Lately, it feels as if everything is coming up Milhouse for Guillermo del Toro. Not long after taking home the top prizes for Best Motion Picture and Best Director at the 90th Academy Awards celebration, word has come in that THE SHAPE OF WATER helmer has just signed a multi-year contract with Dreamworks Animation to write, produce, and direct animated family films for the studio. The deal is bound to strike many as a reason to party down, as del Toro has already found success with Dreamworks, after teaming for the production of his TROLLHUNTERS animated series on Netflix.
Upon making the announcement about their creative union, Chris deFaria, President of DreamWorks Animation Film Group released a statement saying: “We are thrilled that Guillermo is adding a film partnership to the already successful television relationship he has with DreamWorks Animation. He is truly a one-of-a-kind artist, and we are eager to see his imagination on full display in the family animated feature space. Guillermo has a unique talent for creating memorable worlds and characters, and we believe the films we create with him will resonate with animation audiences for many generations to come. I am personally very excited to extend the long working relationship I have enjoyed with Guillermo and look forward to him also collaborating with us on some of our breakthrough advancements in technology and innovation.”
Del Toro then added, “Animation is an art form that has influenced my work greatly since childhood. To me, it’s the perfect medium to bring to life any and all ideas, no matter how outlandish or wild. I am eager to work with Chris and the talented artists at DreamWorks – some of the most talented people in the business – to make these images a reality. I have worked with DreamWorks for about a decade and the horizon just keeps getting wider.”
With work continuing on del Toro's Tales of Arcadia trilogy at the studio, and production on two more original series, 3 Below and Wizards, in the works, there's no telling what Guillermo and his team will get up to next. One thing's for sure, del Toro is a hell of a good storyteller, and excels when it comes to matters of creating new and inspired works. With their relationship continuing in such a positive and far-reaching direction, it's to be hoped that we'll be enjoying animated projects from this union for several years to come.
Both the 3 BELOW and WIZARDS projects are in pre-production, right now. It's only a matter of time, my friends. Bring it on.
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