Skydance Animation, under David Ellison’s leadership, has transitioned its primary distribution partnership from Apple Studios to Netflix. The animation studio, headed by John Lasseter and overseen by president Holly Edwards, has committed to exclusively premiere its animated films on Netflix.
This multi-year agreement also means Skydance’s current film catalogue will be solely available on Netflix. The inaugural film from this partnership will be Spellbound.
Originally scheduled for release on Apple, the movie, featuring Rachel Zegler and Tituss Burgess, is now slated for a 2024 Netflix debut.
This will be succeeded by Pookoo in 2025. Among other upcoming titles are Ray Gunn, directed by Brad Bird, and a yet-to-be-named Jack and the Beanstalk adaptation by Rich Moore.
Notably, the deal with Netflix doesn’t mention any theatrical releases. Despite the shift in animation distribution, Apple will continue its collaboration with Skydance on live-action films and series.
This includes projects involving Mark Wahlberg (The Family Plan) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Gorge). This change in distribution partners isn’t entirely unexpected, given both Netflix and Apple’s prior engagements with Skydance Media.
Netflix has previously showcased Skydance productions such as The Adam Project, Heart of Stone, and The Old Guard. Additionally, series like FUBAR, Altered Carbon, and Grace and Frankie have also been featured on the platform.
