Dreamworks Animation: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{creator}}
{{quote box|[[File:DreamWorks_Animation_SKG_logo.jpg|frame]]}}
[[File:DreamWorks_Animation_SKG_logo.jpg|frame]]


The animation company that was orginally a subsidiary of [[Dream Works]], created by Jeff Katzenberg's portion of the company (the "K" in "SKG") merging with animation studio and partner PDI. The company currently owns the rights to the [[Dream Works]] trademarks, used under license by Paramount and Steven Spielberg's new Indian-backed [[Dream Works]] operation. After Spielberg's previous animation studio [[Amblimation]] shut it's doors, most of its animators moved to [[Dream Works]] too.
The animation company that was orginally a subsidiary of [[DreamWorks]], created by Jeff Katzenberg's portion of the company (the "K" in "SKG") merging with animation studio and partner PDI. The company currently owns the rights to the [[DreamWorks]] trademarks, used under license by Paramount and Steven Spielberg's new Indian-backed [[DreamWorks]] operation. After Spielberg's previous animation studio [[Amblimation]] shut it's doors, most of its animators moved to [[DreamWorks]] too.


Katzenberg came roaring out of the gate with his new animation studio with the film, ''[[The Prince of Egypt]]'', an animated Biblical epic meant to compete directly with Disney. Oddly, what was meant to be Dreamworks's signature animated film looks like it was made by a completely different studio entirely [[Genre Shift|to people who are only familiar with the more recent Dreamworks animated films]]. (A fine article about the environment in which ''Prince'' was made can be read [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,290103,00.html here.]). Unfortunately, the lavishly budgeted, but artistically timid film (with all the religious communities it strove to appease) proved a bitter disappointment.
Katzenberg came roaring out of the gate with his new animation studio with the film, ''[[The Prince of Egypt]]'', an animated Biblical epic meant to compete directly with Disney. Oddly, what was meant to be Dreamworks's signature animated film looks like it was made by a completely different studio entirely [[Genre Shift|to people who are only familiar with the more recent Dreamworks animated films]]. (A fine article about the environment in which ''Prince'' was made can be read [https://web.archive.org/web/20090425104231/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,290103,00.html here.]). Unfortunately, the lavishly budgeted, but artistically timid film (with all the religious communities it strove to appease) proved a bitter disappointment.


While this success influenced DA's tendency to be derivative, the company soon found a more creative success in partnership with [[Aardman Animations]] with [[Nick Park]] creating hailed cinema like ''[[Chicken Run (Animation)|Chicken Run]]'' and ''[[Wallace and Gromit]] Curse Of The Were-Rabbit''. Meanwhile, while DA's in-house cel animation films like ''[[Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron]]'' and ''[[Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas]]'' proved a hopeless box office cause, in part because of the typcial North American [[All Animation Is Disney]] prejudice,
While this success influenced DA's tendency to be derivative, the company soon found a more creative success in partnership with [[Aardman Animations]] with [[Nick Park]] creating hailed cinema like ''[[Chicken Run]]'' and ''[[Wallace and Gromit]] Curse Of The Were-Rabbit''. Meanwhile, while DA's in-house cel animation films like ''[[Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron]]'' and ''[[Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas]]'' proved a hopeless box office cause, in part because of the typcial North American [[All Animation Is Disney]] prejudice,


[[Computer Animation]] was another story entirely. While the blatant [[Follow the Leader]] variant of Pixar's ''[[A Bugs Life (Animation)|A Bugs Life]]'', ''[[Antz (Animation)|Antz]]'', proved a surprisingly big hit in 1998, DA really came alive on its own with the smash success of ''[[Shrek (Animation)|Shrek]]'' in 2001. Using DA's penchant for [[Stunt Casting|rampant celebrity casting]] and for modeling the characters from their movies [[Ink Suit Actor|after the actors voicing them]] to the max, this film finally put DA on the map as a real competitor in the feature film market, permanently opening the door [[Disney]] largely held shut for decades.
[[Computer Animation]] was another story entirely. While the blatant [[Follow the Leader]] variant of Pixar's ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'', ''[[Antz]]'', proved a surprisingly big hit in 1998, DA really came alive on its own with the smash success of ''[[Shrek]]'' in 2001. Using DA's penchant for [[Stunt Casting|rampant celebrity casting]] and for modeling the characters from their movies [[Ink Suit Actor|after the actors voicing them]] to the max, this film finally put DA on the map as a real competitor in the feature film market, permanently opening the door [[Disney]] largely held shut for decades.


