Locksmith Animation

Locksmith Animation (also known as Locksmith Animation Studios and Locksmith Animation Ltd. or simply Locksmith) is a British CGI animation studio founded by Aardman Animations collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart on 5 March 2014 with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch. Based in London, England, it bills itself as "the only high-end CGI animation movie studio in the UK making computer-animated family-oriented films."[2]

Locksmith Animation
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryFilm industry
CGI animation
Founded5 March 2014 (5 March 2014)
Founder
Headquarters
113 Regent's Park Road, London, England
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Natalie Fischer (CEO)
Julie Lockhart (President)
ParentSister Pictures Ltd.
Websitewww.locksmithanimation.com

History

The studio was founded in 5 March 2014 by Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch.[3] In April 2014, visual effects/animation studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith where it will provide the computer animation for Locksmith's films.[4]

In May 2016, Locksmith formed a production deal with Paramount Pictures, with Paramount acting as the distributor for Locksmith's films to be produced under the Paramount Animation label.[3] The following year, however, Paramount abandoned its deal with Locksmith when Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey was replaced by Jim Gianopulos.[5]

In September 2017, Locksmith formed a multi-year production deal with 20th Century Fox, which would distribute Locksmith's films; 20th Century Fox Animation was brought in to oversee the deal, as Locksmith was aiming to release a film every 12–18 months.[5][6] The first film to be released under the production company was Ron's Gone Wrong, which was released on 22 October 2021 by 20th Century Studios.[5][7] In October 2019, while Disney took over 20th Century Animation, Locksmith formed a new multi-year production deal with Warner Bros., which will distribute future Locksmith films under the Warner Animation Group label after the release of Ron's Gone Wrong, which was now the only Locksmith film to be distributed by 20th Century Studios.[1]

In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of Illumination Entertainment, will step in as CEO. Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith exits the company to pursue her own creative endeavours. It was also announced that Locksmith is currently in production on That Christmas, a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children’s book series, Wed Wabbit a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book and working on an original musical-comedy film.[8]

In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt Marissa Meyer's fantasy novel series The Lunar Chronicles.[9]

Productions

Released films
Title Release date Distributor Co-production with Animation service(s) Budget Gross Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Ron's Gone Wrong22 October 202120th Century Studios[lower-alpha 1]20th Century Animation
TSG Entertainment
DNEG Feature Animation		DNEGTBA$60.6 million80% (98 reviews)[10]65 (23 reviews)[11]A[12]

Upcoming Films/Films in development
Title Release date Distributor Co-production with Animation service(s) Ref.
That ChristmasTBAWarner Bros. PicturesWarner Animation GroupTBA[13]
Untitled original musical-comedy film[14]
Wed Wabbit [15]

Accolades

Annie Awards
YearFilmCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2021 Ron's Gone Wrong Outstanding Achievement for
Character Design in a Feature Production		 Julien Bizat Nominated
Outstanding Achievement for
Production Design in an Animated Feature Production		 Aurélien Predal, Till Nowak and Nathan Crowley

British Animation Awards
YearFilmCategoryRecipient(s)Result
2022 Ron's Gone Wrong Best Long Form Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio E. Rodriguez Won
Best Design
Writers Award Sarah Smith and Peter Baynham Nominated

Notes
  1. through Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

References
  1. Clarke, Stewart (31 October 2019). "Warner Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Elisabeth Murdoch's Locksmith Animation". Variety. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. "ABOUT US". Locksmith Animation. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  3. "Paramount and Locksmith Animation Enter Exclusive Multi-Pic Deal". Animation Magazine. 4 May 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  4. Emmett, Neil (11 April 2014). "British Studios Locksmith and Double Negative Plan To Make CG Features". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  5. Lang, Brent (20 September 2017). "Fox, Locksmith Animation Ink Multi-Year Production, Development Deal (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety Magazine. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  6. Amidi, Amid (20 September 2017). "UK's Locksmith Animation Announces Production Agreement with 20th Century Fox". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  7. N'Duka, Amanda (12 October 2017). "20th Century Fox & Locksmith Animation Slate 'Ron's Gone Wrong' As First Project". Deadline. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  8. Yossman, K.J. (10 June 2021). "Liz Murdoch's Locksmith Animation Hires Natalie Fischer as CEO, Co-Founder Sarah Smith Exits". Variety. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  9. Grobar, Matt (25 January 2022). "The Lunar Chronicles: Locksmith Animation Options Marissa Meyer's New York Times Bestselling Novel Series For Film". Deadline. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  10. "Ron's Gone Wrong". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  11. "Ron's Gone Wrong Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  12. El-Mahmoud, Sarah (27 October 2021). "Could Ron's Gone Wrong Get A Sequel? Here's What The Filmmakers Say". Cinemablend.
  13. Motayor, Rafael (14 June 2021). "Simon Otto to Helm Animated 'That Christmas' Adaptation, Based on Books by 'Love Actually' Writer". Collider. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  14. Yossman, K.J. (10 June 2021). "Liz Murdoch's Locksmith Animation Hires Natalie Fischer as CEO, Co-Founder Sarah Smith Exits". Variety. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  15. White, Peter (29 January 2018). "Locksmith Animation Sets Up Animated Feature Based On 'Wed Wabbit' Kids' Books". Deadline. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
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