Locksmith Animation

{{Infobox company

| name = Locksmith Animation

| logo = Locksmith Animation New Logo.png

| logo_size = 250px

| logo_caption = Logo used since April 2023

| type = Subsidiary

| founder = Sarah Smith
Julie Lockhart
Elisabeth Murdoch (financial backing)

| founded = {{start date and age|2014|01|14}}

| location_city = 113 Regent's Park Road, London, England

| location_country = United Kingdom

| num_locations = 2 (2024)

| key_people = Julie Lockhart (president of prod.)
Natalie Fischer (CEO)
Mary Coleman (CCO)
Britt Gardiner (COO)
Daphne Mather (Head of Culture)
Doug Ikeler (CTO/SVP Digital Prod.)
Shelley Page (Head of Talent)

| products = Feature films

| industry = Computer animation
Film production

| owner = Sister Group

| num_employees = 100 (2025)

| parent = Sister Pictures

| homepage = {{URL|https://www.locksmithanimation.com/}}

}}

Locksmith Animation is a British-American independent computer animation feature film studio owned by Sister Group. Headquartered in London, England with an office in Los Angeles, California, Locksmith is best known for producing and developing independent computer-animated feature films.

Locksmith Animation's first film, Ron's Gone Wrong, was released on 22 October 2021, distributed by 20th Century Studios (which had recently been acquired by Disney two years prior) with positive reviews. That Christmas, a holiday film based on the children's Christmas book trilogy That Christmas and Other Stories by British filmmaker Richard Curtis, was released by Netflix on 4 December 2024. The studio's next films are, Bad Fairies, a subversive original musical-comedy film set in contemporary London, to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures{{cite web|last=Gajewski|first=Ryan|title=Warner Bros. Sets Animated Musical 'Bad Fairies' for 2027 Release|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bad-fairies-animated-musical-release-1235949503/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 16, 2024|access-date=July 16, 2024}} on 23 July 2027, The Lunar Chronicles, based on the author Marissa Meyer's four young adult science fiction fantasy novels by the same name, and Wed Wabbit, based on the adventure fiction novel from Lissa Evans, and their first independent feature, to be funded and release by themselves.

History

Locksmith Animation was founded in January 14, 2014 by media executive businesswoman Elisabeth Murdoch and two Aardman Animations collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart. Locksmith was named after Lockhart and Smith's surnames.{{cite web|url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/features/paramount-and-locksmith-animation-enter-exclusive-multi-pic-deal/?doing_wp_cron=1518691637.1369779109954833984375|title=Paramount and Locksmith Animation Enter Exclusive Multi-Pic Deal|work=Animation Magazine|date=May 4, 2016|access-date=February 15, 2018}} In April 2014, visual effects studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith to provide the computer animation for Locksmith's films, this led DNEG to found their own animation department, DNEG Feature Animation (now known as DNEG Animation).{{cite web|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/business/british-studios-locksmith-and-double-negative-plan-to-make-cg-features-98410.html|title=British Studios Locksmith and Double Negative Plan To Make CG Features|website=Cartoon Brew|last1=Emmett|first1=Neil|date= April 11, 2014|access-date=February 15, 2018}}

