Animation division of Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios Animation
(also known as
Marvel Animation
) is a division of American production company
Marvel Studios
centered on development of its animated projects based on
Marvel Comics
. The division was created by Marvel Studios and mainly produces projects set within the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
(MCU), and also oversees the development of non-MCU animated projects.
Since 2021, Marvel Studios Animation has released three projects ? the series
What If...?
and
X-Men '97
, and the shorts
I Am Groot
? with three more in development. Additionally, they took over production of the
Disney Junior
series
Spidey and His Amazing Friends
starting with its second season. The division outsources animation to other studios for each project.
History
[
edit
]
In March 2019, it was revealed that
Marvel Studios
was developing an animated anthology series based on the
What If
comic book concept to explore how the
Marvel Cinematic Universe
(MCU) would be altered if certain events had occurred differently.
[1]
Disney
and Marvel officially announced
What If...?
the following month.
[2]
The series of animated short films
I Am Groot
was announced in December 2020.
[3]
[4]
In June 2021, Marvel Studios executive vice president of film production
Victoria Alonso
said the studio's expansion to animation with the series
What If...?
was an opportunity to make the MCU more diverse.
[5]
At that time, Marvel Studios was creating an "animation branch and mini studio",
[6]
to focus on more animated content beyond
What If...?
, building infrastructure to handle multiple animated series at once and looking to hire around 300 new staff for production roles on a slate of
Disney+
animated series.
[6]
[7]
[8]
Marvel Studios'
Brad Winderbaum
, the executive who was in charge of
What If...?
, was promoted to Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation at Marvel Studios,
[9]
and in September, Alonso was promoted to President of Physical, Post Production, VFX and Animation.
[10]
During the
Disney+ Day
event in November 2021, Marvel Studios officially announced an animated
Spider-Man
prequel series titled
Spider-Man: Freshman Year
, the
What If...?
-related
Marvel Zombies
,
[11]
and
X-Men '97
, a revival and continuation of
X-Men: The Animated Series
.
[12]
What If...?
director
Bryan Andrews
said each additional animated series would exist "on its own term[s] and hopefully explore unexpected facets of the MCU",
[13]
with Winderbaum saying the studio would only tell stories that they felt needed to be told in animated form.
[7]
By April 2022, the division was announced to be taking over production for the
Disney Junior
preschool series
Spidey and His Amazing Friends
starting with its second season;
[14]
the series' first season was released under
Marvel Entertainment
.
[15]
During Marvel Studios' animation panel at the July 2022
San Diego Comic-Con
, the projects discussed were introduced as being part of the "
Marvel Animated Multiverse
".
[16]
[17]
Shortly after, Winderbaum said
the Multiverse Saga
of the MCU and its exploration of the
multiverse
allowed the studio to "look at alternate paths and other takes on the characters... see[ing] them expanding and growing in unforeseen, unexpected ways", which he stated was the "guiding light" for the animated projects.
[18]
By September,
Brian Kesinger
was attached to direct an animated series for Marvel Studios,
[19]
though it was canceled shortly after.
[20]
By January 2023, the division was being referred to as "Marvel Studios Animation".
[21]
In March 2023, Alonso was fired from her role at Marvel Studios by a group including
Disney Entertainment
co-chairman Alan Bergman and Disney's human resources and legal departments for serving as a producer on the
Amazon Studios
film
Argentina, 1985
(2022); this was a breach of a 2018 agreement between Alonso and Disney which stated employees would not work for a competing studio.
[22]
[23]
Alonso reportedly did not seek permission to work on the film, and was asked by Disney to stop working on the film, as well as not to promote or publicize it, with the situation "deemed serious enough" that Disney requested a new agreement be signed. Despite this, Alonso continued to promote the film following its September 2022 premiere, and was consistently reminded of her agreement and breach of contract, ultimately leading to her firing.
[22]
Alonso's lawyers refuted this claim, stating Disney was aware of, and agreed to, Alonso's work on
Argentina, 1985
, and that she was instead "silenced[... and] was terminated when she refused to do something she believed was reprehensible";
[24]
this incident was reported to be a disagreement with a Disney executive over the censoring of
gay pride elements
in
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
(2023) to release the film in Kuwait and comply with
its restrictive anti-LGBTQ laws
.
[25]
[26]
A Disney spokesperson reiterated the notion that she was fired due to "an indisputable breach of contract and a direct violation of company policy" among other "key factors".
[24]
In December 2023, Marvel Animation announced
Eyes of Wakanda
, with
Black Panther
(2018) and
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
(2022) director
Ryan Coogler
involved through his production company
Proximity Media
.
[27]
[28]
Freshman Year
was also retitled
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man
.
[29]
The division's formal name of Marvel Animation was further confirmed in February 2024 with the release of the first trailer for
X-Men '97
.
[30]
[31]
[32]
[33]
A logo for the division was also revealed.
[33]
Process
[
edit
]
Similar to other animation studios, Marvel Studios Animation outsources its animation to other studios;
[34]
Alonso said the medium of animation allowed Marvel Studios to work with new companies around the world.
[5]
Winderbaum stated that Marvel Studios was open to working with corporate siblings
Pixar
and
Walt Disney Animation Studios
on animated MCU content "under the right circumstances".
