Skydance Ties Up with Ilion Animation Studios

SANTA MONICA: Skydance Media has launched an animation division and entered into a multiyear partnership with Spain’s Ilion Animation Studios to develop and produce high-end animated feature films and TV shows.

The pact kicks off with two animated movies currently in development, to be produced in Spain. The first centers on a teen who uses her magical powers to defend her family when opposing forces of light and darkness threaten her kingdom. It is being penned by Linda Woolverton (Alice in Wonderland), who will also serve as producer, and is slated for release in 2019.

The second production, tentatively titled Luck, is a comedy about the battle between the organizations of good luck and bad luck that secretly affect our daily lives. The script is being written by Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger (Kung Fu Panda), who are also producing the film.

“It is incredibly gratifying to see one of my deepest passions come to life as we enter the animation business with Ilion,” said Skydance CEO David Ellison. “Together we aim to bring together the most creative visionaries, the best-in-class production skills, and the highest degree of technological innovation in the service of great stories.”

“In animation the possibilities to create imaginative new worlds are limitless and we are thrilled to expand the Skydance family to include Ilion and some of the most talented artists working in animated film today,” noted Dana Goldberg, Skydance’s chief creative officer, who will oversee the slate.

“The combination of our proven creative team and our production capabilities with the deep film industry knowledge from David and his team at Skydance is a formidable setup from which to launch this new partnership,” stated Ignacio Pérez Dolset, the president and chief creative officer at Ilion Animation Studios.

“In addition to being known as one of the very best homes for artists in all of Hollywood today, it is their great track record of making movies with wide global reach that attracted us to Skydance,” added Jose F San Román, the CEO of Ilion Animation Studios. “Together with our exceptionally talented writers and the experienced team at Skydance, we cannot wait to get started on the production of these first two animated films.”