File:Locksmith Animation logo.svg

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. The following year, however, Paramount abandoned its deal with Locksmith when Paramount chairman and CEO Brad Grey was replaced by Jim Gianopulos.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2017/film/news/fox-locksmith-animation-ink-multi-year-production-development-deal-exclusive-1202563541/|title=Fox, Locksmith Animation Ink Multi-Year Production, Development Deal (EXCLUSIVE)|website=Variety Magazine|last1=Lang|first1=Brent|date=September 20, 2017|access-date=February 15, 2018}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.cartoonbrew.com/feature-film/uks-locksmith-animation-announces-production-agreement-20th-century-fox-153621.html|title= UK's Locksmith Animation Announces Production Agreement with 20th Century Fox|website=Cartoon Brew|last1=Amidi|first1=Amid |author-link=Amid Amidi|date=September 20, 2017|access-date=February 15, 2018}} The first film to be produced by Locksmith Animation was Ron's Gone Wrong which was released on 22 October 2021 by 20th Century Studios.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/20th-century-fox-locksmith-animation-rons-gone-wrong-animated-film-1202187132/|title=20th Century Fox & Locksmith Animation Slate 'Ron's Gone Wrong' As First Project|website=Deadline|last1=N'Duka|first1=Amanda|date=October 12, 2017|access-date=February 15, 2018}} In February 2018, it was announced that Locksmith was developing Wed Wabbit, a live-action/animated hybrid film based on Lissa Evans' children's book, originally served as the first live-action/animated hybrid film from Locksmith.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Peter |date=January 29, 2018 |title=Locksmith Animation Sets Up Animated Feature Based On 'Wed Wabbit' Kids' Books |url=https://deadline.com/2018/01/locksmith-animation-fox-set-up-animated-feature-based-on-wed-wabbit-kids-books-1202272545/ |website=Deadline |access-date=February 15, 2018}} In October 2019, after Disney took over 20th Century Animation, Locksmith formed a new multi-year production deal with Warner Bros. Pictures, which will distribute three 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.{{cite news |last1=Clarke |first1=Stewart |title=Warner Signs Multi-Picture Deal With Elisabeth Murdoch's Locksmith Animation |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/warner-bros-pact-elisabeth-murdoch-locksmith-animation-1203389453/ |access-date=November 1, 2019 |work=Variety |date=October 31, 2019 |language=en}}

File:Locksmith Animation (2021).svg byline (used from 2021 to 2023)]]

Sister Pictures was announced as Locksmith Animation's parent company following the release of Ron's Gone Wrong in October 2021.

In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of Illumination Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation and Pixar 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 That Christmas,{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=2019-11-06 |title=Locksmith Teams with Richard Curtis for Christmas Movie |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/2019/11/locksmith-teams-with-richard-curtis-for-christmas-movie/ |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}} a holiday film based on the children's Christmas book trilogy That Christmas and Other Stories by British filmmaker Richard Curtis, and they are working on an original musical-comedy film.{{cite news |last1= Yossman |first1=K.J. |title=Liz Murdoch's Locksmith Animation Hires Natalie Fischer as CEO, Co-Founder Sarah Smith Exits|url=https://variety.com/2021/biz/news/locksmith-animation-natalie-fischer-1234992746/ |access-date=June 18, 2021 |work=Variety |date=June 10, 2021 |language=en}} That Christmas was unveiled in June 2022 as part of Netflix's slate of animated films.{{Cite web |last=Milligan |first=Mercedes |date=2022-06-09 |title=Netflix Sets Bold Slate of Animation from Europe Ahead of Annecy |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/streaming/netflix-sets-bold-slate-of-animation-from-europe-ahead-of-annecy/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}}

In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt Marissa Meyer's fantasy novel series The Lunar Chronicles.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/the-lunar-chronicles-locksmith-animation-options-marissa-meyers-novel-series-1234919590/|title=The Lunar Chronicles: Locksmith Animation Options Marissa Meyer's New York Times Bestselling Novel Series For Film|last=Grobar|first=Matt|work=Deadline|date=January 25, 2022|access-date=January 26, 2022}}

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 the animated feature films, Bad Fairies, and The Lunar Chronicles for Warner Bros. Pictures.{{cite web|last=D'Alessandro|first=Anthony|title= Warner Bros Pictures Animation Inks First-Look Deal With Locksmith Animation; First Pics Are Bad Fairies & The Lunar Chronicles|url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/warner-bros-animation-locksmith-bad-fairies-lunar-chronicles-1235413420/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=June 9, 2023|date=June 9, 2023}}

Feature films

=Released=

class="wikitable"
Release Year ! Title ! Director(s) ! Screenwriter(s) ! Producer(s) ! Composer(s) ! Co-production with ! Distributor ! Animation service(s)
2021 \| Ron's Gone Wrong \| style="text-align:center;" \| Sarah Smith Jean-Philippe Vine Co-director: Octavio E. Rodriguez \| style="text-align:center;" \| Peter Baynham Sarah Smith \| style="text-align:center;" \| Julie Lockhart Lara Breay \| style="text-align:center;" \| Henry Jackman \| style="text-align:center;" \| TSG Entertainment \| style="text-align:center;" \| 20th Century Studios \| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" \| DNEG Animation
rowspan="2" \| 2024 \| rowspan="2" \| That Christmas \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Simon Otto \| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A\|Based on the books by: Richard Curtis}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Nicole P. Hearon Adam Tandy \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| John Powell \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Netflix
style="text-align:center;" \| Richard Curtis Peter Souter

class="wikitable"