Post-''Shrek'', they became known for sticking various pop culture references and crude bathroom humor into their films as well with films like ''[[Shark Tale]]'' and ''[[Madagascar (Animation)|Madagascar]]'', hitting its [[Darkest Hour|nadir]] in 2007 with ''[[Shrek (Animation)|Shrek]] the Third'' and ''[[Bee Movie (Animation)|Bee Movie]]'' all disappointing at least critically and Aardman breaking away from DA. Beginning in 2008 however, the studio [[Growing the Beard|grew its beard]] with a new crop of films arising with an greater focus on story, characters, and quality. So far, this new direction has been paying off handsomely in the box office worldwide.
Post-''Shrek'', they became known for sticking various pop culture references and crude bathroom humor into their films as well with films like ''[[Shark Tale]]'' and ''[[Madagascar]]'', hitting its [[Darkest Hour|nadir]] in 2007 with ''[[Shrek]] the Third'' and ''[[Bee Movie]]'' all disappointing at least critically and Aardman breaking away from DA. Beginning in 2008 however, the studio [[Growing the Beard|grew its beard]] with a new crop of films arising with an greater focus on story, characters, and quality. So far, this new direction has been paying off handsomely in the box office worldwide.


Originally rivals with [[Disney Animated Canon|Disney]]; currently rivals with [[Pixar]]. Disney alum Jeffrey Katzenberg has, of now, produced more films in his animation studio alone than [[Walt Disney]] did when he was alive! While the quality of the films have been more inconsistent than Disney, the best of the bunch manage to reach for Disney and Pixar quality (with ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' sharing a director team with ''[[Lilo and Stitch]]''). In fact, in 2011, DWA ''exceeded'' them in critical reception with ''[[Kung Fu Panda 2 (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda 2]]'' (RT 81%) and ''[[Puss in Boots (Animation)|Puss in Boots]]'' (RT 82%) considered far and away superior films to Pixar's ''[[Cars (Animation)|Cars]] 2'' (RT 38%) and both were nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar while the Pixar film was shut out. Furthermore, ''KFP 2'' outgrossed ''Cars 2'' as well in the box office worldwide. In short, a Katzenberg dream come true that year.
Originally rivals with [[Disney Animated Canon|Disney]]; currently rivals with [[Pixar]]. Disney alum Jeffrey Katzenberg has, of now, produced more films in his animation studio alone than [[Walt Disney]] did when he was alive! While the quality of the films have been more inconsistent than Disney, the best of the bunch manage to reach for Disney and Pixar quality (with ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' sharing a director team with ''[[Lilo and Stitch]]''). In fact, in 2011, DWA ''exceeded'' them in critical reception with ''[[Kung Fu Panda 2]]'' (RT 81%) and ''[[Puss in Boots (animation)|Puss in Boots]]'' (RT 82%) considered far and away superior films to Pixar's ''[[Cars]] 2'' (RT 38%) and both were nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar while the Pixar film was shut out. Furthermore, ''KFP 2'' outgrossed ''Cars 2'' as well in the box office worldwide. In short, a Katzenberg dream come true that year.


However, the lower-than-expected box office performances and lowering company value in the recent years has influenced Katzenberg to back off on his previous announcement about a slew of sequels in the next decade, and may make him have second guesses about his goal of establishing another Disney Company. As it is, the company's current distribution contract with Paramount is not going to be renewed as that company's getting back into animation itself after the success of ''[[Rango]]'' while DWA will be looking for a new home while also considering the option of distributing its films itself.
However, the lower-than-expected box office performances and lowering company value in the recent years has influenced Katzenberg to back off on his previous announcement about a slew of sequels in the next decade, and may make him have second guesses about his goal of establishing another Disney Company. As it is, the company's current distribution contract with Paramount is not going to be renewed as that company's getting back into animation itself after the success of ''[[Rango]]'' while DWA will be looking for a new home while also considering the option of distributing its films itself.
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=== Dreamworks' filmography ===
=== Dreamworks' filmography ===