[34]
Spidey and His Amazing Friends
is co-produced with Disney Junior in association with animation studio
Atomic Cartoons
.
[35]
According to Marvel Studios' head of visual development
Ryan Meinerding
, Marvel Studios Animation uses techniques similar to those used in comics, which allows the studio to adapt Marvel comics "in a way that's maybe more powerful than the films".
[17]
Winderbaum said the type of animation used in a series would depend on what the producers felt fit for each series.
[36]
Winderbaum noted Marvel Studios had to alter its production process for its animated projects, noting "it requires so much more forethougth" than live-action production, where Marvel Studios usually makes most changes to its projects during post-production.
[9]
Unlike VFX artists for the live-action productions, artists at the animation studio are hired directly by Marvel and work in-house at Marvel Studios Animation. The studio works under a strict deadline structure, which was criticized by a senior animator as the studio "asking for things that can't be done".
[21]
Production library
[
edit
]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Sciretta, Peter (March 12, 2019).
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.
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- ^
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.
Kakuchopurei
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. Retrieved
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2021
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- ^
a
b
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(Press release).
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. April 29, 2022.
Archived
from the original on March 23, 2023
. Retrieved
April 29,
2022
– via
The Futon Critic
.
- ^
Del Rosario, Alexandra (August 18, 2021).
"
'Marvel's Spidey And His Amazing Friends' Renewed For Season 2 By Disney Junior"
.
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.
Archived
from the original on September 5, 2021
. Retrieved
August 18,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
Moreau, Jordan (July 22, 2022).
"
'Marvel Zombies,' 'Spider-Man: Freshman Year,' 'What If?' Season 2 Get First Looks"
.
Variety
.
Archived
from the original on July 22, 2022
. Retrieved
July 22,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
Nolan, Liam (July 22, 2022).
"SDCC: Marvel Studios Animation Panel Reveals Future of X-Men '97, What If and Marvel Zombies"
.
Comic Book Resources
.
Archived
from the original on July 22, 2022
. Retrieved
July 22,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
Chapman, Wilson (August 10, 2022).
"
'I Am Groot' Creators on the Short Series' Connection to the MCU and Baby Groot vs. Baby Yoda Debate"
.
Variety
.
Archived
from the original on August 10, 2022
. Retrieved
August 11,
2022
.
- ^
Nolan, Liam (September 15, 2022).
"Disney Artist Teases Unannounced Animated MCU Series"
.
Comic Book Resources
.
Archived
from the original on September 15, 2022
. Retrieved
September 17,
2022
.
- ^
Kesinger, Brian
(October 2022).
"Hi everyone ? The show I was supposed to direct on at marvel just got canceled so I'm available for work again..."
.
Archived
from the original on March 30, 2023
. Retrieved
March 31,
2023
– via
LinkedIn
.
- ^
a
b
Lee, Chris (January 13, 2023).
"Inside the VFX Union Brewing in Hollywood"
.
Vulture
.
Archived
from the original on January 25, 2023
. Retrieved
February 1,
2023
.
Alonso heads up Marvel's dedicated "mini-studio," Marvel Studios Animation, which is behind such shows as
What If ...?
[...] and the summer 2022 series of Vin Diesel?voiced original shorts,
I Am Groot
.
- ^
a
b
Kit, Borys (March 24, 2023).
"Inside the Firing of Victoria Alonso: Her Oscar-Nominated Movie 'Argentina, 1985' at Center of Exit (Exclusive)"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
.
Archived
from the original on March 24, 2023
. Retrieved
March 24,
2023
.
- ^
Donnelly, Matt; Vary, Adam B. (March 22, 2023).
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.
Variety
.
Archived
from the original on March 23, 2023
. Retrieved
March 23,
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Vary, Adam B.; Donnelly, Matt (March 24, 2023).
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.
Variety
.
Archived
from the original on March 26, 2023
. Retrieved
March 27,
2023
.
- ^
Patten, Dominic; D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 24, 2023).
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"
.
Deadline Hollywood
.
Archived
from the original on March 26, 2023
. Retrieved
March 27,
2023
.
- ^
McClintock, Pamela; Couch, Aaron (March 28, 2023).
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.
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.
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. Retrieved
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2023
.
- ^
a
b
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"
.
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. December 12, 2023.
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. Retrieved
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2023
.
- ^
a
b
Bell, BreAnna (December 12, 2023).
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'Eyes of Wakanda' Animated Series Announced at Marvel Studios"
.
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.
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. Retrieved
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.
- ^
a
b
c
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.
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.
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. Retrieved
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2023
.
- ^
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(PDF)
.
Walt Disney Studios
. February 15, 2024.
Archived
(PDF)
from the original on February 15, 2024
. Retrieved
February 15,
2024
.
About Marvel Animation: Marvel Animation is an award-winning studio dedicated to creating original animated series inspired by over 85 years of Marvel storytelling. Shows include "What If…?," "I Am Groot" and the upcoming "X-Men '97," among others. Marvel Animation is part of Marvel Studios.
- ^
Petski, Denise (February 15, 2024).
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'X-Men '97' Animated Series Gets Disney+ Premiere Date, Trailer"
.
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.
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.
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.
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Infinity Saga
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Multiverse Saga
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Cast and characters
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Other
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