Release Year

! Title

! Director(s)

! Screenwriter(s)

! Producer(s)

! Composer(s)

! Co-production with

! Distributor

! Animation service(s)

2021

| Ron's Gone Wrong

| style="text-align:center;" | Sarah Smith
Jean-Philippe Vine

Co-director:
Octavio E. Rodriguez

| style="text-align:center;" | Peter Baynham
Sarah Smith

| style="text-align:center;" | Julie Lockhart
Lara Breay

| style="text-align:center;" | Henry Jackman

| style="text-align:center;" | TSG Entertainment

| style="text-align:center;" | 20th Century Studios

| rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | DNEG Animation

rowspan="2" | 2024

| rowspan="2" | That Christmas

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Simon Otto

| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A|Based on the books by:
Richard Curtis}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Nicole P. Hearon
Adam Tandy

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | John Powell

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Netflix

style="text-align:center;" | Richard Curtis
Peter Souter

=Upcoming =

class="wikitable"
Release Year ! Title ! Director(s) ! Screenwriter(s) ! Producer(s) ! Composer(s) ! Co-production with ! Distributor ! Animation service(s) ! {{Refh}}
2027 \| Bad Fairies \| style="text-align:center;" \| Megan Nicole Dong \| style="text-align:center;" \| Deborah Frances-White \| style="text-align:center;" \| Carolyn Soper \| style="text-align:center;" \| Isabella Summers (score) Toby Marlow Lucy Moss (songs) \| style="text-align:center;" \| Warner Bros. Pictures Animation Sketchshark Productions \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Warner Bros. Pictures \| style="text-align:center;" \|DNEG Animation \| {{cite web\|last=Gajewski\|first=Ryan\|title=Warner Bros. Sets Animated Musical 'Bad Fairies' for 2027 Release\|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bad-fairies-animated-musical-release-1235949503/\|website=The Hollywood Reporter\|date=July 16, 2024\|access-date=July 16, 2024}}
{{TBA}} \|The Lunar Chronicles \| style="text-align:center;" \| Noëlle Raffaele \| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| style="text-align:center;" \|Avenged Sevenfold \| style="text-align:center;" \| Warner Bros. Pictures Animation \| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| {{Cite web \|last=Grobar \|first=Matt \|date=2022-01-25 \|title='The Lunar Chronicles': Locksmith Animation Options Marissa Meyer's New York Times Bestselling Novel Series For Film \|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/the-lunar-chronicles-locksmith-animation-options-marissa-meyers-novel-series-1234919590/ \|access-date=2023-06-10 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}{{Cite web \|last=D'Alessandro \|first=Anthony \|date=2023-06-09 \|title=Warner Bros Pictures Animation Inks First-Look Deal With Locksmith Animation; First Pics Are 'Bad Fairies' & 'The Lunar Chronicles' \|url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/warner-bros-animation-locksmith-bad-fairies-lunar-chronicles-1235413420/ \|access-date=2023-06-10 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}
{{TBA}} \| rowspan="2" \| Wed Wabbit \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Olly Reid \| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A\|Based on the book by: Lissa Evans}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Julie Lockhart Andrew Baker \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" \| Cantilever Media Timeless Films \| rowspan="2" \| Sky Cinema \| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}} \| rowspan="2" \|{{Cite web \|last=Ntim \|first=Zac \|date=2025-01-31 \|title=‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ Studio Locksmith Animation Sets Next Feature ‘Wed Wabbit’ — EFM \|url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/wed-wabbit-locksmith-animation-rons-gone-wrong-efm-1236274042/ \|access-date=2025-01-31 \|website=Deadline \|language=en-US}}
style="text-align:center;" \| \| style="text-align:center;" \| Gideon Defoe \|

class="wikitable"

