In a move highly uncharacteristic for someone in Hollywood, John said that while he would love to take credit for the scenes, the real credit belonged to a small animation studio based in Westchester County, NY named Blue Sky Studios.Ĭhris Wedge I introduced them to a brilliant author and illustrator named William Joyce. I marveled at these cockroaches performing Busby Berkeley-like dance numbers. He shared scenes of dancing cockroaches from his upcoming MTV-produced film. When a director named John Payson came in for a general meeting. It was 1996 and I was running the animation division at Fox. Early on, the preside… Hearing the sad news of the closing of Blue Sky Studios brings back the memories of our journey together. Illumination’s next film, “The Grinch,” opens in theaters on Friday.Editors note: Before he founded and became CEO of the Universal-based family film factory Illumination, Chris Meledandri was tasked with building an animation division at Fox. “You want to find something in the narrative that really feels like a departure.” “There’s a tremendous amount of fun to be had in that world, but it’s a high bar to find a story that’s truly world,” said Meledandri.
CHRIS MELEDANDRI CHRIS WEDGE CRACKED
I don’t think I’m particularly great at managing companies.”Įven though he hasn’t cracked the code on “Shrek,” Meledandri sounds confident that it’s only a matter of time before moviegoers get to revisit the magical fairy tale setting that made the original movies such a treat. “I love the process of making films and working with artists.
“The way in which I work with my team to make movies is very intensive and hands-on, and it really doesn’t allow me the opportunity to think about running a second operation,” says Meledandri. However, Meledandri says he came to feel that he couldn’t manage the two companies and still maintain the same level of quality in the films he makes. Initially, there had been speculation that Meledandri, whose Illumination Entertainment is co-owned by Universal, would be asked to oversee DreamWorks Entertainment. The move comes after the studio’s parent company, Comcast, bought DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind “Shrek,” in 2016 for $3.8 billion.
CHRIS MELEDANDRI CHRIS WEDGE SERIES
“The challenge for us has been to find something that really does feel like it’s not simply yet another film in a series of sequels.” “When you look back on those vocal performances they’re awesome, and while you certainly could make a case for a complete reinvention, I find myself responding to my own nostalgic feelings of wanting to go back to those characterizations,” explains Meledandri. Part of the popularity of “Shrek” is attributable to a voice cast that included Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Antonio Banderas, and in a lengthy profile in Variety, Meledandri says he would like to get the band back together.
One thing the animation guru doesn’t want to mess with is with the vocal performances.
Universal Pictures has tasked Meledandri with finding some fresh story lines to reintroduce the lovable ogre and the sword-wielding feline to new generations of moviegoers. “ Shrek” and “Puss in Boots” are getting rebooted and Chris Meledandri, the man behind “Despicable Me,” is overseeing their revival.
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