Method Animation
French animation studio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Method Animation (formerly known as Method Films) is a French animation studio owned by Mediawan through its Kids & Family division founded in 1998 by Aton Soumache. The studio produces CGI and 2D animated shows. It came together in 2014 as the culmination of a merger of Dimitri Rassam's Chapter 2 and Alexis Vonarb's Onyx Films.[2][3][4] In 2018, Mediawan (which was founded by Xavier Niel, Matthieu Pigasse and Pierre-Antoine Capton in 2015) obtained a majority stake in Method Animation through its acquisition of ON Kids & Family and ON Entertainment.[5]
| |
| Formerly | Method Films (1998–2009) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Animation |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Aton Soumache |
| Headquarters | , France |
Key people | Katell France (managing director) |
| Parent | Mediawan Kids & Family (2014–present) |
| Divisions | Methonyx |
| Subsidiaries | Norman Studio Onyx Films[1] |
| Website | mediawankidsandfamily |
History
In 1996 while during the production of Christian Volckman's short Maaz, producer Aton Soumache and Alexis Vonarb launched his own production company dedicated to short films and feature films named Onyx Films.
Two years later in 1998, Aton Soucmache and Alexis Vonarb entered the TV business by launching Method Animation which was known as Method Films at that time.
In December 1999, It was announced that Method Films had teamed up with Paris-based animation studio Millimages to launch a new stop-motion animation joint-venture studio based in Paris which would be named Gimmick. The new animation studio will work on Method Films in-house projects along with Millimages' works and would work on co-productions as well as outside clients such as TV adverts. Their first programme related to the partnership was Skyland.[6]
In August 2006, Method Films and its CG animation production unit Onyx Films formed a joint venture with Indian animation and visual effects company DQ Entertainment to produce its feature films.[7]
In late-February 2008, Method Films announced that their Indian animation production partner DQ Entertainment had acquired a 20% stake in French animation studio Method Films, expanding their partnership with them.[8]
In January 2014, Method Animation along with their feature animation subsidiary Onyx Films (including its post-production & CGI feature studio Onyx Lux) and French live-action film production company Chapter 2 announced that they had merged by their founders Aton Soumache and Dimitri Rassam to form a new leading animation and film audiovisual production group named ON Entertainment with the new company launching its focus on their animated series and feature films along with live-action films. Method Animation and its feature film subsidiary Onyx Films alongside drama film production company Chapter 2 became labels of the new production and audiovisual group as Method Animation became the parent company of ON Entertainment and was placed under the new company's animation label under their ON Kids & Family division with Method's feature film subsidiary Onyx Films moved from the former to become ON's animated feature film division alongside live-action film production house Chapter 2 which became ON's live-action film production label.[9][10][11] Two years later in December 2017, it was announced that a European-based French special-acquisition company named Mediawan was in exclusive talks to buy a majority stake in Method Animation's parent ON Entertainment alongside the former animation label under the latter's ON Kids & Family division and their live-action film production house Chapter 2 including ON's feature film division ON Animation Studios, their post-production & CGI feature studio Onyx Lux and their Montreal-based feature animation production studio for about €50 million in order for Mediawan to enter the animation and feature film business.[12][13][14] A year later in June 2018, Mediawan completed their acquisition of a majority stake in Method Animation alongside its parent ON Entertainment and renamed it ON Kids & Family after their division with Chapter 2 split from ON and moved under Mediawan's portfolio.[15]
In February 2017, Method Animation alongside producer of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, ZAG Entertainment, signed a co-production partnership with Spanish-Italian children's entertainment licensing company Planeta Junior (now DeAPlaneta Entertainment) to handle two new series produced by Method Animation alongside ZAG Entertainment under the latter's Zag Heroez brand, such as Power Players and Zak Storm, while Planeta Junior will handle licensing of the brand's programs in its territories.[16]
