Universal Animation Studios
Encyclopedia
Universal Animation Studios (formerly known as Universal Cartoon Studios), is an American animation
studio which is a division of Universal Studios
.
It is best-known for producing sequels to either Amblimation
or Amblin Entertainment
and Sullivan-Bluth feature film
s, such as The Land Before Time
, An American Tail
, Balto
and other films and television series, using traditional
and computer animation
techniques.
The actual animation production is done overseas, most notably by either Wang Film Productions
or Rough Draft Studios
, with pre-production
and post-production
is US-based.
UAS also manages its parent company's rights to various other animation works that were produced at other studios but copyrighted and/or distributed by NBC or Universal.
production Gravedale High
, which was originally produced by H-B in association with NBC. They also purchased North American rights to The Adventures of Tintin
.
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
studio which is a division of Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
It is best-known for producing sequels to either Amblimation
Amblimation
Amblimation was the animation production arm of Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, and was active from 1989 until about 1997.The feature animation studio was located in London, England, UK...
or Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment
Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its...
and Sullivan-Bluth feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
s, such as The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time
The Land Before Time is a 1988 American animated adventure film directed and co-produced by Don Bluth , and executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall....
, An American Tail
An American Tail
An American Tail is a 1986 American animated adventure film directed by Don Bluth and produced by Sullivan Bluth Studios and Amblin Entertainment. The film tells the story of Fievel Mouskewitz and his family as they immigrate from Russia to America for freedom. However, Fievel gets lost and must...
, Balto
Balto (film)
Balto is a 1995 American animated comedy-drama film directed by Simon Wells and produced by Amblimation, and the first of the overall trilogy. The film is based on a true story about the dog of the same name who helped save children from the diphtheria epidemic in the 1925 serum run to Nome...
and other films and television series, using traditional
Traditional animation
Traditional animation, is an animation technique where each frame is drawn by hand...
and computer animation
Computer animation
Computer animation is the process used for generating animated images by using computer graphics. The more general term computer generated imagery encompasses both static scenes and dynamic images, while computer animation only refers to moving images....
techniques.
The actual animation production is done overseas, most notably by either Wang Film Productions
Wang Film Productions
Wang Film Productions is one of the oldest and most prolific Taiwanese animation studios...
or Rough Draft Studios
Rough Draft Studios
Rough Draft Studios, Inc. is an animation studio based in Glendale, California, United States, with its sister studio Rough Draft Korea located in Seoul, South Korea. RDS was founded in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California by Gregg Vanzo...
, with pre-production
Pre-production
Pre-production or In Production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance.- In film :...
and post-production
Post-production
Post-production is part of filmmaking and the video production process. It occurs in the making of motion pictures, television programs, radio programs, advertising, audio recordings, photography, and digital art...
is US-based.
UAS also manages its parent company's rights to various other animation works that were produced at other studios but copyrighted and/or distributed by NBC or Universal.
