DreamWorks Animation's Upcoming Films

How to Train Your Dragon,Shrek 4,Oobermind,Kung Fu Panda

Jun 3, 2009

What's DreamWorks Animation's release schedule for the next 3 years? Find out what the #2 CGI animation studio is planning.

DreamWorks Animation announced their upcoming schedule of films. The Glendale-based studio also announced that they would start releasing three films once every two years.

This reverses DWA’s previous strategy of only 2 films a year, after the $1.9 million tax write-down the studio was forced to take after 2006’s Flushed Away tanked in theatres.

"Our exceptionally talented and highly experienced creative team is bringing to DreamWorks Animation a significant number of imaginative, original and cutting-edge ideas today," said Bill Damaschke, Co-President of Production and President of Live Theatrical, in the press release. "Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever before, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year."

Here are the films DWA’s working on through to 2012. Not surprisingly, at least 4 of them are sequels to previous hits:

Based on the book by Cressida Cowell, it debuts March 26, 2010. Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois (Lilo & Stitch) write and direct the flick, with Bonnie Arnold (Toy Story) producing. It stars Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Craig Ferguson, Kristen Wiig and TJ Miller.

“Set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, the story centers around a teenager who lives on the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life. But when he encounters - and ultimately befriends - an injured dragon, his world is turned upside down.”

May get retitled Shrek Fourever After. Aron Warner and original Shrek director Andrew Adamson are executive producers, with Mike Mitchell directing and Teresa Cheng and Gina Shay producing. The original cast, including Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas, return.

This film, formerly titled Master Mind, comes out November 5, 2010. Tom McGrath (Madagascar) directs, Ben Stiller and Stuart Cornfeld are executive producers, with Lara Breay and Denise Nolan Cascino producing. Robert Downey Jr. and Tina Fey star.

“When super villain Oobermind defeats his archrival Metro Man, the world should be his oyster. But instead, Oobermind falls into total despair. It turns out that life without a rival is life without a point for him. So he creates a new superhero rival. Unfortunately, the new hero wants to be a super villain too. Who can we turn to? Who has what it takes to stand up to this menace? Who will defend the innocent? Oobermind!”

The next chapter of the 2008 blockbuster is directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, and produced by Melissa Cobb. The original cast, including Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, and Seth Rogen, return.

“A new villain has emerged with a mysterious weapon so powerful it threatens the very existence of kung fu. It is up to Po and the Furious Five to protect all that they know. But first, Po must confront his long lost past.”

This film (working title), is based on the forthcoming books by William Joyce. Jeff Lynch and William Joyce are directing, with Christina Steinberg and Nancy Bernstein producing.

“The world's five unlikeliest heroes - Jack Frost, North (aka Santa), Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), Tooth (the Tooth Fairy), and Sandy (the Sandman) - must band together to stop an ancient spirit called Pitch (the Boogeyman) from plunging the world into eternal darkness.”

Chris Miller is directing this Shrek spinoff (this is a working title), with Joe Aguilar and Michelle Raimo producing and Andrew Adamson executive producing. It stars Antonio Banderas as Puss In Boots and Salma Hayek as Kitty, Puss' love interest.

“Swords will cross and hearts will be broken in this adventure starring one of the most beloved characters of the Shrek universe - Puss In Boots. It's a swashbuckling ride through Puss's early years as he teams with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.”

Original director Eric Darnell returns, backstopped by Mireille Soria and Mark Swift (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa).

“Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Gloria the Hippo, and Melman the Giraffe are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple; King Julien, Maurice and the Penguins are along for the adventure. This time the road takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent Madagascar style!”

The first is The Croods (originally a John Cleese script called Crood Awakening), directed by Chris Sanders and Kirk DeMicco (Space Chimps) with Kristine Belson and Jane Hartwell producing.

“An old school caveman must lead his family across a volatile prehistoric landscape in search of a new home. The outsized flora and fauna are challenge enough, but the real complication arises when the family is joined by an alarmingly modern caveman whose search for "tomorrow" is at odds with our hero's reliance on the traditions of yesterday.”

Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire) is scripting Truckers (working title), based on Terry Pratchett’s Bromeliad Trilogy.

“A society of tiny beings lives in a department store, right underfoot and unseen by the humans that shop there. To them, the store is the entire universe. And when they discover that the store is slated for demolition, they must embark on an epic journey to find a new home ... ultimately learning that their true home is literally out of this world!”

The third candidate is an as-yet-untitled “Super Secret Ghost Project,” in which DWA promises “ghosts as you've never seen them before.”

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