Rich Moore

{{short description|American film director}}

{{About|the animation director|the football player|Rich Moore (American football)|other people with similar names|Richard Moore (disambiguation)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Rich Moore

| image = Rich Moore.jpg

| caption = Moore in 2012

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|28|1991|8|30}}

| birth_place =

| nationality = American

| alma_mater = California Institute of the Arts

| occupation = {{hlist|Animation director|screenwriter|voice actor}}

| years_active = 1986–present

| employer = Klasky Csupo (1989–1992)
Film Roman (1992–1995)
Rough Draft Studios (1995–2008)
Walt Disney Animation Studios (2008–2019)
Sony Pictures Animation (2019–2022)
Skydance Animation (2022–present)

| notable_works = The Simpsons
The Critic
Futurama
Wreck-It Ralph
Zootopia
Ralph Breaks the Internet

}}

Rich Moore (born {{birth based on age as of date|28|1991|8|30|noage=yes}}){{cite news |last=Schmitz |first=Sheila |date=1991-08-30 |title=Outtakes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/934306376/ |work=Ventura County Star |quote=...Rich Moore, 28...was up for directing honors for the 'Homer Versus Lisa and the Eighth Commandment' episode of 'The Simpsons'... |page=GP5 |access-date=2025-04-30}} is an American film and television animation director, screenwriter and voice actor. He is best known for serving as a director on primetime animated television series such as The Simpsons, The Critic and Futurama as well as directing the films Wreck-It Ralph (2012), Zootopia (2016) and Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) for Walt Disney Animation Studios. He is a two-time Emmy Award winner, a three-time Annie Award winner and an Academy Award winner.

Early life

Moore grew up in Oxnard, California.{{cite magazine|first=John |last=Gaudiosi|url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wreck-ralph-director-rich-moore-384730|title='Wreck-It Ralph' Director Rich Moore Has Plenty of Game, Literally|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|date=October 31, 2012| archive-date=November 30, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181130202049/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wreck-ralph-director-rich-moore-384730|url-status=live}} He studied film and video at the California Institute of the Arts, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1987.{{cite press release|url=http://blog.calarts.edu/2012/11/29/director-rich-moore-on-wreck-it-ralph-sensibility-its-a-calarts-thing/ |title=Wreck-It Ralph Director Rich Moore on his Film Sensibility: 'It's a CalArts Thing'|publisher= California Institute of the Arts|date=November 29, 2012|archive-date=December 4, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121204064814/http://blog.calarts.edu/2012/11/29/director-rich-moore-on-wreck-it-ralph-sensibility-its-a-calarts-thing/|url-status=live}} While there, he narrated Jim Reardon's 1986 student film Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown. Included in his CalArts class were famous filmmakers such as Andrew Stanton, Brenda Chapman, and Jim Reardon.

Career

=Television=

After graduating from CalArts, Moore worked for Ralph Bakshi on CBS's Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures, co-writing all 13 season 1 episodes in 1987.{{cite web|url=http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2013/2/18/interview-rich-moore-on-his-long-journey-with-wreck-it-ralph.html|title=Interview: Rich Moore on His Long Journey With 'Wreck-It Ralph'|publisher=The Film Experience|date =February 18, 2013|first=Nathaniel|last=Rogers}}{{cite web|first=Chris|last= Morris|url=http://nightflight.com/saturday-morning-revolution-when-ralph-bakshi-met-mighty-mouse/ |title=Saturday-Morning Revolution: When Ralph Bakshi Met Mighty Mouse|work=Night Flight|date= September 30, 2015|archive-date=November 2, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191102160929/http://nightflight.com/saturday-morning-revolution-when-ralph-bakshi-met-mighty-mouse/|url-status=live}} Moore was one of the original three directors of The Simpsons, directing 17 episodes in the first 5 seasons from 1990 to 1993,{{cite magazine|first=Jim| last= MacQuarrie|url=https://www.wired.com/2012/10/interview-with-rich-moore-and-clark-spencer-the-director-and-producer-of-wreck-it-ralph/ |title=Interview With Rich Moore and Clark Spencer, the Director and Producer of Wreck-It Ralph|magazine=Wired|date=October 29, 2012|archive-date=November 22, 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181122133253/https://www.wired.com/2012/10/interview-with-rich-moore-and-clark-spencer-the-director-and-producer-of-wreck-it-ralph/|url-status=live}} including the episodes: "Flaming Moe's", "Itchy and Scratchy: The Movie", and "Marge vs. the Monorail".{{cite web|first=Luke |last=Goodsell|url=http://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/interview-director-rich-moore-on-wreckit-ralph/ |title=Interview: Director Rich Moore on Wreck-It Ralph|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|date= December 21, 2012|archive-date=April 24, 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190424201555/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/interview-director-rich-moore-on-wreckit-ralph/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|first=Germain |last=Lussier|url=http://www.slashfilm.com/film-interview-rich-moore-director-of-wreck-it-ralph-talks-sequels-cameos-and-a-game-deleted-from-the-film/ |title=Film Interview: Rich Moore, Director of 'Wreck-It Ralph,' Talks Sequels, Cameos, and a Game Deleted From the Film|publisher= /Film|date= September 12, 2012|archive-date= November 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122143158/https://www.slashfilm.com/film-interview-rich-moore-director-of-wreck-it-ralph-talks-sequels-cameos-and-a-game-deleted-from-the-film/|url-status=live}} He won a 1991 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program for The Simpsons: Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment,{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-26-ca-995-story.html |title=Emmy Awards: The Other Winners|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date= August 26, 1991|archive-date=May 13, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200513214335/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-08-26-ca-995-story.html|url-status=live}} and later return as one of the sequence directors on The Simpsons Movie in 2007.{{cite web|first=Alex|last= Vo|url=http://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/comiccon-premieres-new-futurama-footage-plus-we-interview-futuramas-rich-moore/ |title=Comic-Con Premieres New Futurama Footage; Plus, We Interview Futurama's Rich Moore|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes|date= July 30, 2007|archive-date=December 4, 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171204211317/https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/comiccon-premieres-new-futurama-footage-plus-we-interview-futuramas-rich-moore/}}