Universal Cartoon Studios
Title | Release Date |
---|---|
The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure, is a 1994 direct-to-video animated film directed by Roy Allen Smith, is the first of many animated sequels to the film The Land Before Time. It was released six years after the original.The tone, lighting and plot of the film was made much softer... |
December 23, 1994 |
The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving The Land Before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving is a 1995 animated direct-to-video film directed by Roy Allen Smith. It is the second sequel to the The Land Before Time and the third film in the film franchise.- Plot :... |
December 15, 1995 |
The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists The Land Before Time IV: Journey Through the Mists is a 1996 direct-to-video film directed by Roy Allen Smith. This was supposed to be the last Land Before Time sequel directed by Smith, and the last sequel to feature any of the original voice cast... |
December 10, 1996 |
The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island is a 1997 animated film directed by Roy Allen Smith. This is the first film in the series in which Anndi McAfee is the voice of Cera, and Aria Noelle Curzon is the voice of Ducky... |
December 9, 1997 |
Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus | January 6, 1998 |
The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock The Land Before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock, is a 1998 and the sixth film in the series of animated adventure films called The Land Before Time about five dinosaurs who live in the Great Valley. This film was originally scheduled to be the last in the series... |
December 1, 1998 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet Frankenstein is a 1999 animated horror-themed direct-to-video film, produced by Bagdasarian Productions and Universal Animation Studios, distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and based on characters from Alvin and the Chipmunks... |
September 28, 1999 |
An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island, titled in the film as An American Tail III: The Treasure of Manhattan Island was the first direct-to-video and third film in the An American Tail series. This film was first released in the UK in 1998. It was released by Universal Studios Home... |
February 15, 2000 |
An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster An American Tail: The Mystery of the Night Monster was the second direct-to-video sequel to An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island and the 4th and last film in the An American Tail tetralogy, starring Thomas Alexander Dekker as the main character, the young Fievel Mousekewitz. This film... |
July 25, 2000 |
Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman Alvin and the Chipmunks Meet the Wolfman is a 2000 animated horror-themed direct-to-video film, produced by Bagdasarian Productions and Universal Animation Studios, distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and based on characters from Alvin and the Chipmunks... |
August 29, 2000 |
The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire is a film released in 2000 and the seventh film in The Land Before Time series.-Plot:... |
December 5, 2000 |
The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze The Land Before Time VIII: The Big Freeze is a 2001 film and the eighth film in The Land Before Time series.-Plot:When the dinosaur families get trapped in a valley by an ice storm, one family of "spiketail" dinosaurs volunteers to leave since they consume more food than the others. Meanwhile, the... |
December 4, 2001 |
Balto II: Wolf Quest Balto II: Wolf Quest Balto II: Wolf Quest is a 2002 straight-to-DVD fictional sequel to Universal Studios' 1995 animated film Balto.-Plot:Balto and his mate Jenna have a new family of six puppies... |
February 19, 2002 |
The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water is a 2002 animated film and the ninth film in The Land Before Time series. It was produced and directed by Charles Grosvenor, with the last time they would use the soundtrack composed by James Horner... |
December 10, 2002 |
Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure Charlotte's Web 2: Wilbur's Great Adventure is a 2003 direct-to-video animated film, and a sequel to the 1973 film Charlotte's Web. It was produced by Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures , Universal Cartoon Studios , and Nickelodeon; and distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment in North... |
March 18, 2003 |
The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration is the tenth film in the Land Before Time series.-Plot:Littlefoot has nightmares which involve the sun, or "Great Circle". He mentions it to his grandparents, who share the experience. Grandpa has a feeling that he wants to "go somewhere", and... |
December 2, 2003 |
Van Helsing: The London Assignment Van Helsing: The London Assignment Van Helsing: The London Assignment is a 2004 animated film by Universal Studios Home Entertainment. It features the voices of Hugh Jackman, Robbie Coltrane and David Wenham.-Plot:... |
May 11, 2004 |
The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses is a 2004 direct-to-video animated film and the 11th film in the The Land Before Time series.-Plot:... |