Release Year

! Title

! Director(s)

! Screenwriter(s)

! Producer(s)

! Composer(s)

! Co-production with

! Distributor

! Animation service(s)

! {{Refh}}

2027

| Bad Fairies

| style="text-align:center;" | Megan Nicole Dong

| style="text-align:center;" | Deborah Frances-White

| style="text-align:center;" | Carolyn Soper

| style="text-align:center;" | Isabella Summers
(score)

Toby Marlow
Lucy Moss
(songs)

| style="text-align:center;" | Warner Bros. Pictures Animation
Sketchshark Productions

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Warner Bros. Pictures

| style="text-align:center;" |DNEG Animation

| {{cite web|last=Gajewski|first=Ryan|title=Warner Bros. Sets Animated Musical 'Bad Fairies' for 2027 Release|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bad-fairies-animated-musical-release-1235949503/|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=July 16, 2024|access-date=July 16, 2024}}

|The Lunar Chronicles

| style="text-align:center;" | Noëlle Raffaele

| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}}

| style="text-align:center;" |Avenged Sevenfold

| style="text-align:center;" | Warner Bros. Pictures Animation

| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}}

| {{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2022-01-25 |title='The Lunar Chronicles': Locksmith Animation Options Marissa Meyer's New York Times Bestselling Novel Series For Film |url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/the-lunar-chronicles-locksmith-animation-options-marissa-meyers-novel-series-1234919590/ |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2023-06-09 |title=Warner Bros Pictures Animation Inks First-Look Deal With Locksmith Animation; First Pics Are 'Bad Fairies' & 'The Lunar Chronicles' |url=https://deadline.com/2023/06/warner-bros-animation-locksmith-bad-fairies-lunar-chronicles-1235413420/ |access-date=2023-06-10 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

| rowspan="2" | Wed Wabbit

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Olly Reid

| style="text-align:center;" {{N/A|Based on the book by:
Lissa Evans}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Julie Lockhart
Andrew Baker

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}}

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Cantilever Media
Timeless Films

| rowspan="2" | Sky Cinema

| rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" {{N/A}}

| rowspan="2" |{{Cite web |last=Ntim |first=Zac |date=2025-01-31 |title=‘Ron’s Gone Wrong’ Studio Locksmith Animation Sets Next Feature ‘Wed Wabbit’ — EFM |url=https://deadline.com/2025/01/wed-wabbit-locksmith-animation-rons-gone-wrong-efm-1236274042/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}

style="text-align:center;" |

| style="text-align:center;" | Gideon Defoe

=Short films=

class="wikitable"
Release Year ! Title ! Director(s) ! Producer(s) ! Composer ! Distributor ! Animation service(s)
2025 \| Cardboardhttps://x.com/lsanimation/status/1901678123067859343?s=61&t=kmvL-LOuranUNlThj5bGOw \| style="text-align:center;" \| Jean-Philippe Vine \| style="text-align:center;" \| Michaela Manas Malina \| style="text-align:center;" {{TBA}} \| style="text-align:center;" {{TBA}} \| style="text-align:center;" \| DNEG Animation Ritzy Animation

class="wikitable"

Release Year

! Title

! Director(s)

! Producer(s)

! Composer

! Distributor

! Animation service(s)

2025

| Cardboardhttps://x.com/lsanimation/status/1901678123067859343?s=61&t=kmvL-LOuranUNlThj5bGOw

| style="text-align:center;" | Jean-Philippe Vine

| style="text-align:center;" | Michaela Manas Malina

| style="text-align:center;" {{TBA}}

| style="text-align:center;" | DNEG Animation
Ritzy Animation

Reception

=Box office=

class="wikitable"
Film ! Budget ! USA box office gross ! Worldwide box office gross
Ron's Gone Wrong	{{TBA}}	$23 million	$60.7 million
That Christmas	{{TBA}}	{{N/A}}	{{N/A}}

class="wikitable"