In 1994, Moore became a producer and supervising director for the animated series The Critic. He then oversaw the creative development and production of Futurama as the show's supervising director. He also directed several episodes of the animated series from 1999 to 2001, including the classic "Roswell That Ends Well", for which he won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program.{{cite web|url=http://www.emmys.com/shows/futurama |title=Futurama| publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences|access-date= March 27, 2016|archive-date= April 28, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200428045424/https://www.emmys.com/shows/futurama|url-status=live}}

Moore's other television animation directing credits include Comedy Central's Drawn Together and "Spy vs. Spy" for Mad TV. He served as supervising director on the 2009 animated Fox television series Sit Down, Shut Up.Brian Lowry, [https://variety.com/2009/scene/markets-festivals/sit-down-shut-up-1200474546/ "Review: 'Sit Down, Shut Up',"] Variety, April 15, 2009.

=Film=

In 2004, Moore directed the Warner Bros. Animation animated short film Duck Dodgers in Attack of the Drones. In 2008, he was invited by John Lasseter to join Walt Disney Animation Studios as a director, with the suggestion that he develop a story set in the world of video games.Rich Moore, [http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/28/game-theory-the-passion-behind-wreck-it-ralph/?_r=0 "Game Theory: The Passion Behind 'Wreck-It Ralph',"] New York Times, December 28, 2012. This would become the 2012 animated feature Wreck-It Ralph, Moore's feature directing debut, and a box office and critical success. Moore also supplied the voices for the film's characters Sour Bill and Zangief.Andy Wilson, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-wilson/wreck-it-ralph-film_b_2811380.html "Rich Moore: From The Simpsons to Wreck-It Ralph,"] Huffington Post, May 5, 2013. Wreck-It Ralph won five Annie Awards, including Best Animated Feature and a Best Director award for Moore,Carolyn Giardina, [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/wreck-ralph-wins-five-annie-417627 "'Wreck-It Ralph' Wins Five Annie Awards Including Best Animated Feature,"] The Hollywood Reporter, February 2, 2013. and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.Brian Truitt, [https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/02/21/rich-moore-wreck-it-ralph-animated-movie/1936477/ "Disney inspiration is huge for 'Ralph' director,"] USA Today, February 22, 2013.