January 11, 2005 |
Balto III: Wings of Change Balto III: Wings of Change Balto III: Wings of Change is a 2004 straight-to-video sequel to Universal Studios' 2002 animated film Balto II: Wolf Quest.-Plot:Balto's son Kodi works for the US Mail. Kodi loves his job and his new friends, - Dusty , Kirby and Ralph... |
February 1, 2005 |
The Adventures of Brer Rabbit The Adventures of Brer Rabbit The Adventures of Brer Rabbit is the title of book, a play, and a film inspired by the Uncle Remus stories. The central character's actual name is Br'er Rabbit, but the title is simplified as "Brer." The film also has the distinction to be the second film to be released by Universal Studios under... |
March 21, 2006 |
Universal Animation Studios
# | | Title | | Release date | | Budget | | Gross | | RT Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance... | | IMDb |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Curious George Curious George (film) Curious George is a 2006 traditionally animated film adaptation of the children's stories by H.A. and Margret Rey. Will Ferrell voices Ted. Matthew O'Callaghan directed... |
2006-02-10 | $50,000,000 | $69,834,815 | 69% | |
2 | The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers | 2007-02-27 | ||||
3 | The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends The Land Before Time XIII: The Wisdom of Friends is the thirteenth film in The Land Before Time series. The plot centers around Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Spike, and Petrie, who are excited to meet two yellow-bellied Beipiaosaurus, Loofah and Doofah, who have lost their way while traveling to distant... |
2007-11-27 | ||||
4 | The Tale of Despereaux The Tale of Despereaux (film) The Tale of Despereaux is a 2008 computer-animated film directed by Sam Fell and Robert Stevenhagen. Loosely based on the 2003 fantasy book of the same name by Kate DiCamillo, the movie is narrated by Sigourney Weaver and stars Matthew Broderick and Emma Watson... |
2008-12-19 | $60,000,000 | $86,947,448 | 55% | |
5 | Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey! is a traditionally-animated film adaptation of the children's stories by H.A. Rey and Margret Rey. It is a sequel to the successful 2006 film Curious George. It was originally titled Curious George: Monkey on the Run.-Plot:The movie starts with George swinging... |
2010-03-02 | ||||
6 | Despicable Me Despicable Me Despicable Me is a 2010 American computer-animated 3D comedy film from Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment that was released on July 9, 2010 in the United States. The film features the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, Will Arnett, Kristen Wiig, and... |
2010-07-09 | $69,000,000 | $544,513,985 | 81% | |
TV series
Title | Original run | Network | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Back to the Future: The Animated Series Back to the Future: The Animated Series Back to the Future: The Animated Series is an animated series for television based on the Back to the Future trilogy of feature films. The series lasted two seasons, each featuring 13 episodes, and ran on CBS from September 7, 1991 to November 28, 1992. It reran until August 14, 1993... |
1991-1992 | CBS | with Amblin Entertainment, BIG Pictures, Zaloom / Mayfield Productions |
Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories | 1992-1993 | Showtime | |
Fievel's American Tails Fievel's American Tails Fievel's American Tails is an American/Canadian animated television series, produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio, Nelvana, and Universal Cartoon Studios. It aired for one season in 1992, and continued Fievel's adventures from the film An American Tail: Fievel Goes West... |
1992 | CBS | with Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its... /Nelvana Nelvana Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s... |
Exosquad Exosquad Exosquad is an American animated television series created by Universal Cartoon Studios as a response to Japanese anime. The show is set in the beginning of the 22nd century and covers the interplanetary war between humanity and Neosapiens, a fictional race artificially created as workers/slaves... |
1993-1994 | USA Network | |
Problem Child Problem Child (TV series) Problem Child is an animated series produced by Universal Cartoon Studios and based on the Problem Child films. The TV series aired from 1993 to 1994. USA Network aired the series as part of their USA Cartoon Express programming block. The first 13 episodes can currently be seen on Hulu. The show... |
1993-1994 | USA Network | with D'Ocon Films Productions (Season 1) / Lacewood Productions (Season 2) |
Monster Force Monster Force Monster Force was a 13-episode animated television series created in 1994 by Universal Cartoon Studios and Canadian studio Lacewood Productions. The story is set in approx. 2020 and centers on a group of teenagers who, with help of high tech weaponry, fight off against classic Universal Monsters... |
1994 | USA Network | with Lacewood Productions |
Beethoven Beethoven (TV series) Beethoven is an animated sitcom, loosely based on the 1992 motion picture of the same name. The series was produced by Northern Lights Entertainment Universal Animation Studios and Universal Media Studios, and aired for one season on CBS, with 24 half-hour episodes produced.-Premise:Unlike the... |
