale, California
Formerly	DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.
Type	Subsidiary
Traded as	NYSE: DWA (2004–2009) NASDAQ: DWA (2009–2016)
Industry	Animated films
Predecessor	Amblimation Pacific Data Images
Founded	October 12, 1994; 30 years ago (October 12, 1994) (as a division of DreamWorks Pictures) October 27, 2004; 20 years ago (October 27, 2004) (as DreamWorks Animation SKG)
Founders	Steven Spielberg Jeffrey Katzenberg David Geffen
Headquarters	1000 Flower Street, Glendale, California 91201 , U.S.
Number of locations	2 facilities
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Margie Cohn (president & CEO) Randy Lake (COO) Peter Gal (CCO, DWATV) Kristin Lowe (CCO, features)
Products	Television animated series Theatrical animated feature films Theatrical animated short films
Number of employees	1,400 (2022)
Parent	DreamWorks SKG (1994–2004) Universal Pictures (2016–present)
Divisions	DreamWorks Animation Television DreamWorks Channel DreamWorks Press DreamWorks Theatricals DreamWorks New Media
Subsidiaries	DreamWorks Classics PDI/DreamWorks (2000–2015) Oriental DreamWorks (2012–2018)

DreamWorks Animation LLC (DWA) is a famous American animation studio. It's owned by Universal Pictures, which is part of Comcast. DreamWorks Animation has made many popular movies. These include Shrek 2, which was one of the highest-earning animated films when it came out.

The studio's first movie, Antz, was released in 1998. Their newest film is Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024). Upcoming movies include The Wild Robot (2024), Dog Man (2025), The Bad Guys 2 (2025), and Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (2025).

DreamWorks Animation started in 1994 as part of DreamWorks Pictures. It became its own company in 2004. In 2016, NBCUniversal bought DreamWorks Animation. The studio used to make traditional hand-drawn films and stop-motion movies. Now, they mostly use computer animation. However, they are open to making traditional animation again.

Their movies and TV shows have won many awards. Some popular ones are The Prince of Egypt, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and the Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon series.

At first, DreamWorks Pictures helped distribute their films. Then, Paramount Pictures distributed them from 2006 to 2012. After that, 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) took over until 2017. Now, most DreamWorks Animation films are released by Universal Pictures.

History

How DreamWorks Started (1994–2004)

On October 12, 1994, three famous people in entertainment started DreamWorks SKG. They were film director Steven Spielberg, former Disney executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, and music executive David Geffen. The letters SKG come from their last names.

To find talented artists, Spielberg brought people from his studio, Amblimation. Katzenberg also hired top animators from Disney. Many of these artists joined DreamWorks in 1995 and 1997.

In 1995, DreamWorks teamed up with Pacific Data Images (PDI). This partnership helped them make computer-generated films. Their first CGI film was Antz in 1998. That same year, DreamWorks SKG also made The Prince of Egypt, which used both computer and traditional animation.

In 1997, DreamWorks worked with a British stop-motion studio called Aardman Animations. They made the film Chicken Run (2000) together. They planned to make more films, covering all three main types of animation: stop-motion, traditional, and computer animation.

Later, DreamWorks SKG created DreamWorks Animation as a new division. They also gained more control over PDI, renaming it PDI/DreamWorks.

In 2001, Shrek was released and won the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. Because CGI films were so successful, DreamWorks Animation decided to stop making hand-drawn films after Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002) and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003). After these five hand-drawn films, all their movies were made with CGI, except for the stop-motion film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) with Aardman. In 2004, DreamWorks Animation became the first studio to release two CGI animated movies in one year: Shrek 2 and Shark Tale.

Becoming a Public Company (2004–2016)

On October 27, 2004, DreamWorks Animation became its own public company. It was called DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. and its shares were traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Jeffrey Katzenberg became the head of this new company.

On January 31, 2006, DreamWorks Animation made a deal with Paramount Pictures to distribute all their films. This included older movies and new ones. Over the Hedge (2006) was the first film distributed by Paramount.

DreamWorks Animation's partnership with Aardman Animations ended in 2006 after Flushed Away. They decided to part ways due to "creative differences."

In 2007, DreamWorks Animation announced that all their future films, starting with Monsters vs. Aliens (2009), would be released in 3D. They worked with Intel to create a new 3D filmmaking technology called InTru3D.

Print logo without the mascot used from 2007–2018

In 2008, DreamWorks Animation opened a special animation unit in Bangalore, India, within Technicolor. This unit helped with TV specials and later with feature films like Puss in Boots (2011). In 2009, the company moved its stock trading to the Nasdaq to save money.