Moore's next animated feature film was Disney's Zootopia, which he directed alongside Byron Howard and co-director Jared Bush. The film, released on March 4, 2016, became the second highest-grossing animated feature film of 2016 with a worldwide box office gross of over $1.023 billion.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=disney2016.htm |title=Zootopia (2016) |website=Box Office Mojo |publisher=IMDb |access-date=October 3, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528042942/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=disney2016.htm |archive-date=May 28, 2017 }} The film also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.{{Cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/OSCARS/CEREMONIES/2017|title=The 89th Academy Awards | 2017|website=Oscars.org | Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|date=April 18, 2017 }}

After Zootopia, Moore returned to direct Ralph Breaks the Internet, the sequel to Wreck-It Ralph, with fellow filmmaker Phil Johnston.{{cite magazine|title=Wreck-It Ralph 2 officially announced at Disney|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/30/wreck-it-ralph-2-officially-announced|last=Snetiker|first=Marc|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=June 30, 2016|access-date=February 27, 2021}} The film was a financial success, outgrossing the original film with over $529.3 million worldwide.{{cite Box Office Mojo|title=Ralph Breaks the Internet|id=5848272|access-date=February 27, 2021|archive-date=January 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117221247/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt5848272/|url-status=live}} It was also nominated for multiple awards in the Best Animated Feature category, including the Academy Awards,{{cite web|url=https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2019|title=91st Academy Awards Nominees|date=April 15, 2019 |publisher=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220063046/https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2019|archive-date=December 20, 2019|access-date=February 27, 2021|url-status=live}} Annie Awards,{{cite news|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-annie-award-winners-complete-list-1178562|title=Annie Awards: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' Wins Best Animated Feature|last=Giardina|first=Carolyn|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=February 3, 2019|access-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203201757/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2019-annie-award-winners-complete-list-1178562|archive-date=February 3, 2019|url-status=live}} and Golden Globe Awards.{{Cite magazine|last=Snlerson|first=Dan|url=https://ew.com/golden-globes/2019/01/06/golden-globes-2019-winners-list/|title=Golden Globes 2019: See the full winners list|date=January 6, 2019|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=February 27, 2021|archive-date=January 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107110815/https://ew.com/golden-globes/2019/01/06/golden-globes-2019-winners-list/|url-status=live}}

On April 8, 2019, Moore revealed that he had left Disney to join Sony Pictures Animation, where he would direct and produce original animated films for the studio, and ultimately produced the film Vivo.{{cite news |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title='Zootopia' Director Rich Moore Leaves Disney for Sony Pictures Animation |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/rich-moore-sony-pictures-animation-1203183214/ |access-date=April 8, 2019 |work=Variety |date=April 8, 2019 |language=en}}

On March 16, 2022, Moore revealed that he has entered into an exclusive, multi-year overall deal with Skydance Animation.{{cite news|last=Grobat|first=Matt|title=Oscar Winner Rich Moore Strikes Overall Deal With Skydance Animation|url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/rich-moore-strikes-overall-deal-with-skydance-animation-1234980674/|access-date=March 19, 2022|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 16, 2022}} On October 18, 2023, it was revealed that Moore is directing an untitled Jack and the Beanstalk project at Skydance.{{cite web|title=Netflix Sets Skydance Animation In Multi-Year Deal, First Up Is Alan Menken Musical 'Spellbound;' Rachel Zegler, Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem Star|url=https://deadline.com/2023/10/netflix-pacts-skydance-animation-in-multi-year-deal-alan-menken-musical-spellbound-rachel-zegler-nicole-kidman-javier-bardem-star-1235577207/|website=Deadline Hollywood|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|date=October 18, 2023|access-date=October 18, 2023}}

Filmography

= Films =

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

!Director

!Story

!Producer

!Other

!Voice Role

! Notes

rowspan=2 | 2007

| The Simpsons Movie

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Sequence Director

Futurama: Bender's Big Score

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Partial|Animation
Executive}}

| {{No}}

|

| Direct-to-video

rowspan=3 | 2008

| Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Additional Story Artist

Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Partial|Animation
Executive}}

| {{No}}

|

| Direct-to-video

Futurama: Bender's Game

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Partial|Animation
Executive}}

| {{No}}

|

| Direct-to-video

2009

| Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Partial|Animation
Executive}}

| {{No}}

|

| Direct-to-video

2012

| Wreck-It Ralph

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Sour Bill and Zangief

|

2016

| Zootopia

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Doug and Larry

| Creative Leadership

2018

| Ralph Breaks the Internet

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Sour Bill, Zangief, and Stormtrooper

| Song Producer: "A Place Called Slaughter Race", Creative Leadership

2021

| Vivo

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

| Iguana

|

2024

| Spellbound

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| The Postmaster

| Additional Literary Materials

{{TBA}}

| Untitled Jack and the Beanstalk project

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

|

|

= Shorts =

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

!Director

!Story

!Other

! Role

! Notes

rowspan=3 | 1986

| Somewhere in the Arctic{{cite web|last1=Simon|first1=Ben|title=Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 2|url=http://animatedviews.com/2012/pixar-short-films-collection-volume-2/|publisher=Animated Views|access-date=February 26, 2017|date=December 27, 2012}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Dohk

|

Bring Me the Head of Charlie Brown

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Charlie Brown / Narration

| Aided and Abetted by

Snookles

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Dragon

| Special Thanks

rowspan=2 | 1988

| Christmas in Tattertown

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Character Color Designer

Technological Threat

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Character Animator, Designer

