Skydance Media, the film financing/production company started by David Ellison, son of billionaire Larry Ellison and brother of Annapurna Pictures’ Megan Ellison, has announced two high-profile industry veterans as directors for its first two animated features: Vicky Jenson and Alessandro Carloni.
As reported back in March, Skydance has signed a multi-year partnership with Madrid’s Ilion Animation Studios (Planet 51, Paramount’s upcoming Amusement Park), meaning that it will be able to jump right into production rather than having to build a costly studio from scratch.
Jenson, who won the first animated feature Oscar for co-directing Dreamworks Animation’s Shrek, and later co-directed Shark Tale, is set to direct an untitled fantasy project written by Linda Woolverton (Maleficent, Disney’s original Beauty and the Beast). The film follows a teenager who comes of age using her magical powers to defend her family when the opposing forces of light and darkness threaten to divide her kingdom.