Film

! Budget

! USA box office gross

! Worldwide box office gross

Ron's Gone Wrong

$23 million

$60.7 million

That Christmas

=Critical and public response=

{{hatnote|Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article.}}

class="wikitable"
Film ! Rotten Tomatoes ! Metacritic ! CinemaScore
Ron's Gone Wrong	82% (103 reviews){{cite Rotten Tomatoes \|id=rons_gone_wrong \|type=movie \|title=Ron's Gone Wrong \|access-date=May 10, 2024 }}	65 (23 reviews){{cite web \|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/rons-gone-wrong \|title=Ron's Gone Wrong Reviews \|website=Metacritic \|access-date=March 29, 2022 }}	A{{cite web \|date=October 27, 2021\|last1=El-Mahmoud \|first1=Sarah \|title=Could Ron's Gone Wrong Get A Sequel? Here's What The Filmmakers Say \|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/could-rons-gone-wrong-get-a-sequel-heres-what-the-filmmakers-say \|website=Cinemablend }}
That Christmas	66% (41 reviews){{Cite web \|title=That Christmas \|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/that_christmas \|access-date=December 4, 2024 \|website=Rotten Tomatoes}}	60 (13 reviews){{cite web\|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/that-christmas/\|title=That Christmas\|website=Metacritic\|access-date=December 4, 2024}}	{{N/A}}

class="wikitable"

Film

! Rotten Tomatoes

! Metacritic

! CinemaScore

Ron's Gone Wrong

82% (103 reviews){{cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=rons_gone_wrong |type=movie |title=Ron's Gone Wrong |access-date=May 10, 2024 }}

65 (23 reviews){{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/rons-gone-wrong |title=Ron's Gone Wrong Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=March 29, 2022 }}

A{{cite web |date=October 27, 2021|last1=El-Mahmoud |first1=Sarah |title=Could Ron's Gone Wrong Get A Sequel? Here's What The Filmmakers Say |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/interviews/could-rons-gone-wrong-get-a-sequel-heres-what-the-filmmakers-say |website=Cinemablend }}

That Christmas

66% (41 reviews){{Cite web |title=That Christmas |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/that_christmas |access-date=December 4, 2024 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}

60 (13 reviews){{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/that-christmas/|title=That Christmas|website=Metacritic|access-date=December 4, 2024}}

=Accolades=

==[[Annie Awards]]==

class="wikitable sortable"
Year	Film	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
rowspan="2"\|2021 \| rowspan="2"\|Ron's Gone Wrong \| Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in a Feature Production \| Julien Bizat \| rowspan="8" {{nom}}
Outstanding Achievement for Production Design in an Animated Feature Production \| Aurélien Predal, Till Nowak and Nathan Crowley
rowspan="6"\| 2025{{Cite web \|last=Giardina \|first=Carolyn \|date=2024-12-20 \|title=The Wild Robot Leads 2025 Annie Awards Nominations With 10 Nods \|url=https://variety.com/2024/artisans/awards/annie-awards-2025-nominations-wild-robot-1236255475/ \|access-date=2025-01-20 \|website=Variety}} \| rowspan="6"\| That Christmas \| Best Animated Feature \| That Christmas
Outstanding Achievement for Character Design in an Animated Feature \| Uwe Heidschötter
Outstanding Achievement for Directing in an Animated Feature \| Simon Otto
Outstanding Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature \| John Powell, Ed Sheeran and Johnny McDaid
Outstanding Achievement for Production Design on an Animated Feature \| Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn and Mike Redman
Outstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Feature \| Lorenzo Fresta, Ashley Boddy and Helen Schroeder

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

Film

==British Animation Awards==

Year	Film	Category	Recipient(s)	Result
class="wikitable sortable"
rowspan="3"\|2022 \| rowspan="3"\|Ron's Gone Wrong \| Best Long Form \| rowspan=2 \| Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine and Octavio E. Rodriguez \| rowspan="2"{{won}}
Best Design
Writers Award \| Sarah Smith and Peter Baynham \| {{nominated}}

References

External links

{{Official website|https://www.locksmithanimation.com/}}

Category:2014 establishments in England

Category:British companies established in 2014

Category:British animation studios

Category:Film production companies of the United Kingdom

Category:Mass media companies established in 2014

Category:Companies based in the London Borough of Camden