In April 2019 one year after Mediawan's acquisition of ON Entertainment and their division ON Kids & Family, ON Kids & Family and their parent company Mediawan announced that they've established a partnership with world-renowned French producer, illustrator and author Joann Sfar to develop the author's works into film and television adaptations with the acquisition of a majority stake in Joann Sfar's animation production company Nice Pictures and had it placed under ON Kids & Family.[17]
In June 2020, ON Kids & Family and its parent company Mediawan announced that they have rebranded their Joann Sfar's Paris-based production company Nice Pictures as their mini-studio renaming it to Magical Society with Veteran animation producer and founder of Method Animation and producer Aton Soumache and award-winning publisher Joann Sfar heading the rebranded company.[18]
In February 2021, ON Kids & Family announced that they've expanded their TV state into preschool television series and has partnered with Chinese toy manufacturer and global media company Alpha Group Co. Ltd to jointly develop ON's first preschool animated series named Petronix Defenders with Alpha Group develop toys made for the show and will distribute the show in Asia-Pacific and MENA while Mediawan's distribution arm Mediawan Rights will distribute the show worldwide elsewhere.[19]
In June 2022, when ON Kids & Family's parent company Mediawan announced that they're bringing all of their kids and family activities and ramping up their youth entertainment content, it was announced that Mediawan had rebranded ON Kids & Family and relaunching it as a new division under the Mediawan name which was renamed Mediawan Kids & Family, marking the end of the ON name after 7 years with Method Animation, Magical Society, ON Animation Studios and ON Classics becoming part of the newly renamed division with the latter two retaining the ON name. Mediawan Kids & Family and their parent company Mediawan also announced that they've launched two new production labels which was traditional animation production studio Somewhere Animation and live-action studio Elliott Studio along with Mediawan Kids & Family launching their own distribution division named Mediawan Kids & Family Distribution that will handle all of their original live action and animated productions along with third-party programmes.[20][21][22] Three days later in that same month, Method Animation had joined forces with Miraculous creator Thomas Astruc, Shibuya Productions and Japanese animation studio Tezuka Productions to reboot Osamu Tezuka's best-selling manga series Astro Boy into a new CGI half-hour animated series which will be named Astro Boy Reboot.[23]
In December 2022, Method Animation along with their parent Mediawan Kids & Family announced that they have hired Katell France the founder of her animation studio Onikiri as Chief Content Officer and managing director of the Method Animation label.[24]
In February 2023, Mediawan Kids & Family along with their parent company Mediawan had announced that they've acquired a majority stake in Bristol-based British scripted and animation production company Wildseed Studios, marking Mediawan's youth entertainment division Mediawan Kids & Family's first international acquisition with Wildseed Studios becoming part of Mediawan Kids & Family as their own production label.[25] Two months later in April of that same year, Method Animation and their parent division Mediawan Kids & Family had been expanded by their parent company Mediawan when they announced that they've acquired Amsterdam-based Dutch independent film & television production company and animation production studio Submarine, marking Mediawan Kids & Family's second expansion this time into the Netherlands.[26][27][28]
Key people
Aton Soumache
Aton Soumache is a producer of animated films. He is the CEO of Method Animation. Soumache is perhaps best known for The Little Prince, for which he, Rassam, Alexis Vonarb, and Mark Osborne won the 2016 César Award for Best Animated Film.[29]
Dimitri Rassam
Dimitri Rassam is a film producer and founder of Chapter 2.[30]
Caroline Guillot
She is the marketing manager of Method Animation.[31]
Alexis Vonarb
He was born in 1970, and is an alumnus of Robert Schuman University, Strasbourg.[32] Then he studied at the University of Leicester in the UK.[32] While working in production at La Fémis in 1995, he got to know Soumache.[32] He founded Onyx Films, which went on to produce 15 films, including Renaissance (2006) which won an award at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.[32]