* [[The Simpsons (Animation)|The Simpsons]] episode "Treehouse of Horror VI" (1996; Technically animated by PDI prior to partnership with the company, but still a noteworthy mention)
* [[The Simpsons (animation)|The Simpsons]] episode "Treehouse of Horror VI" (1996; Technically animated by PDI prior to partnership with the company, but still a noteworthy mention)
* [[Antz (Animation)|Antz]] (1998)
* [[Antz]] (1998)
* [[The Prince of Egypt]] (1998)
* [[The Prince of Egypt]] (1998)
* [[The Road to El Dorado (Animation)|The Road to El Dorado]] (2000)
* [[The Road to El Dorado]] (2000)
* [[Chicken Run (Animation)|Chicken Run]] (with Aardman Animation; 2000)
* [[Chicken Run]] (with Aardman Animation; 2000)
* [[Joseph King of Dreams]] (2000)
* [[Joseph: King of Dreams]] (2000)
* [[Shrek (Animation)|Shrek]] (2001)
* [[Shrek]] (2001)
* [[Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron]] (2002)
* [[Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron]] (2002)
* [[Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas]] (2003)
* [[Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas]] (2003)
* Shrek 2 (2004)
* Shrek 2 (2004)
* [[Shark Tale]] (2004)
* [[Shark Tale]] (2004)
* [[Madagascar (Animation)|Madagascar]] (2005)
* [[Madagascar]] (2005)
* [[Wallace and Gromit]] in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (with Aardman Animation; 2005)
* [[Wallace and Gromit]] in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (with Aardman Animation; 2005)
* [[Over the Hedge (Animation)|Over the Hedge]] (2006)
* [[Over the Hedge (animation)|Over the Hedge]] (2006)
* [[Flushed Away (Animation)|Flushed Away]] (with Aardman Animation; 2006)
* [[Flushed Away]] (with Aardman Animation; 2006)
* Shrek the Third (2007)
* Shrek the Third (2007)
* [[Bee Movie (Animation)|Bee Movie]] (2007)
* [[Bee Movie]] (2007)
* [[Kung Fu Panda (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda]] (2008)
* [[Kung Fu Panda]] (2008)
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
* Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
* [[Monsters vs. Aliens]] (2009)
* [[Monsters vs. Aliens]] (2009)
* [[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]] (2010)
* [[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]] (2010)
* Shrek Forever After (2010)
* Shrek Forever After (2010)
* [[Megamind (Animation)|Megamind]] (2010)
* [[Megamind]] (2010)
* [[Kung Fu Panda 2 (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda 2]] (2011)
* [[Kung Fu Panda 2]] (2011)
* [[Puss in Boots (Animation)|Puss in Boots]] (2011)
* [[Puss in Boots (animation)|Puss in Boots]] (2011)
* Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
* Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
* Rise of the Guardians (2012)
* Rise of the Guardians (2012)
* The Croods (2013)
* The Croods (2013)
* Turbo (2013)
* [[Mr. Peabody and Sherman]] (2014)
* How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
* [[Penguins of Madagascar]] (2014)
* Home (2015)
* Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
* Trolls (2016)
* [[The Boss Baby]] (2017)
* Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (2017)
* How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
* Abominable (2019)
* Trolls World Tour (2020)
* The Croods: A New Age (2020)
* Spirit Untamed (2021)
* The Boss Baby: Family Business (2021)
* The Bad Guys (2022)
* Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
* Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)
* Orion and the Dark (2024)
* Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)


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=== Live Action work (Through PDI; either prior or after merging): ===
=== Live Action work (Through PDI; either prior or after merging): ===