DreamWorks Animation has often been listed as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by Fortune Magazine.

In 2010, DreamWorks Animation released three CGI animated films in one year: How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Forever After, and Megamind. This was a first for an animation studio. The company also bought the rights to the Trolls toys.

Growing and Expanding (2012–2015)

In 2012, DreamWorks Animation bought Classic Media, which owns many classic characters. They also started a company in Shanghai, China, called Oriental DreamWorks, to make Chinese films.

In August 2012, DreamWorks Animation signed a five-year deal with 20th Century Studios to distribute their films worldwide. Rise of the Guardians (2012) was the last film distributed by Paramount. The Croods (2013) was the first film distributed by 20th Century Studios.

In 2013, DreamWorks Animation bought the rights to the Trolls toys from the Dam Family. They had "big plans" for the franchise. They also bought the YouTube channel AwesomenessTV.

The studio then made a deal with Netflix to provide many hours of original content. This helped them have a steady income. They also started a new publishing division called DreamWorks Press to publish books. In June 2014, they bought the rights to Felix the Cat. The DreamWorksTV YouTube channel also launched. DreamWorks Animation later bought back the distribution rights to their older films from Paramount.

In late 2014, there were talks about other companies like SoftBank and Hasbro buying DreamWorks Animation, but these deals did not happen.

On December 9, 2014, DreamWorks Animation launched its own TV channel called the DreamWorks Channel in Asia.

In January 2015, Bonnie Arnold and Mireille Soria became co-presidents of the studio's feature animation division. Sadly, PDI/DreamWorks, the studio's Northern California branch, closed down in 2015. This was part of bigger changes after Penguins of Madagascar (2014) didn't do as well as expected at the box office.

Universal Pictures Takes Over (2016–Present)

On April 28, 2016, Comcast announced that its NBCUniversal division would buy DreamWorks Animation. Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri was expected to oversee both studios. The deal was approved and finalized on August 22, 2016. DreamWorks Animation now operates as part of Universal Pictures.

The last DreamWorks Animation films distributed by 20th Century Fox were Trolls (2016), The Boss Baby (2017), and Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017). Their first film distributed by Universal was How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019).

Even though Chris Meledandri was expected to take over, the two studios, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination, remained separate. Margie Cohn now leads all film and television operations for DreamWorks Animation.

In 2017, DreamWorks Animation started a shorts program called DreamWorks Shorts. These short animated films would play before their feature films, similar to what Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios do. The first short was Bird Karma (2018).

In 2018, Oriental DreamWorks became fully owned by Chinese companies and was renamed Pearl Studio. Pearl Studio worked with DreamWorks to produce Abominable (2019).

In May 2018, Hulu became the exclusive streaming home for future DreamWorks Animation feature films. Before this, DreamWorks films were streamed on Netflix.

In November 2018, it was announced that Chris Meledandri would help Universal and DreamWorks bring back the Shrek franchise. He wanted to keep the original voice actors. The first film from this collaboration, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, was released in December 2022 and was very successful.

In January 2019, Margie Cohn, who was leading DreamWorks Animation Television, was promoted to oversee all film and television projects for the company.

In 2022, DreamWorks announced they would make their special rendering software, MoonRay, available for others to use for free.

Recently, in 2023, it was reported that DreamWorks Animation might start working more with outside animation studios for their films after 2024.

Logo

DreamWorks Animation is famous for its logo, which shows a boy fishing on the moon. This logo first appeared with DreamWorks Pictures in 1997. It was used for DreamWorks Animation films from Antz (1998) to Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas (2003).

In 2004, DreamWorks Animation got its own logo. In this version, the boy flies up to the moon using balloons. The music for this logo was created by Harry Gregson-Williams, who also composed music for Shrek and other DreamWorks films. This logo was used from Shrek 2 (2004) to Monsters vs. Aliens (2009).

In 2010, a new logo was introduced, showing the boy fishing on the moon in space. This logo had updated music and was used from How to Train Your Dragon (2010) to Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017).

After Universal Pictures bought the studio in 2016, a new DreamWorks Animation logo was revealed. It celebrates the history of animation. It has new music composed by John Powell, who also worked on Shrek and other DreamWorks films. This logo first appeared in the trailer for How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World in 2018 and fully debuted with the film's release in 2019.