Filmography
Television series
Method Animation
| Title | Years | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Gnoufs | 2004–2007 | France 3 | |
| Flatmania | 2004–2008 | France 3 YTV (Canada) | co-production with Futurikon and Vivatoon |
| Planet Grabo[33] | 2005 | France 2 | co-production with Millimages and Amuse Films |
| Skyland | 2006–2007 | France 2 Teletoon (Canada) | co-production with 9 Story Entertainment, LuxAnimation and DQ Entertainment |
| Pop Secret | M6 | co-production with Futurikon, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, 2 Minutes and 222 Records | |
| Cosmic Quantum Ray | 2007 | M6 Animania HD (United States) Kika (Germany) | co-production with Mike Young Productions, Cosmotoons, Europool, Telegael, SK C&C, Independence Creative and Maya Entertainment Owned by Splash Entertainment |
| Mikido[34][35] | 2007–2012 | France 3/France 4 | co-production with LuxAnimation and DQ Entertainment |
| Freefonix[36] | 2008–2009 | CBBC | co-production with Cinnamon Entertainment, Toonz Animation and Isle of Man Film |
| The Pinky and Perky Show[37] | 2008 | France 3 CBBC (United Kingdom) | co-production with Pinky & Perky Enterprises and DQ Entertainment |
| Iron Man: Armored Adventures[38] | 2009–2013 | France 2/France 4 Nicktoons (United States) | co-production with Marvel Animation, DQ Entertainment, LuxAnimation (season 1), Isle of Man Film (season 1), Genius (season 1), Fabrique D'Images (season 2) and Onyx Lux (season 2) |
| Le Petit Nicolas[39] | 2009–2010 | M6 ZDF (Germany) | co-production with M6 Studio, LuxAnimation, DQ Entertainment and ZDF Enterprises |
| The Little Prince[40] | 2010–2015 | France 3 WDR (Germany) Rai 2/Rai Yoyo (Italy) | co-production with LPPTV, LP Animation, DQ Entertainment, Fabrique D'Images, Rai Fiction, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (seasons 1–2), AB Productions (season 3) and ARD |
| Chaplin & Co[41][42][43] | 2011–2012 | France 3 | co-production with MK2, DQ Entertainment and Fabrique D'Images |
| The New Adventures of Peter Pan[44][45][46][47] | 2012–2016 | France 3 ZDF (Germany)[48] | co-production with DQ Entertainment, Story Board Animation, ZDF Enterprises and De Agostini Editore Co-owned by ZDF Studios[49] |
| Super 4[50] | 2014–2018 | France 3 | co-production with Morgen Studios |
| Robin Hood: Mischief in Sherwood[51][52] | 2015–present | TF1 Disney Channel France (seasons 1–2) ZDF (Germany) DeA Kids (Italy, season 1) | co-production with ZDF Studios, DQ Entertainment (seasons 1–2), Fabrique D'Images (season 1), De Agostini Editore (season 1), ON Kids & Family (seasons 2–3) and KidsMe (season 3) |
| Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir[53] | 2015–2023 | TF1/TFX | co-production with ZAG Entertainment, Toei Animation (seasons 1–5), Toei Animation Europe S.A.S. (seasons 1–5), SAMG Entertainment (seasons 1–3), SK Broadband (seasons 1–3), De Agostini Editore (seasons 2–5) and Gravity Animation (season 5) continued by Miraculous Corp. starting with season 6 |
| Popples[54] | 2015–2016 | Netflix (Worldwide)[55] Gulli & Tiji | co-production with Saban Brands, Zagtoon, DQ Entertainment, Nexus Factory and Umedia |
| Seven and Me[56] | 2016–2019 | France 3 Rai Gulp (Italy) ProSieben (Germany) | co-production with AB Productions, DQ Entertainment, Nexus Factory, ZDF Enterprises, Rai Fiction (season 1) and Rai Ragazzi (season 2) |
| Zak Storm[57] | 2016–2018 | Canal J & Gulli | co-production with Zagtoon, SAMG Animation, MNC Animation, SK Broadband, Man of Action Studios, PGS Entertainment and De Agostini Editore |
| Denver the Last Dinosaur[58] | 2018 | M6 | co-production with Zagtoon, Nexus Factory, UMedia and PGS Entertainment |
| The Psammy Show[59] | 2018–2019 | Disney Channel France Disney Channel Germany (Germany) | co-production with DQ Entertainment |
| Apollo's Tall Tales[60] | 2019 | France 5 & TiJi ZDF (Germany) | co-production with Bidibul Productions, PGS Entertainment and ZDF Enterprises |
| Power Players[61] | 2019–2021 | France 4 Cartoon Network (United States)[62][63] Discovery Kids Latin America (Latin America) WDR (Germany) Gloob (Brazil) | co-production with Zagtoon, Man of Action Studios, WDR Media Group and Kaibou |
| The Enchanted Village of Pinocchio[19] | 2022 | France 5 Rai Yoyo (Italy) | co-production with Palomar, Rai Ragazzi and ZDF Studios Co-owned with ZDF Studios |