* ''[[AI Artificial Intelligence (Film)|AI Artificial Intelligence]]''
* ''[[A.I.: Artificial Intelligence|AI Artificial Intelligence]]''
* ''[[Angels in The Outfield]]''
* ''[[Angels in the Outfield]]''
* ''The Arrival''
* ''The Arrival''
* ''[[Batman Returns (Film)|Batman Returns]]''
* ''[[Batman Returns]]''
** ''[[Batman Forever (Film)|Batman Forever]]''
** ''[[Batman Forever]]''
** ''[[Batman and Robin (Film)|Batman and Robin]]''
** ''[[Batman and Robin (film)|Batman and Robin]]''
* ''[[Broken Arrow]]''
* ''[[Broken Arrow]]''
* ''[[Carlitos Way (Film)|Carlitos Way]]''
* ''[[Carlitos Way]]''
* ''[[Cliffhanger (Film)|Cliffhanger]]''
* ''[[Cliffhanger]]''
* ''[[Double Dragon (Film)|Double Dragon]]''
* ''[[Double Dragon (film)|Double Dragon]]''
* ''[[Eraser (Film)|Eraser]]''
* ''[[Eraser]]''
* ''[[Evolution (Film)|Evolution]]''
* ''[[Evolution (film)|Evolution]]''
* ''[[Executive Decision]]''
* ''[[Executive Decision]]''
* ''[[Freddys Dead the Final Nightmare]]'' (Dream Demon Animation)
* ''[[Freddys Dead the Final Nightmare]]'' (Dream Demon Animation)
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* ''[[Minority Report]]''
* ''[[Minority Report]]''
* ''[[The River Wild]]''
* ''[[The River Wild]]''
* ''[[Robo Cop|RoboCop 3]]''
* ''[[RoboCop|RoboCop 3]]''
* ''[[Rookie of the Year]]''
* ''[[Rookie of the Year]]''
* ''[[Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country (Film)|Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country]]''
* ''[[Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country|Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country]]''
* ''[[Supernova]]''
* ''[[Supernova]]''
* ''[[The Terminator|Terminator 2: Judgement Day]]''
* ''[[The Terminator|Terminator 2: Judgement Day]]''
* ''[[True Lies (Film)|True Lies]]''
* ''[[True Lies]]''
* ''[[Toys (Film)|Toys]]''
* ''[[Toys (film)|Toys]]''