On November 25, 2022, an even newer logo was announced. The boy on the moon is now called the Moon Child. This logo shows the Moon Child flying on the crescent moon and meeting several DreamWorks characters before settling on the moon. It features characters from The Bad Guys, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, The Boss Baby, Trolls, and Shrek. The music is a new version by Harry Gregson-Williams, with parts of John Powell's previous music. This logo first appeared on screen with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The characters in the logo can change; for example, in Trolls Band Together (2023), characters from Madagascar, The Croods, and Puss in Boots appeared.

How Films Are Made

Many of DreamWorks Animation's films are made at their main campus in Glendale, California. Some films were also made by Pacific Data Images (PDI) until it closed in 2015. Examples include Shrek and its sequels, the Madagascar movies, and Megamind. Parts of Puss in Boots and Penguins of Madagascar were animated at their unit in Bangalore, India.

Sometimes, DreamWorks also works with other animation studios. For example, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie was animated by Mikros Image. Spirit Untamed, The Boss Baby: Family Business, The Bad Guys, and Kung Fu Panda 4 also had help from other studios like Jellyfish Pictures.

Since 2018, DreamWorks has used its own special software called MoonRay for rendering and Premo for animation in their films.

Most DreamWorks films cost between $125 million and $165 million to make. Monsters vs. Aliens is one of their most expensive films, costing $175 million. After How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, DreamWorks films started to have lower costs, similar to their sister studio, Illumination. For example, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie cost $38 million and Spirit Untamed cost $30 million.

DreamWorks does not have one specific animation style. They like to let the filmmakers choose the look and feel of their movies. This means a film can look like The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, or Trolls, all from the same studio!

Partnerships

DreamWorks Animation has worked with Hewlett-Packard since 2002. They use HP computers and servers to make their films. In 2005, they also worked with HP to create HP Halo Telepresence Solutions, which helps people in different places talk face-to-face in real time.

In 2005, AMD provided processors to the studio for three years. This partnership ended in 2008, and DreamWorks started using Intel processors for all future productions.

DreamWorks also partners with NetApp for cloud-based storage. This helps the company store and manage all the data needed to create their films.

Parks and Experiences

DreamWorks Animation characters can be found in various theme parks and experiences around the world.

The DreamWorks Experience: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

The DreamWorks Experience offered character interactions, shows, parades, and dining on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar, and How to Train Your Dragon were featured. This program was available on several cruise ship classes. However, it was removed from all ships on April 11, 2019, because the contract was not renewed.

The DreamWorks Experience: Gaylord Hotels (2011–2015)

From 2011 to 2015, the DreamWorks Experience was also available at Gaylord Hotels resorts in Nashville, Orlando, Dallas, and Washington, D.C. This partnership ended in 2015.

The DreamWorks Experience: Dreamworld in Australia (2011–2022)

On November 10, 2011, the Australian theme park Dreamworld announced plans to add DreamWorks Animation films and characters to the park. This included a DreamWorks Holiday Shrektacular Show and a new area called the DreamWorks Experience precinct, which opened in March 2012.

Later, a new area called Kung Fu Panda: Land of Awesomeness opened. It included new rides like Skadoosh bumper cars and Pandamonium. In 2022, Dreamworld announced a new area called Kenny and Belinda's Dreamland would replace the DreamWorks Experience area in 2023. Some of the Kung Fu Panda attractions moved to another part of the park.

DreamPlay by DreamWorks: City of Dreams Manila

The world's first indoor interactive play and creativity center theme park, called DreamPlay by DreamWorks, opened on June 12, 2015. It is located inside City of Dreams Manila in the Philippines.

DreamWorks Water Park

On July 11, 2012, DreamWorks announced plans to build the DreamWorks Water Park. This is an indoor water park at American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The park features attractions based on Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon. After some delays, the park finally opened to the public on October 1, 2020.

DreamWorks Land

On July 20, 2023, Universal Studios Florida announced a new themed area called DreamWorks Land. It is set to open in 2024 at Universal Orlando Resort. This area will feature characters and attractions from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Trolls, and Gabby's Dollhouse.

Filmography

Popular Film Series

Highest-Earning Films

     Indicates films playing in theatres in the week commencing 20 June 2025.

See also

In Spanish: DreamWorks Animation para niños

• DreamWorks Pictures
• Illumination
• Universal Animation Studios
• Amblimation
• Pacific Data Images
• Pearl Studio
• List of animation studios owned by Comcast NBCUniversal

Images for kids

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  DreamWorks Animation logo used from 2007–2018