Locksmith Animation

Locksmith Animation Ltd. (LSA, also known as Locksmith Animation Studios or Locksmith Studios and simply known as Locksmith) is a British CGI animation film and series studio founded by Aardman Animations collaborators Julie Lockhart and Sarah Smith with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch on 2014. Based in London, England, Locksmith bills itself as "An independent producer of high-quality animated features and series for global audiences.[2]

Locksmith Animation Ltd.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryCGI animation
Founded2014 (2014)
FounderSarah Smith
Julie Lockhart
Elisabeth Murdoch[1]
Headquarters
113 Regent's Park Road, London, England
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Julie Lockhart (President of Prod.)
Natalie Fischer (CEO)
Mary Coleman (CCO)
Britt Gardiner (CFO)
Daphne Mather (Operations and Cult Manager)
Doug Ikeler (CTO/SVP Digital Prod.)
Donall Crehan (CBO)
Shelley Page (Head of Talent)
OwnerSarah Smith (10%)
Julie Lockhart
Elisabeth Murdoch
Natalie Fischer
Number of employees
60 (2022)
ParentSISTER
DivisionsLSA Los Angeles
Websitewww.locksmithanimation.com

The company's logo depicts the name in black with the black and orange keyhole being the "I".

Locksmith Animation's first film, Ron's Gone Wrong, was released on October 22, 2021, distributed by 20th Century Studios (which had recently been acquired by Disney two years prior) with generally positive reviews. Its next films are That Christmas, a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, distributed by Netflix; Bad Fairies, an original musical-comedy film, The Lunar Chronicles, an animated feature film adaptation based on the author Marissa Meyer's four young adult science fiction fantasy novels by the same name, and Wed Wabbit, a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book, all distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

History
The studio's logo with the SISTER byline used in 2021.

Locksmith was founded on 2014 by Aardman Animations collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart with the financial backing of Elisabeth Murdoch, the studio was named after Julie Lockhart and Sarah Smith's last names.[3] In April 2014, visual effects studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith where it will provide the CGI animation for Locksmith's films, this was before DNEG's animation division, DNEG Feature Animation (now known as DNEG Animation) was founded.[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 October 22, 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 theatrical Locksmith film to be distributed by 20th Century Studios.[1]

With the release of Ron's Gone Wrong in October 2021, Sister Pictures became the parent of Locksmith Animation since Elisabeth Murdoch is the President of Production of the studio.

In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of Illumination Entertainment, would step in as CEO. Locksmith co-founder Sarah Smith exited the company to pursue her own creative endeavours. It was also announced that Locksmith is currently in production on The Empty Stocking (now entitled That Christmas),[8] a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, and Wed Wabbit, a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book, serving as the first live-action/animated hybrid film from Locksmith, and they are working on an original musical-comedy film.[9] That Christmas was unveiled in June 2022 as part of Netflix's slate of animated films.[10]

In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt Marissa Meyer's fantasy novel series The Lunar Chronicles.[11]

In April 2023, Locksmith rebranded with a new logo, location and colour being orange.

In June 2023, as part of the rebranding of WAG now called Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, it was announced that the studio had signed a first-look deal with Locksmith to develop and produce animated features for worldwide distribution, which include Bad Fairies and The Lunar Chronicles, with Locksmith's new animation service studio, LSA Los Angeles animating the two films.[12]

Filmography

Released
Title Release date Director(s) Distributor Co-production with Animation service(s) Budget Gross Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore
Ron's Gone WrongOctober 22, 2021 Sarah Smith
Jean-Philippe Vine		 20th Century Studios[lower-alpha 1]20th Century Animation
TSG Entertainment		DNEG AnimationN/A$60.6 million80% (98 reviews)[13]65 (23 reviews)[14]A[15]

Upcoming
Title Release date Director(s) Distributor Co-production with Animation service(s) Production status Ref.
That Christmas 2024 Simon OttoNetflixNetflix AnimationDNEG Animation In production[16][17][18]
Bad Fairies TBA Megan Nicole Dong Warner Bros. Pictures Warner Bros. Pictures Animation LSA Los Angeles In development [19]
Wed Wabbit[lower-alpha 2] TBA [20]
The Lunar Chronicles Noëlle Raffaele [11]

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
  2. Combines live-action with animation

References
  1. Clarke, Stewart (31 October 2019). "Warner Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Elisabeth Murdoch's Locksmith Animation". Variety. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. "Locksmith People". Locksmith Animation Feature Studio. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  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. Milligan, Mercedes (6 November 2019). "Locksmith Teams with Richard Curtis for Christmas Movie". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  9. 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.
  10. Milligan, Mercedes (9 June 2022). "Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animation from Europe Ahead of Annecy". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
  11. 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.
  12. D'Alessandro, Anthony (9 June 2023). "Warner Bros Pictures Animation Inks First-Look Deal With Locksmith Animation; First Pics Are Bad Fairies & The Lunar Chronicles". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  13. "Ron's Gone Wrong". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  14. "Ron's Gone Wrong Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 29 March 2022.
  15. El-Mahmoud, Sarah (27 October 2021). "Could Ron's Gone Wrong Get A Sequel? Here's What The Filmmakers Say". Cinemablend.
  16. 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.
  17. Tasha Robinson (25 April 2023). "Netflix reveals every original animated movie set for release in the next two years". Polygon. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  18. Milligan, Mercedes (9 June 2022). "Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animation from Europe Ahead of Annecy". Animation Magazine. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  19. 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.
  20. 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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