Locksmith Animation

Locksmith Animation (also known as Locksmith) is an independent computer animation feature film studio owned by Sister Group and based in London, England and Los Angeles, California. Locksmith is best known for producing independent computer-animated feature films which are all made for kids and adults of all ages.

Locksmith Animation's first film, Ron's Gone Wrong, was released on October 22, 2021, distributed by 20th Century Studios (which had recently been acquired by Disney two years prior) with positive reviews. Its next films are: That Christmas, a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, to be released by Netflix on November 1, 2024; Bad Fairies, a subversive original musical-comedy film set in contemporary London, The Lunar Chronicles, an animated feature film adaptation project based on the author Marissa Meyer's four young adult science fiction fantasy novels by the same name.

History
Locksmith Animation was founded in 2014 by media executive businesswoman Elisabeth Murdoch and two Aardman Animations collaborators Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart. Locksmith was named after Julie Lockhart and Sarah Smith 's last names. In April 2014, visual effects studio Double Negative (now known as DNEG) formed a deal with Locksmith where it will provide the computer animation for Locksmith's films, this was before DNEG's animation division, DNEG Feature Animation (now known as DNEG Animation) was founded.

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.

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. The first film to be produced by Locksmith Animation was Ron's Gone Wrong which was released on October 22, 2021 by 20th Century Studios. 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, serving as the first live-action/animated hybrid film from Locksmith. In October 2019, while Disney took over 20th Century Animation, Locksmith formed a new multi-year production deal with Warner Bros., which will distribute future 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.

With the release of Ron's Gone Wrong in October 2021, Sister Pictures is Locksmith Animation's parent company that Elisabeth Murdoch works for.

In June 2021, it was announced that Natalie Fischer, the former COO of Illumination Entertainment, 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 The Empty Stocking (now entitled That Christmas), a holiday film based on filmmaker Richard Curtis' children's book series, and they are working on an original musical-comedy film. That Christmas was unveiled in June 2022 as part of Netflix's slate of animated films.

In January 2022, Locksmith had optioned to adapt Marissa Meyer's fantasy novel series The Lunar Chronicles.

In April 2023, Locksmith rebranded with a new logo, location and colours being orange and blue (sometimes white, maroon, or yellow).

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 animated features for worldwide distribution, which include Bad Fairies and The Lunar Chronicles.

In December 2023, Locksmith updated their new website.