There’s so much happening in feature animation nowadays, it can be hard to keep track of it all.

It’s tough even for us at Cartoon Brew, so we’re launching a simple resource below to help keep track of creatively developed and/or funded American animated features in development.

The list below tracks projects in development that have been announced or are publicly known. It’s incomplete at the moment, but we’ll fill in the blanks and keep it updated over time. It offers a pretty good snapshot of the future of U.S. feature animation, and lets readers observe broader industry trends, such as Hollywood’s heavy reliance on cg techniques and adaptations of properties from other media, especially children’s books and comics.

Alcon Entertainment
  • Darkmouth (more)
    In development – cg feature
    Directors: David Pimentel, Doug Sweetland
    Writer: Lloyd Taylor
    Producers: Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove (Alcon), Simon Brooks (Canyon Creek Films), Kira Davis (8:38 Productions), Craig Peck
  • Garfield
    In development – cg feature
    Creator: Jim Davis
    Executive producers: Jim Davis, Bridget McMeel
    Producers: John Cohen (The Angry Birds Movie), Steven P. Wegner, Broderick Johnson, Andrew Kosove
Amazon Studios
  • Emily the Strange (more)
    In development – cg feature
    Creator: Rob Reger
Columbia/Sony Pictures
  • Untitled Sony Pictures Animation Film
    In development – cg feature (Sony Pictures Animation)
    Director: Shannon Tindle (creator of Kubo and the Two Strings)
  • Untitled Sony Pictures Animation Film
    In development – cg feature (Sony Pictures Animation)
    Director: Michael Rianda (creative director, Gravity Falls)
  • Untitled Sony Pictures Animation Film
    In development – cg feature (Sony Pictures Animation)
    Director: Jon Saunders (commercial director, Passion Pictures)
  • Harold and the Purple Crayon
    In development – cg feature (Sony Pictures Animation)
    Creator: Crockett Johnson
    Writer: Dallas Clayton
    Producers: James Lassiter, Will Smith
  • Sonic the Hedgehog
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Sony Pictures/Marza Animation Planet)
    Executive producer: Tim Miller (Deadpool, Blur Studio co-founder)
    Director: Jeff Fowler, (Gopher Broke)
  • Untitled Angry Birds Sequel (more)
    In development – cg feature (Columbia Pictures/Rovio)
    Director: Thurop van Orman (creator, The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack)
    Co-director: John Rice (supervising director, King of the Hill)
  • Vivo (more)
    In development – cg feature (Sony Pictures Animation)
    Director: Kirk DeMicco (co-director, Croods; director, Space Chimps)
    Writer: Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights)
    Music: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Dreamworks Animation
  • Spooky Jack (more)
    In development – cg feature
    Writer: Robert Ben Garant (Night at the Museum)
    Producer: Damon Ross (development executive, Captain Underpants: The First Movie, Troll, Turbo)
    Executive producer: Jason Blum
Fox
  • Escape From Hat
    In development – cg feature (Fox Animation)
    Director: Mark Osborne (director, The Little Prince; co-director, Kung Fu Panda)
    Writers: Adam Kline, Mark Osborne
    Producer: Mark Osborne
  • Frogkisser!
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation)
    Creator: Garth Nix
    Development executive: Ralph Millero
  • Peeves
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation/Temple Hill Entertainment)
    Creator: Mike Van Waes
    Producers: Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey
    Development executive: Ralph Millero
  • Puff the Magic Dragon (more)
    In development – cg feature (Fox Animation)
    Director: Mike Mitchell (director, Trolls, Sky High)
  • Ron’s Gone Wrong
    Pre-production – cg feature (Fox Animation/Locksmith Animation/Double Negative)
    Director: Alessandro Carloni (co-director, Kung Fu Panda 3), J.P. Vine
    Writers: Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith
    Producer: Lara Breay (Megamind, Penguins of Madagascar), Julie Lockhart , Sarah Smith
    Executive producer: Elisabeth Murdoch, Peter Baynham
  • The Dam Keeper
    In development – cg feature (Fox Animation)
    Directors: Robert Kondo, Dice Tsutsumi
    Writer: John Henry Hinkel
    Producer: Kane Lee
    Development executive: Darlene Caamano Loquet
  • The Girl Who Drank The Moon
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation)
    Creator: Kelly Barnhill
    Writer: Marc Haimes (Kubo and the Two Strings, Nimona)
    Producers: Carlos Saldanha, Maresa Pullman
  • The Littlest Bigfoot
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation)
    Creator: Jennifer Weiner
    Executive producer: Jennifer Weiner
    Producers: Jake Weiner, Chris Bender
    Development executive: Andrea Miloro
  • The Memory Thief
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation)
    Producers: Perrin Chiles, Marshall Lewy (Adaptive Studios), Shawn Levy, Dan Levine (21 Laps)
  • The Witch Boy
    In development – cg feature (Fox Animation)
    Creator: Molly Knox Ostertag
    Development executive: Darlene Caamano Loquet
  • With Kind Regards from Kindergarten
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Fox Animation)
    Director: Mark Osborne
    Writers: Adam Kline
    Producer: Mark Osborne
  • Zita the Spacegirl
    In development – cg feature (Fox Animation/Chernin Entertainment)
    Creator: Ben Hatke
    Writers: Morgan Jurgenson (Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil), Alex Ankeles
    Development executive: Darlene Caamano Loquet
Illumination Entertainment
  • Johnny Express (more)
    In development – cg feature (Illumination/Mofac Alfred)
    Creator: Kyungmin Woo
  • Super Mario Bros. (more)
    In development – cg feature (Illumination/Nintendo)
MGM
  • The Addams Family (more)
    Pre-production – cg feature (Cinesite Studios)
    Director: Conrad Vernon (co-director, Sausage Party, Madagascar 3, Monsters vs. Aliens)
    Writer: Pamela Pettler (Corpse Bride, 9, Monster House), Matt Lieberman (Dr. Dolittle: Tail to the Chief, upcoming Scooby)
    Producers: Gail Berman, Alex Schwartz, Conrad Vernon
    Executive producers: Kevin Miserocchi, Andrew Mittman
    Production executive: Tabitha Shick
Paramount Pictures
  • Clifford the Big Red Dog
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid
    Creator: Norman Bridwell
    Writer: Justin Malen (Bastards)
  • The Flamingo Affair
    In development – cg feature
    Writer: Pamela Pettler (Corpse Bride, Monster House)
    Producers: J.J. Abrams
    Production executive: Jon Cohen
Skydance Media
  • Good Luck Bad Luck (more)
    In development – cg feature (Ilion Animation Studios)
    Director: Alessandro Carloni (co-director, Kung Fu Panda 3)
    Writers: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
  • Split (more)
    In development – cg feature (Ilion Animation Studios)
    Director: Vicky Jenson (co-director, Shrek, Shark Tale)
    Writer: Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast, Maleficent)
Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios

These studios only announce films targeted for or already in production, but no longer make their development slate public.

Warner Bros.
  • Bone (more)
    In development – cg feature (Warner Bros./Animal Logic)
    Director: Mark Osborne (director, The Little Prince; co-director, Kung Fu Panda)
    Creator: Jeff Smith
    Writers: Adam Kline, Mark Osborne
    Executive producers: Mark Bauch (Lin Pictures), Mark Osborne
    Producers: Dan Lin (Lin Pictures), Zareh Nalbandian (Animal Logic)
  • Billion Brick Race
    In development – cg feature (Warner Bros./Animal Logic)
    Director: Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life)
  • Space Jam 2
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid
    Director: Justin Lin (director on The Fast and the Furious franchise)
  • The Jetsons
    In development – cg feature (Warner Bros. Animation)
    Director: Conrad Vernon (co-director, Sausage Party, Madagascar 3, Monsters vs. Aliens)
Independent Studio Productions
  • Bubbles (more)
    In development – stop-motion feature (Starburns Industries)
    Directors: Mark Gustafson, Taika Waititi
    Writer: Isaac Adamson
    Executive producer: Isaac Adamson, Lee Stobby
    Producers: Andrew Kortschak, Walter Kortschak (End Cue), Dan Harmon (Starburns Industries)
  • Danny and the Dinosaur
    In development – cg/live-action hybrid (Branded Pictures Entertainment)
    Writer: David Bowers, Brian Sawyer, Gregg Rossen
  • Foxy Trotter (more)
    In development – 2D hand-drawn (Titmouse/Fairy Dust/Bold Films)
    Director: Chris Prynoski
    Writers: Jess Rotter, Michael Reich, Jessica Hindley, Mike Pinkney
    Producer: Natalie Portman, Chris Prynoski
  • Kung Fu Space Punch (more)
    In development – cg feature (ReelFX)
    Director: Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life)
    Writer: Doug Langdale
  • Pet Robots
    Pre-production – cg feature (Blue Dream Studios)
    Director: Scott Christian Sava (Animal Crackers)
    Writers: Scott Christian Sava, Audry Taylor, David Wise
    Art director: Armand Serrano (visual development artist, Zootopia, Big Hero Six)
  • The Book of Life 2
    In development – cg feature (ReelFX)
    Director: Jorge Gutierrez (The Book of Life)
  • Untitled Transformers film
    In development – cg feature (Hasbro/Boulder Media Studio)
  • Wendell and Wild
    In development – stop-motion feature (no studio attached)
    Director: Henry Selick (Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas)
    Writers: Jordan Peele, Henry Selick
    Producer: Henry Selick
  • Wish Police (more)
    In development – cg feature (ReelFX/Headless)
    Directors: Adrian Garcia, Alfredo Torres, Victor Maldonado (Headless Productions)
    Producer: Kirk Bodyfelt

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