Joel Crawford (director)
American storyboard artist and director
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Joel Crawford is an American film director, storyboard artist and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the DreamWorks Animation films The Croods: A New Age (2020) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), with the latter nominated him for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- Film director
- storyboard artist
- Screenwriter
Joel Crawford | |
|---|---|
Crawford in 2026 | |
| Alma mater | CalArts[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Employer | DreamWorks Animation (2006–present) |
Career
In 2006, Joel Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation, where he served as a story artist on Bee Movie (2007), the Kung Fu Panda trilogy (2008–16), Shrek Forever After (2010), and Rise of the Guardians (2012).[1] In October 2017, Crawford signed on to direct The Croods: A New Age (2020), replacing both Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders as director.[2] In November 2017, Crawford directed Trolls Holiday, a half-hour Christmas-themed spinoff of Trolls (2016).[3] In March 2021, Crawford replaced Bob Persichetti as director of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022).[4][5]
On June 3, 2023, Crawford received an honorary degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design for his contributions to animation.[6] In April 2025, he signed on to write and direct Forgotten Island (2026) for DreamWorks Animation, alongside his longtime best friend Januel Mercado.[7] Their friendship is a major inspiration for the movie's story.[8]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Credited as | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Story artist | Writer | Actor | Other | |||
| 2007 | Bee Movie | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2008 | Kung Fu Panda | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2010 | Shrek Forever After | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2012 | Rise of the Guardians | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2015 | The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| 2016 | Kung Fu Panda 3 | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Trolls | No | Yes | No | No | No | Head of story[9] | |
| 2017 | Trolls Holiday | Yes | No | No | No | No | TV special[10] |
| 2019 | The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part | No | Yes | No | No | No | |
| Trouble | No | No | No | No | Yes | Special thanks | |
| 2020 | The Croods: A New Age | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Role: Guy's Dad |
| 2022 | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Role: Baker's Dozen Member, Band Player[11] |
| 2023 | Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken | No | No | No | No | Yes | Creative leadership: DreamWorks Animation Special thanks |
| Trolls Band Together | No | No | No | No | Yes | Special thanks | |
| 2024 | Kung Fu Panda 4 | No | No | No | No | Yes | Special thanks |
| The Wild Robot | No | No | No | No | Yes | Special thanks | |
| 2026 | Forgotten Island † | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | |
Accolades
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Film | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globe Awards | February 28, 2021 | Best Animated Feature Film | The Croods: A New Age | Nominated | [12] |
| Visual Effects Society Awards | April 6, 2021 | Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature | Nominated | [13] | |
| Golden Globe Awards | January 10, 2023 | Best Animated Feature Film | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Nominated | [14] |
| British Academy Film Awards | February 19, 2023 | Best Animated Film | Nominated | [15] | |
| Academy Awards | March 12, 2023 | Best Animated Feature | Nominated | [14] |