Oct 22, 2018

2019 17 big animated films to appear in US theaters

If you thought 2018 was a big year for animated features, just wait until 2019. New Lego and How to Train Your Dragon movies. Frozen 2. Toy Story 4. And so many more.

Cartoon Brew has collated the latest on next year's major U.S. feature animation releases, which are keeping a lot of artists incredibly busy right now.

All of next year's releases are aimed at the children's or family film markets. Most of next year's major U.S. releases are cg animated pics, although there are a couple of stop-motion efforts in the mix.

And in a sign of changing times, our most anticipated hand-drawn feature from an American major is being produced for streaming by Netflix. We're making an exception and adding it to our list because you've got to have at least one 2d film in the batch.

Dive into the list below.

Director: Mike MitchellProduction studio: Animal Logic (Australia/Canada)U.S. distributor: Warner Bros.Release date: February 8, 2019

The characters from the first film, including Emmet (Chris Pratt) and Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) face a new foe in the form of alien Lego Duplo invaders. Production on the cg animated film has centered at Animal Logic's Vancouver studio.

Director: Dean DeBloisProduction studio: Dreamworks Animation (USA)U.S. distributor: Universal PicturesRelease date: February 22, 2019

Toothless discovers an untamed mate, but the discovery of a new world brings danger back to the now peaceful village. The film is billed as the third and final installment in Dreamworks' beloved How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Director: no director announcedProduction studio: Ilion Animation Studios (Spain)U.S. distributor: Paramount PicturesRelease date: March 15, 2019

This Paramount Animation release tells the story of a young girl who discovers an abandoned magical amusement park. Ilion Animation Studios in Spain has ramped up to make the film possible.

Director: Chris ButlerProduction studio: Laika (USA)U.S. distributor: Annapurna PicturesRelease date: April 12, 2019

Laika's newest stop-motion adventure, in which the studio will also be taking advantage of cg and visual effects, is about a living remnant of the link between man and ape. The studio's technical advances continue to impress: look for a new approach to how Laika makes its stop-motion characters appear to be breathing via an air-filled apparatus that was developed for this film.

Director: Kelly AsburyProduction studio: Reel FX Animation Studios (USA/Canada)U.S. distributor: STX EntertainmentRelease date: May 10, 2019

This film ties into the hugely popular Uglydoll brand, based upon a series of plush toy characters. STX Entertainment is producing the film in conjunction with Robert Rodriguez and his Troublemaker Studios outfit.

Director: Richard StarzakProduction studio: Aardman Animations (UK)U.S. distributor: LionsgateRelease date: May 15, 2019

The follow-up to Aardman's Oscar-nominated 2015 stop-motion film is being distributed again by Lionsgate in the United States. The new movie sees Shaun and his flock rally against an invasion of aliens who arrive at the farm.

Director: Chris RenaudProduction studio: Illumination Mac Guff (France)U.S. distributor: Universal PicturesRelease date: June 7, 2019

This Illumination production is a sequel to the 2016 original, which was a massive global success, grossing around $875 million worldwide. One person who won't partake in the new film is Louis C.K., the voice of the lead dog Max, who was booted from the sequel in the wake of his Me Too scandal.

Director: Josh CooleyProduction studio: Disney-Pixar (USA)U.S. distributor: Walt Disney StudiosRelease date: June 21, 2019

Pixar's Toy Story universe is expanding once more with a film that reportedly deals with the search for the lost Bo Peep, who is Woody's love-interest. Toy Story 4 was originally set for release in 2017, then 2018, before receiving its 2019 date.

Director: Jon FavreauProduction studio: MPC (principal VFX house)(USA/UK/Canada/India)U.S. distributor: Walt Disney StudiosRelease date: July 19, 2019

Disney is calling this a live-action remake, but it's actually photoreal computer animation. Director Favreau, who tackled the Disney live-action/cg hybrid re-imagining of The Jungle Book, is going all-cg for The Lion King, but is using a similar virtual production approach to 'shoot' the film. MPC is leading the charge on creating the environments and characters in the film.

Director: Chris AppelhansProduction studio: Base Animation (China)U.S. distributor: Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures AnimationRelease date: July 26, 2019 (China)

Wish Dragon is described as a 'genie-in-a-bottle retelling' set in contemporary China. Jackie Chan's Sparkle Roll Media is producing with Base Animation in China, with Sony Pictures Animation also on board. We don't have the U.S. release date for the film yet, but it's set for July in China, and will make its way stateside via Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation.

Director: Lino DiSalvoProduction studio: On Animation Studios (Canada)U.S. distributor: Tristar PicturesRelease date: August 16, 2019

This cg-animated feature is inspired by the German Playmobil brand toys. The story centers on a young woman who is forced to abandon her carefully structured life to embark on an epic journey to find her young brother in the world of Playmobil.

Director: Thurop Van OrmanProduction studio: Sony Pictures Imageworks (Canada)U.S. distributor: Columbia PicturesRelease date: September 6, 2019

Rovio and Sony Pictures Animation are combining again for Angry Birds 2. This is the follow-up to the 2016 film, which was based on the Finnish mobile game fad.

Directors: Nick Bruno, Troy QuaneProduction studio: Blue Sky Studios (USA)U.S. distributor: Twentieth Century FoxRelease date: September 13, 2019

Will Smith and Tom Holland voice a spy and an inventor respectively in this upcoming Blue Sky Studios cg feature. It is inspired by the 2009 short film Pigeon: Impossible by Lucas Martell.

Directors: Jill CultonProduction studio: Pearl Studio (China)U.S. distributor: Universal PicturesRelease date: September 27, 2019

Abominable, formerly called Everest, is a magical yeti story, and one of Pearl Studio's first projects after changing from Oriental Dreamworks (the film is still a collaboration with Dreamworks Animation).

Director: Greg Tiernan, Conrad VernonProduction studio: Cinesite Animation (Canada)U.S. distributor: MGMRelease date: October 18, 2019

Cinesite is working with MGM on this new adaptation of Charles Addams' classic single-panel comic characters The Addams Family. Cinesite's new Vancouver studio is producing the film (it is the former Nitrogen Studios, which made the raucous R-rated Sausage Party). In this new cg take on the characters, The Addams Family faces off against a crafty reality TV host while also preparing for their extended family to arrive for a major celebration.

Directors: Chris Buck, Jennifer LeeProduction studio: Walt Disney Animation Studios (USA)U.S. distributor: Walt Disney StudiosRelease date: November 27, 2019

Frozen, released in 2013, still tops the list as the number one grossing animated film worldwide, as well as becoming a merchandising and live-show phenomenon. The sequel sees the return of the original directors and many of the cast, including Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel.

Director: Sergio PablosProduction studio: Sergio Pablos Animation Studios (Spain)U.S. distributor: Netflix (online)Release date: Christmas 2019

Sergio Pablos is not just one of the finest animators of his generation, but an idea machine who created the Despicable Me franchise and Smallfoot. Now, he makes his feature film directorial debut with Klaus, a quirky holiday-themed film that tells the origin of Santa Claus. Produced through his Madrid-based studio, Pablos and his crew are using digital tools to create a best-of-both-worlds approach to 2d that combines the organic charm of drawing with the volumetric lighting and texturing that viewers commonly expect from computer animated films. Netflix distributes worldwide on its streaming service.