Marvel Animation Inc.[4] is an American animation production company. It was incorporated on January 25, 2008, to direct Marvel's efforts in animation and home entertainment markets. The incorporated Marvel Animation included then ongoing animation efforts by Marvel Studios withLionsgate andNickelodeon.[5][6] Marvel Animation operates underMarvel Studios, a subsidiary ofThe Walt Disney Studios, a division ofDisney Entertainment, itself a division ofThe Walt Disney Company.
In 2004,Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Comics' new parent corporation, struck a deal withLions Gate Entertainment to produce a series of eightdirect-to-video animated movies under the name ofMarvel Animated Features[16] in conjunction withMarvel Studios, Marvel's direct film subsidiary. Eric Rollman was hired by Marvel as Executive Vice President, Home Entertainment & TV Production for Marvel Studios to oversee the deal with Lionsgate.[5]
Incorporation
Marvel Animation was incorporated in January 2008 to direct Marvel's efforts in animation and home entertainment markets including then animation efforts with Lionsgate andNickelodeon. Marvel Entertainment named Eric Rollman as president of the company in April 2008, and reporting to Simon Philips, president of Marvel Entertainment International.[5][6]
In early 2009, a home distribution deal forThe Super Hero Squad Show was inked withShout! Factory. In April 2009, the Marvel Knights Animation series was announced to be under development with Shout! Factory developing hybrid comic animation DVD series by converting existing material.[17] On December 31, 2009,The Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel Animation with parent company Marvel Studios as part of theMarvel Entertainment group for $4 billion.[18] Both Marvel and Disney have stated that the merger would not affect any preexisting deals with Lionsgate or other production companies for the time being, although Disney said they would consider distributing future Marvel Animation projects with their own studios once the current deals expire.[19][20]
With the creation of theMarvel Television division in June 2010 within Marvel Studios, Marvel Animation would operate under Marvel TV's direction.[21] In July 2010, Marvel entered into Superhero Anime Partners withMadhouse andSony Pictures Entertainment Japan to develop and produce theMarvel Anime project that took famous Marvel characters and reintroduced them for a Japanese audience in four 12-part television series which aired onAnimax in Japan andG4 in the United States.[22][23][24]
At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Marvel Television announced a second "season" of Marvel Knights Animation with Shout Factory and the involved titles.[29] Following up on early anime productions in the Superhero Anime Partners, Marvel has re-partnered with Madhouse and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan as SH DTV Partners for a direct to video anime feature film,Iron Man: Rise of Technovore.[30][31] Also in October, Marvel Animation Studios announced its first DTV production, a direct to video film,Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United, to be released in 2013.[32]
AGuardians of the Galaxy animated series was officially announced in October 2014, with production set to begin for a 2015 release on Disney XD.[36] In August 2015, Marvel Studios was integrated into theWalt Disney Studios, while Marvel Television and Animation were left under Marvel Entertainment and Perlmutter's control.[37] Marvel announced a new anime television series titled,Marvel Future Avengers, which was broadcast in mid-2017 on the Disney satellite channel,Dlife.[38]
Marvel Entertainment announced a new pre-school franchise,Marvel Super Hero Adventures, in September 2017 consisting of a 10 short-form episodes animated series along with publishing and merchandise during "Marvel Mania" October.[39][40] In the publishing field,Marvel Press issuing early reader chapter books in September,[39] and of course, from Marvel Comics, a five-issue miniseries in April 2018.[41] Super Hero Adventures has Spider-Man teaming with another Marvel hero.[39] The animated episodes lasting 3-and-a-half minutes aired onDisney Channel's Disney Jr. block followed byDisney Jr. channel then Marvel HQYouTube channel and DisneyNOW app.[42]
On December 7, 2017, Marvel announced itsMarvel Rising franchise focusing on new characters as youngsters starting with animation in 2018 with Ghost-Spider, a renamed Spider-Gwen, shorts and an animated film,Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors.[43]
In October 2019, Marvel Studios presidentKevin Feige was given the title ofchief creative officer (CCO) of Marvel, and was set to oversee the creative direction of Marvel Television and Marvel Family Entertainment (animation), with both moving back under the Marvel Studios banner.[46] With the December 2019 announcement of the closure of its parent unit, Marvel Television, also came news that TV and animation executives at vice president level and above would be let go. This announcement includedCort Lane, senior vice president of Marvel Animation & Family Entertainment. He would leave in January 2020, and be replaced.[44][47]Marvel Studios Animation was subsequently formed in 2021.
Note: AllMarvel Animated Features[16] films that have been released or announced have been produced by MLG Productions, Marvel andLionsgate's subsidiary group,[50][51] and have been releaseddirect-to-video by Lionsgate. The contract Marvel had with Lionsgate was for eight films,[16] all of which have been released as of 2011.
Marvel Knights Animation is a hybrid comic-animation series. Episodes have been released oniTunes digitally and physically throughShout! Factory on DVD.[17]
^Hamilton, Jeff (January 15, 2014)."CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT CASE NO. PCUP 1326237"(PDF).ci.glendale.ca.us. CITY OF GLENDALE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. p. 10. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on December 29, 2016. RetrievedDecember 28, 2016.
^"Our Studio List".animationguild.org. Animation Guild.Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. RetrievedDecember 28, 2016.
^abcdGiardina, Carolyn (April 21, 2008)."Marvel ups Eric Rollman".The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press.Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. RetrievedMay 20, 2019.Rollman, who was executive vp, home entertainment & TV production at Marvel Studios, will oversee Marvel's animation slate as well as partnerships with key broadcasters and home entertainment studios. ... In television, Rollman is overseeing the "Iron Man: Armored Adventures" and "Wolverine and the X-Men" animated series and forged a deal with Nickelodeon to have both air on the Nicktoons Network.
^Mangel, Andy (May 1991). "Reel Marvel". In Salicrup, Jim (ed.).Marvel Age Issue 100. Marvel Comics.Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. RetrievedOctober 25, 2011.
^abCawley, John."Marvel Films Animation 1993–1997".Home of John Cawley. Archived fromthe original on May 22, 2012. RetrievedMay 5, 2011.Hence Bob discovered he was not only going to produce the first series from Marvel Films Animation, he was also going to have to build the studio from scratch!
^Hass, Nancy (August 11, 1996). "Marvel sets up division to put its own characters into movies".The New York Times.
^Whyte, Alexandra (September 8, 2017)."Marvel swings into preschool content".Kidscreen. Brunico Communications Ltd.Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. RetrievedFebruary 17, 2018.
^Bhushan, Nyay (May 8, 2007)."India's Toonz has claws out".The Hollywood Reporter. Associated Press.Archived from the original on August 28, 2024. RetrievedMay 20, 2019.
^Langshaw, Mark (June 19, 2010)."'Black Panther' animation dated".Digital Spy.com. Digital Spy Limited.Archived from the original on June 21, 2010. RetrievedMarch 30, 2011.