{{creatortropes}}
=== Tropes for Dreamworks Animation: ===

* [[All Animation Is Disney]]: All non-[[Pixar]] CGI is credited to these guys under this trope.
* [[All Animation Is Disney]]: All non-[[Pixar]] CGI is credited to these guys under this trope.
** And sometimes Dreamworks CGI animation is even falsely credited to Pixar, or Dreamworks' traditional animation is mistaken for Disney.
** And sometimes Dreamworks CGI animation is even falsely credited to Pixar, or Dreamworks' traditional animation is mistaken for Disney.
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* [[Balloonacy]]: How that kid in the logo gets to the moon.
* [[Balloonacy]]: How that kid in the logo gets to the moon.
* [[Be Yourself]]: Often very important in pushing the main characters before the climax.
* [[Be Yourself]]: Often very important in pushing the main characters before the climax.
* [[Cash Cow Franchise]]: Being an independent company specializing in animation and hounded by unpleaseable stockholders, DWA has to develop every successful property into one. For instance the ''Shrek'' series has made over $2 Billion from the four movies alone (and that's not counting merchandising), while ''[[Kung Fu Panda (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda]]'', ''[[Madagascar (Animation)|Madagascar]]'', and ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' are becoming the company's new bedrock ones.
* [[Cash Cow Franchise]]: Being an independent company specializing in animation and hounded by unpleaseable stockholders, DWA has to develop every successful property into one. For instance the ''Shrek'' series has made over $2 Billion from the four movies alone (and that's not counting merchandising), while ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'', ''[[Madagascar]]'', and ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' are becoming the company's new bedrock ones.
* [[Celebrity Voice Actor]]: One of the most [[Egregious]] perpetrator of this trope. Every last one of their movies has an [[All Star Cast]] (save for ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'').
* [[Celebrity Voice Actor]]: One of the most [[Egregious]] perpetrator of this trope. Every last one of their movies has an [[All-Star Cast]] (save for ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'').
** And even ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' has Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson...
** And even ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' has Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson...
* [[Dance Party Ending]]: Popularized it in animated films.
* [[Dance Party Ending]]: Popularized it in animated films.
* [[Disneyesque]]: All their hand-drawn animated films.
* [[Disneyesque]]: All their hand-drawn animated films.
* [[Dreamworks Face]]: [[Trope Namer]] and [[Trope Codifier|Codifier]].
* [[Dreamworks Face]]: [[Trope Namer]] and [[Trope Codifier|Codifier]].
* [[Dueling Movies]]/[[Follow the Leader]]: Earlier on in their history, before they decided to go in a "light fantasy" direction to counter Pixar's more "epic" films, they were notorious for copying the template of whatever Pixar film was being developed at the same time. Examples include ''[[Antz (Animation)|Antz]]'' vs. ''[[A Bugs Life (Animation)|A Bugs Life]]'' and ''[[Shark Tale]]'' vs. ''[[Finding Nemo]]''.
* [[Dueling Movies]]/[[Follow the Leader]]: Earlier on in their history, before they decided to go in a "light fantasy" direction to counter Pixar's more "epic" films, they were notorious for copying the template of whatever Pixar film was being developed at the same time. Examples include ''[[Antz]]'' vs. ''[[A Bug's Life|A Bugs Life]]'' and ''[[Shark Tale]]'' vs. ''[[Finding Nemo]]''.
* [[Genre Shift]]: While of course not uncommon for a film studio, it's just a bit jarring to go from serious adaptations of [[The Prince of Egypt|biblical]] [[Joseph King of Dreams|text]] to parody comedies just within the first three years. And it's also having ''another'' [[Genre Shift]] in combining "heavy" and "light" elements more effectively with ''[[Kung Fu Panda (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda]]'' and ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'', creating the company's next foundation franchises to replace the ''Shrek'' series.
* [[Genre Shift]]: While of course not uncommon for a film studio, it's just a bit jarring to go from serious adaptations of [[The Prince of Egypt|biblical]] [[Joseph: King of Dreams|text]] to parody comedies just within the first three years. And it's also having ''another'' [[Genre Shift]] in combining "heavy" and "light" elements more effectively with ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'' and ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'', creating the company's next foundation franchises to replace the ''Shrek'' series.
* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]
* [[Getting Crap Past the Radar]]
⚫
* [[Hans Zimmer]]: Produces the soundtracks for all their movies.
* [[Ink Suit Actor]]: Among the most notorious examples.
* [[Ink Suit Actor]]: Among the most notorious examples.
* [[Medium Blending]]: With [[Rough Draft Studios]] on The Simpsons.
* [[Medium Blending]]: With [[Rough Draft Studios]] on The Simpsons.
* [[Parental Bonus]]: Where to start?
* [[Parental Bonus]]: Where to start?
⚫
* [[Production Posse]]: [[Hans Zimmer]] produces the soundtracks for all their movies.
* [[Stunt Casting]]: A side effect of having more celebrity actors than important characters.
* [[Stunt Casting]]: A side effect of having more celebrity actors than important characters.
* [[Trailers Always Lie]]: This seems to be their modus operandi since ''[[Kung Fu Panda (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda]]''. The movies tend to have more substance compared to the trailers.
* [[Trailers Always Lie]]: This seems to be their modus operandi since ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]''. The movies tend to have more substance compared to the trailers.
* [[Trailers Always Spoil]]: An [[Egregious]] case as it looks like DWA won't stop having big spoilers in their movies like the trailers for [[Megamind (Film)|Megamind]].
* [[Trailers Always Spoil]]: An [[Egregious]] case as it looks like DWA won't stop having big spoilers in their movies like the trailers for [[Megamind]].
* [[Troperrific]]: It's no secret that the folks up at the studio are very [[Genre Savvy]], and they seem to have gotten a better hang around using well-ingrained story tropes- star examples include ''Shrek'' (a [[Take That]] to Disney as well as an [[Affectionate Parody]] of fairy tales), ''[[Kung Fu Panda (Animation)|Kung Fu Panda]]'' (a send-up of the [[Unlikely Hero]] and [[Wuxia]]), ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (Animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' (fantasy [[Coming of Age Story]] with [[Instant Awesome Just Add Dragons|dragons]]), and ''[[Megamind (Film)|Megamind]]'' (an [[Affectionate Parody]] of ''[[Superman]]'' and the superhero genre as a whole).
* [[Troperrific]]: It's no secret that the folks up at the studio are very [[Genre Savvy]], and they seem to have gotten a better hang around using well-ingrained story tropes- star examples include ''Shrek'' (a [[Take That]] to Disney as well as an [[Affectionate Parody]] of fairy tales), ''[[Kung Fu Panda]]'' (a send-up of the [[Unlikely Hero]] and [[Wuxia]]), ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (animation)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' (fantasy [[Coming of Age Story]] with [[Instant Awesome, Just Add Dragons|dragons]]), and ''[[Megamind]]'' (an [[Affectionate Parody]] of ''[[Superman]]'' and the superhero genre as a whole).
* [[What Could Have Been]]: They nearly got [[John Kricfalusi]] to direct for them, but after meeting the executives, he backed out.
* [[What Could Have Been]]: They nearly got [[John Kricfalusi]] to direct for them, but after meeting the executives, he backed out.
** There are dozens of whole films that were never made. These include Punk Farm, Boo U, and Truckers.
** There are dozens of whole films that were never made. These include Punk Farm, Boo U, and Truckers.
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[[Category:index]]
[[Category:index]]
[[Category:Dreamworks Animation]]
[[Category:Dreamworks Animation]]
[[Category:Trope]]
[[Category:Production Companies]]
[[Category:The Millennium Age of Animation]]

