DreamWorks Animation’s Schedule Through 2012

Published by Jeff Leins on: May 28th, 2009

Updated with official synopsis and details directly from the good people at DWA.

CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg addressed investors today in Gotham where DreamWorks Animation unveiled their 2009-2012 lineup and announced plans for five features every two years. The toon studio has been averaging two movies a year since it spun off from DreamWorks in 2004.  It’s first animated movie at DreamWorks was Antz in 1998.

All futures releases will be in 3-D, a mandate put forth by Katzenberg who continues to be a strong proponent of the format.  The conversion adds around $15 million to the budget.

March 26, 2010: How to Train Your Dragon – An adventure comedy set in the mythical world of burly Vikings and wild dragons, based on the book by Cressida Cowell.  The story centers around a Viking teenager (Jay Baruchel), who lives on the island of Berk, where fighting dragons is a way of life.  Initiation is coming, and this is his one chance to prove his worthiness to his tribe and father.  But when he encounters, and ultimately befriends, an injured dragon, his world is turned upside down.  The film also features the voices of Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Craig Ferguson, and America Ferrara.  The children’s book adaptation has been in production since January 2008.

May 21, 2010: Shrek Forever After (renamed from Shrek Goes Fourth) – The fourth adventure of the ogre named Shrek with voices by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and Antonio Banderas.  While dreaming about what life was like before he was a family man, Shrek is tricked into signing an agreement with Rumplestiltskin (Walt Dohrn).  The pact lands Shrek in an alternate version of Far Far Away and Shrek must find a way to undo all the changes.  Paul McCartney will not be providing a voice as previously rumored.  The movie currently holds the summer weekend to itself.

November 5th 2010: Oobermind (formerly titled Master Mind) – A movie about a super villain (voiced by Robert Downey Jr.) who becomes depressed and bored after killing his nemesis.  So he creates a new hero that soon becomes his evil rival.  Tina Fey will also add her voice.  Ben Stiller will executive produce.  This is the same weekend a possible Harold and Kumar 3 might be out.

June 3, 2011: Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom (formerly Kung Fu Panda 2) – The continued adventures of Po, the kung fu panda.  A villain has emerged with a weapon so powerful, it threatens the existence of kung fu.  It’s up to Po and the Furious Five to stop it.  Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross will all return as their characters.  The original was surprisingly good and shut out Pixar and other competition in every major category at this year’s Annie Awards.

November 4, 2011: The Guardians (probably will be renamed as to not interfere with Zack Snyder’s animated owl movie) – It will be based on the upcoming books by William Joyce about five magical heroes that must stop an ancient spirit named Pitch (the Boogeyman) from plunging the world into darkness.  The saviors are Jack Frost, North (aka Santa), Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), Tooth (the Tooth Fairy), and Sandy (the Sandman).

March 30, 2012: Puss in Boots – Shrek 3’s director Chris Smith is directing a prequel/spin-off of Shrek 2 centering on Antonio Banderas’ feline character Puss in Boots.  “It’s a swashbuckling ride through Puss’s early years as he teams with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty (Salma Hayek) to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.

May 27, 2012: Madagascar 3 – “Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith), and Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) are still fighting to get home to their beloved Big Apple; King Julien (Sacha Baron Cohen), Maurice (Cedric the Entertainer) and the Penguins are along for the adventure. This time the road takes them through Europe where they find the perfect cover: a traveling circus, which they reinvent Madagascar style!”

November 12, 2012: A yet to be chosen original feature from one of these options.  The Croods, a story about a caveman leading his family across the prehistoric landscape to find a new home.  Truckers about a society of tiny being that lives in a department store but must find a new place to live when the building is set for demolition.  (Slumdog Millionaire writer Simon Beaufoy is writing the script.)  Super Secret Ghost Project (working title) about what ghosts think of humans (see: Pixar’s Monsters Inc.)