1994-1995 | CBS | with Northern Lights Entertainment |
Earthworm Jim Earthworm Jim (TV series) Earthworm Jim is an American animated television series which appeared on Kids' WB! for two seasons from September 9, 1995 through December 13, 1996. It is based on the video game series of the same name... |
1995-1996 | Kids WB! | with Shiny Entertainment |
Savage Dragon Savage Dragon Savage Dragon is an ongoing American comic book series created by Erik Larsen, published by Image Comics and taking place in the Image Universe. The comic features the adventures of a superheroic police officer named the Dragon... |
1995-1997 | USA Network | with Image Comics |
Vor-Tech: Undercover Conversion Squad | 1996 | ||
The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper The Spooktacular New Adventures of Casper was an animated television spin-off of the feature film Casper, which, in turn, was based on the Harvey Comics character of Casper the Friendly Ghost.... |
1996-1998 | Fox Kids | with Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its... /The Harvey Entertainment Company Harvey Films Harvey Films was an animation production arm of comic book publisher Harvey Comics. It was founded in 1957.Currently, Harvey Films is owned by Classic Media... , Saban Entertainment |
Wing Commander Academy Wing Commander Academy Wing Commander Academy is an American animated television series created and produced by Universal Cartoon Studios, along with a team led by Larry Latham. The show was based on the Wing Commander franchise and loosely served as a prequel to Wing Commander. The show's premiere airdate was September... |
1996 | USA Network | |
The New Woody Woodpecker Show The New Woody Woodpecker Show The New Woody Woodpecker Show is an animated television series based on the original cartoon by Walter Lantz, produced by Universal Animation Studios and aired from 1999 until 2002 on FOX and YTV... |
1999-2002 | FOX Kids | |
Wheel Squad Wheel Squad Wheel Squad is an animated television series produced by M6 Metropole, RAI, and France Animation. The show involves four kids who like riding skateboards, mountain bikes, roller skates, and so forth... |
2000-2000 | ||
The Mummy: The Animated Series The Mummy: The Animated Series The Mummy: The Animated Series is an animated television series produced by Universal Animation Studios to capitalize on the success of The Mummy.... |
2001-2003 | Kids WB! | |
Curious George Curious George (TV series) Curious George is an animated television series based on the Curious George children's book series, which features Jeff Bennett as the voice of The Man with the Yellow Hat. Frank Welker, who voiced George in the 2006 feature film, returns here as the voice of Curious George. The stories of Season... |
2006-present | PBS | with Imagine Entertainment Imagine Entertainment Imagine Entertainment is a film and television production company founded in 1986 by director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer.Its productions include the television series 24 and Arrested Development and the films Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind and The Da Vinci Code .-Organization:Karen... and WGBH WGBH-TV WGBH-TV, channel 2, is a non-commercial educational public television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WGBH-TV is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service , and produces more than two-thirds of PBS's national prime time television programming... |
The Land Before Time The Land Before Time (TV series) The Land Before Time is an animated television series, based on characters from The Land Before Time film series created by Judy Freudberg and Tony Geiss. It was developed for television by Ford Riley for Universal Animation Studios and Amblin Entertainment , and first premiered on YTV in Canada... |
2007-present | Cartoon Network | with Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment Amblin Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded by director and producer Steven Spielberg and film producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in 1981. Amblin is only a production company, and has never distributed its own movies, nor has it fully financed its... |
TV specials
- A Wish for Wings That WorkA Wish for Wings That WorkOn December 13, 1991, an animated special was released. It was directed by Skip Jones and was produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblimation animation studio for Universal Cartoon Studios...
(1991) - Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas (2009)
Inherited material
UAS manages NBCUniversal's rights to the Hanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
production Gravedale High
Gravedale High
Gravedale High is an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera for NBC Productions...
, which was originally produced by H-B in association with NBC. They also purchased North American rights to The Adventures of Tintin
The Adventures of Tintin (TV series)
The Adventures of Tintin is an animated television series based on The Adventures of Tintin, a series of books by Hergé. It debuted in 1991, and 39 half-hour episodes were produced over the course of three seasons...
.
External links
- Universal Cartoon Studios at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...