Latest revision as of 19:47, 11 March 2024

/wiki/Dreamworks Animationcreator

The animation company that was orginally a subsidiary of DreamWorks, created by Jeff Katzenberg's portion of the company (the "K" in "SKG") merging with animation studio and partner PDI. The company currently owns the rights to the DreamWorks trademarks, used under license by Paramount and Steven Spielberg's new Indian-backed DreamWorks operation. After Spielberg's previous animation studio Amblimation shut it's doors, most of its animators moved to DreamWorks too.

Katzenberg came roaring out of the gate with his new animation studio with the film, The Prince of Egypt, an animated Biblical epic meant to compete directly with Disney. Oddly, what was meant to be Dreamworks's signature animated film looks like it was made by a completely different studio entirely to people who are only familiar with the more recent Dreamworks animated films. (A fine article about the environment in which Prince was made can be read here.). Unfortunately, the lavishly budgeted, but artistically timid film (with all the religious communities it strove to appease) proved a bitter disappointment.

While this success influenced DA's tendency to be derivative, the company soon found a more creative success in partnership with Aardman Animations with Nick Park creating hailed cinema like Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit Curse Of The Were-Rabbit. Meanwhile, while DA's in-house cel animation films like Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas proved a hopeless box office cause, in part because of the typcial North American All Animation Is Disney prejudice,

Computer Animation was another story entirely. While the blatant Follow the Leader variant of Pixar's A Bugs Life, Antz, proved a surprisingly big hit in 1998, DA really came alive on its own with the smash success of Shrek in 2001. Using DA's penchant for rampant celebrity casting and for modeling the characters from their movies after the actors voicing them to the max, this film finally put DA on the map as a real competitor in the feature film market, permanently opening the door Disney largely held shut for decades.

Post-Shrek, they became known for sticking various pop culture references and crude bathroom humor into their films as well with films like Shark Tale and Madagascar, hitting its nadir in 2007 with Shrek the Third and Bee Movie all disappointing at least critically and Aardman breaking away from DA. Beginning in 2008 however, the studio grew its beard with a new crop of films arising with an greater focus on story, characters, and quality. So far, this new direction has been paying off handsomely in the box office worldwide.

Originally rivals with Disney; currently rivals with Pixar. Disney alum Jeffrey Katzenberg has, of now, produced more films in his animation studio alone than Walt Disney did when he was alive! While the quality of the films have been more inconsistent than Disney, the best of the bunch manage to reach for Disney and Pixar quality (with How to Train Your Dragon sharing a director team with Lilo and Stitch). In fact, in 2011, DWA exceeded them in critical reception with Kung Fu Panda 2 (RT 81%) and Puss in Boots (RT 82%) considered far and away superior films to Pixar's Cars 2 (RT 38%) and both were nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar while the Pixar film was shut out. Furthermore, KFP 2 outgrossed Cars 2 as well in the box office worldwide. In short, a Katzenberg dream come true that year.

However, the lower-than-expected box office performances and lowering company value in the recent years has influenced Katzenberg to back off on his previous announcement about a slew of sequels in the next decade, and may make him have second guesses about his goal of establishing another Disney Company. As it is, the company's current distribution contract with Paramount is not going to be renewed as that company's getting back into animation itself after the success of Rango while DWA will be looking for a new home while also considering the option of distributing its films itself.

Dreamworks' filmography

Live Action work (Through PDI; either prior or after merging):


Dreamworks Animation provides examples of the following tropes:
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Dreamworks_Animation?oldid=2048943"