Guillermo del Toro might take a break from live-action movies after winning an Academy Award for his acclaimed fantasy romance The Shape of Water. According to The Hollywood Reporter, del Toro signed an exclusive multiyear deal with DreamWorks Animation which will see him writing, directing and producing animated family movies.
“Animation is an art form that has influenced my work greatly since childhood,” said del Toro in a statement. “To me, it’s the perfect medium to bring to life any and all ideas, no matter how outlandish or wild. I am eager to work with (DWA film group president Chris deFaria) and the talented artists at DreamWorks — some of the most talented people in the business — to make these images a reality. I have worked with DreamWorks for about a decade, and the horizon just keeps getting wider.”
Guillermo del Toro was involved in several animated features that came from DreamWorks Animation, including 2010’s Puss in Boots, 2014’s The Book of Life, and Kung Fu Panda franchise. Del Toro also created and produced animated television series Trollhunters for Netflix with the studio. It was announced in 2017 that Trollhunters will expand in a trilogy of animated series titled Tales of Arcadia, with Guillermo del Toro being actively involved in the project.
In a statement released by DreamWorks Animation, the studio said that their deal with del Toro won’t include films only, but will have a much bigger role including “some of the company’s innovative pilot programs that are developing groundbreaking techniques for advancing storytelling on multiple content platforms.”
