Locksmith Animation Ltd. (also known as Locksmith Animation Studios and simply known as Locksmith) is a British

CGI animation Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images m ...

film studio founded by

Aardman Animations Aardman Animations Limited (also known as Aardman Studios, simply Aardman or Aardman Animation and stylised as AARDMAN as of 2022) is a British animation studio based in Bristol, England. It is known for films made using stop-motion and clay ani ...

collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch on March 5, 2014. Based in

London, England London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major s ...

, Locksmith bills itself as "the only high-end CGI animation film studio in the United Kingdom, making CGI-animated films which are all made for kids and adults of all ages."

History

Locksmith was founded on 5 March 2014 by

collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch. In April 2014, visual effects and animation studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith where it will provide the computer animation for Locksmith's films. In May 2016, Locksmith formed a production deal with Paramount Pictures, with Paramount acting as the distributor for Locksmith's films to be produced under the

Paramount Animation Paramount Animation is an American animation studio, serving as the animation division and label of Paramount Pictures, a subsidiary of Paramount Global. The division was founded on July 6, 2011, following the box office success of Paramount's ow ...

label. The following year, however, Paramount abandoned its deal with Locksmith when Paramount chairman and CEO

Brad Grey Brad Alan Grey (December 29, 1957 – May 14, 2017) was an American television and film producer. He co-founded Brillstein-Grey Entertainment (now Brillstein Entertainment Partners), and afterwards became the chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictur ...

was replaced by

Jim Gianopulos James N. Gianopulos ( el, Δημήτρης Γιαννόπουλος) is an American businessman. He served as the head of 20th Century Fox and most recently as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of Paramount Pictures until his ouster ...

. In September 2017, Locksmith formed a multi-year production deal with

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...

, which would distribute Locksmith's films;

20th Century Fox Animation 20th Century Animation, Inc. (originally known as Fox Family Films, Fox Animation Studios, and 20th Century Fox Animation and sometimes referred to as Fox Animation) is an American animation studio located in Century City, Los Angeles. Formed ...

was brought in to oversee the deal, as Locksmith was aiming to release a film every 12–18 months. The first film to be released under the production company was ''

Ron's Gone Wrong ''Ron's Gone Wrong'' is a 2021 computer-animated science fiction comedy film directed by Sarah Smith and Jean-Philippe Vine (in his feature directorial debut), and written by Peter Baynham and Smith. The film features the voice of Jack Dylan ...

'', which was released on 22 October 2021 by 20th Century Studios. In October 2019, while

Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...

took over 20th Century Animation, Locksmith formed a new multi-year production deal with

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, which will distribute future Locksmith films under the

Warner Animation Group The Warner Animation Group (WAG) is an American animation studio serving as the computer-animated feature film label of Warner Bros.' theatrical film production and distribution division, Warner Bros. Pictures. Established on January 7, 2013, ...

label after the release of ''Ron's Gone Wrong'', which was now the only Locksmith film to be distributed by 20th Century Studios. In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of

Illumination Entertainment Illumination (formerly known as Illumination Entertainment) is an American computer animation studio, founded by Chris Meledandri in 2007. Illumination is owned by Meledandri and the Illumination brand is co-owned by Universal Pictures, a divisi ...

, will step in as CEO. Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith exits the company to pursue her own creative endeavours. It was also announced that Locksmith is currently in production on '' That Christmas'', a holiday film based on filmmaker

Richard Curtis Richard Whalley Anthony Curtis (born 8 November 1956) is a New Zealand-born British screenwriter, producer and film director. One of Britain's most successful comedy screenwriters, he is known primarily for romantic comedy films, among them '' ...

' children's book series, and ''Wed Wabbit'', a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book and working on an original musical-comedy film. ''That Christmas'' was unveiled in June 2022 as part of

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

's slate of animated films. In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt

Marissa Meyer Marissa Meyer (born February 19, 1984) is an American novelist. Her debut novel, ''Cinder,'' was released on January 3, 2012. It is the first in her series ''The Lunar Chronicles''. Early life and education Meyer was born in Tacoma, Washington ...

's fantasy novel series ''

The Lunar Chronicles ''The Lunar Chronicles'' is a series of four young adult science fiction fantasy novels, a novella and a short story collection written by American author Marissa Meyer and published by Feiwel & Friends. Each book entails a science fictional ...

''.

Productions

Feature films

Released films

Upcoming films/Films in development

Accolades

Annie Awards The Annie Awards are accolades which the Los Angeles branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood, has presented each year since 1972 to recognize excellence in animation shown in Film, cinema and television. Originally ...

British Animation Awards

Notes

References

External links

* {{Animation industry in the United Kingdom, state=expanded 2014 establishments in England British companies established in 2014 British animation studios Film production companies of the United Kingdom