Netflix Acquires Animation Studio Animal Logic

deadline.com:

Netflix is moving further into the world of animation with the acquisition of Australian studio Animal Logic.The company is responsible for work on films such as Happy Feet, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, The Lego Movies and Peter Rabbit.It comes after Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said last year that it is building out its animation unit with the hope to compete against Disney in family animation.The streamer’s animation slate includes the likes of Over the Moon, Academy Award-nominated Klaus and the recently released The Sea Beast.Netflix has previously acquired companies such as visual effects studio Scanline VFX, which has worked on series such as Stranger Things, and has recently bought a slew of gaming companies.Animal Logic has been producing design, visual effects and animation for over 30 years.

Headquartered in Sydney, Animal Logic set up a second studio in Vancouver, Canada in 2015.The two companies have previously partnered on projects such as The Magician’s Elephant, directed by Wendy Rogers, and are working on The Shrinking of the Treehorns, directed by Ron Howard.“Netflix has been investing in animation over the past few years and this furthers our commitment to building a world-class animation studio,” said Amy Reinhard, Netflix Vice President of Studio Operations. “Animal Logic is a leading animation studio with innovative technology that will strengthen our existing business and increase our long-term capacity in the animation space, so that we can better entertain our members around the world.”Animal Logic is run by CEO Zareh Nalbandian and its teams will remain operating under its existing brand.“After 30 years of producing great work with great people, this is the perfect next chapter for