1989

| Hound Town

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Animation Director, Story Artist

1993

| Inland Empire (1993 film)|Inland Empire''

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Harper Brackman

|

2004

| Duck Dodgers in Attack of the Drones

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Daffy Duck

|

2009

| The Affliction

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| Production Assistant

2013

| Garlan Hulse: Where Potential Lives

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| Rich Moore

|

2024

| Dust Monster

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

|

| rowspan=2|Special Thanks

2025

| Flink's Pigeon Problems: A Magical Rescue{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n94l6_mvqGw|title=Netflix Jr: "NEW Spellbound Animated Short": "Flink's Pigeon Problems: A Magical Rescue"|website=YouTube|date=March 1, 2025|access-date=March 2, 2025}}

| {{No}}

| {{No}}

| {{Yes}}

| The Postmaster (uncredited)

= Other credits =

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Role

1987

| A Story

| Thanks

2003

| The Simpsons: Hit & Run

| Special Thanks

2008

| Bolt

| rowspan=4 | Disney Story Trust – uncredited {{cite web|first=Rich|last=Moore|title=Game Theory: The Passion Behind 'Wreck-It Ralph'|url=https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/28/game-theory-the-passion-behind-wreck-it-ralph/?_r=0|date=December 28, 2012|website=The New York Times|access-date=September 20, 2020}}

2009

| The Princess and the Frog

2010

| Tangled

rowspan=2 | 2011

| Winnie the Pooh

Gnomeo & Juliet

| Deepest Gratitude

rowspan=2 | 2013

| Get a Horse!

| Additional Thanks

Frozen

| Disney Story Trust – uncredited {{cite news|last1=Goldman|first1=Eric|title=How Disney's Story Trust Helped Change Big Hero 6, Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph and More|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2016/02/18/how-disneys-story-trust-helped-change-big-hero-6-frozen-wreck-it-ralph-and-more|work=IGN|date=February 18, 2016|access-date=February 2, 2021}}

rowspan=2 | 2014

| Feast

| Special Thanks

Big Hero 6

| Creative Leadership

rowspan=3 | 2016

| Finding Dory

| Special Thanks

Inner Workings

| Special Advisor

Moana

| rowspan=2 | Creative Leadership

2019

| Frozen II

Awards

;Feature Films

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Notes

2012

| Wreck-It Ralph

| Won Best Animated Feature at Annie Awards, Critics' Choice Movie Awards, National Board of Review Awards
Nominated for Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film

2016

| Zootopia

| Won Best Animated Feature at Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, Best Animated Feature at Annie Awards, Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film

2018

| Ralph Breaks the Internet

| Nominated for Best Animated Feature at Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film, Best Animated Feature at Annie Awards, Academy Award for Best Animated Feature

;Emmy Awards

;Annie Awards

  • 2002 – Directing in an Animated Television Production for Futurama ("Roswell That Ends Well"){{cite web |url=http://www.annieawards.com/30thannieawardwinners.htm |title=30th Annual Annie Award Nominees and Winners |publisher=International Animated Film Society |year=2002 |access-date=June 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702195208/http://www.annieawards.com/30thannieawardwinners.htm |archive-date=July 2, 2007 }}
  • 2012 – Directing in an Animated Feature Production for Wreck-It Ralph
  • 2016 – Directing in an Animated Feature Production for Zootopia (Shared with Byron Howard){{cite news|last1=Flores|first1=Terry|title='Zootopia' Tops Annie Awards Nominations, 'Kubo and the Two Strings' in Close Second|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/news/annie-awards-nominations-2017-zootopia-kubo-and-the-two-strings-1201927492/|access-date=November 28, 2016|work=Variety|date=November 28, 2016}}

;Academy Awards

Television directing credits

= ''The Simpsons'' =

= ''The Critic'' =

  • "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1, January 26, 1994)
  • "Lady Hawke" (season 2, episode 3, March 19, 1995)
  • "I Can't Believe It's a Clip Show" (season 2, episode 10, May 21, 1995)

= ''Futurama'' =

= ''Baby Blues'' =

  • "Bizzy Moves In" (season 1, episode 2, July 28, 2000)

= ''Drawn Together'' =

References

{{Reflist}}