| Petronix Defenders[19][64] | M6 & Gulli Super RTL (Germany) | co-production with Alpha Group Co. Ltd and Palomar | |
| The Little Prince and Friends[19][65] | 2023–present | France 5 WDR (Germany) Rai Yoyo (Italy) Gloob (Brazil) | co-production with Bidibul Productions, LPPTV and Rai Kids |
| Pirate Academy[66] | 2024–present | M6 & Canal J ZDF (Germany) | co-production with Toonz Entertainment, Telegael, ZDF Studios and KidsMe |
| The 3 Musketeers[67][68] | 2025–present | France 4 Rai Gulp (Italy) ZDF (Germany) | co-production with Palomar, ZDF Studios and Rai Kids |
| Mr. Crocodile[69] | France Televisions Nickelodeon[70] (International) | under Magical Society | |
| Ki & Hi in the Panda Kingdom[71] | Canal+ Kids Auvio Kids TV (Belgium) | co-production with Drawsome Studio and Belvision[72] | |
| Witch Detectives[73] | Q3 2026 | TF1 Super RTL (Germany) CBBC[74] (United Kingdom) | co-production with Toonz Entertainment |
| Tuff Pom[75] | France 4 CBBC[76] (United Kingdom) | co-production with Wildseed Studios | |
| Astro Boy Reboot[77][78] | Q3 2027 | TF1[79] ZDF[80] (Germany) | co-production with Tezuka Productions and Shibuya Productions |
| Claynosauruz[81] | TBA | YouTube | co-production with Claynosauruz Inc. |
| Karters[19] | Cartoonito[82] (EMEA) | co-production with DeAPlaneta Entertainment[83] | |
| Taïtikis Guardians of the Oceans[82][84] | TBA | ||
| Anansi[82] | co-production with Diprente | ||
| Jet the Vet[76] | |||
| Tales of the Mirru: Vet Explorers[85] | co-production with Good Hero | ||
| Littlest Robot[86] | co-production with Toon2Tango[87] and V House Animation | ||
| Wadoo[88] | co-production with El Reino Infantil[89] | ||
| Prout[76] | co-production with Wajnbrosse Productions | ||
| Eldrador[76] | co-production with Toon2Tango and Schleich | ||
| Pango[74] | co-production with Studio Pango |
Submarine
| Title | Years | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask Lara[90] | 2011 | NPO 3 BBC Two (United Kingdom) TV3 (Spain) | co-production with Red Kite Animation and Tomavistas |
| WellieWishers[91] | 2016–2017 | Amazon Prime Video |
|
| Undone[92] | 2019–2022 | Amazon Prime Video |
|
Somewhere Animation
Films
| Title | Release date | Distributor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renaissance | March 15, 2006 | Pathé Distribution | co-production with Pathé, Millimages, LuxAnimation, France 2 Cinema and Timefirm Limited |
| La León | July 11, 2007 | MK2 Diffusion 791 Cine (Argentina) | under Onyx Films co-production with Big World, Polar Films, Morocha Films and Mandragona Producciones |
| Trouble at Timpetill | December 17, 2008 | Pathe Distribution | co-production with Chapter 2 and LuxAnimation |
| The Prodigies | June 8, 2011 | Warner Bros. Pictures | co-production with Studio 37, Fidelite Films, DQ Entertainment and LuxAnimation |
| Upside Down[98] | August 31, 2012 (Canada) April 17, 2013 (France) | Warner Bros. Pictures (France) Les Films Séville (Canada) | Live-action film co-production with Kinology, Transfilm International, Studio 37, Jorour Productions and France 2 Cinema |
| The Little Prince | July 15, 2015 | Paramount Pictures (France) Lucky Red Distribuzione (Italy) | co-production with Orange Studio, M6 Films, LPPTV and Lucky Red |
| Mune: Guardian of the Moon | October 15, 2015 | Paramount Pictures | co-production with Orange Studio and Kinology |
| Tall Tales from the Magical Garden of Antoon Krings | December 13, 2017 | Gebeka Films | under ON Classics co-production with Bidibul Productions |
| Playmobil: The Movie[99] | August 7, 2019 (France) August 9, 2019 (United Kingdom) December 9, 2019 (United States) | Pathe Distribution StudioCanal (United Kingdom) | co-production with DMG Entertainment, M6 Films, Morgen Studios and Wild Bunch |
| Little Vampire | October 21, 2020 | StudioCanal | under Magical Society co-production with StudioCanal, Autochenille Productions, France 3 Cinema and Panache Productions |
| Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be | October 12, 2022 | BAC Films | under ON Classics co-production with Bidibul Productions |
| Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie | July 5, 2023 | SND | co-production with The Awakening Production, SND, Cross Creek Pictures and Fantawild |
| A Magnificent Life[100] | October 15, 2025 | Wild Bunch Sony Pictures Classics (United States)[101] | under ON Classics co-production with What the Prod., Bidibul Productions, Walking the Dog and Align |
| The Badalisc | TBA | TBA | as ON Entertainment[102] |
| Little Jules Verne | |||
| Twisted[103] | Coming 2027 | Le Pacte | co-production with Palomar, Sola Media and France 3 Cinema |