Major Hollywood Animation Studios

Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Paramount Pictures dominate global animation IP—from Illumination and DreamWorks to WB Animation’s legacy of Looney Tunes and DC.

These studios don’t just release box-office hits—they operate in a flywheel: theatrical → OTT → consumer products. For CXOs, their libraries represent evergreen assets and localization cash cows.

Global & International Animation Giants

Toho recently acquired GKIDS, expanding its anime dominance and festival reach. Gaumont and CJ ENM are key players in bridging French, Korean, and global storytelling.

These players aren’t just production houses—they’re cultural exports. For media buyers, they unlock language-localized IP that’s already audience-proven overseas.

Specialist & Boutique Animation Studios

Studios like Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, and Toonz Media Group focus on artistic originality, prestige storytelling, and cross-border co-productions.

Think BAFTA/Oscar nominations, stylized 2D techniques, and strong festival footprints. While they lack the scale of majors, they bring high-impact, niche-ready catalogs for strategic licensing.

Anime Powerhouses & Emerging Leaders

MAPPA, Ufotable, and Wit Studio are shaping the future of serialized anime—pushing production quality while juggling demand burnout. For buyers, they represent trend-driving fanbases and fast-scaling IP.

Rising players like Skydance Animation (with Netflix deals and upcoming titles like “Ray Gunn”) signal Western studios catching up to anime’s global playbook.

Content Strategy Considerations for CXOs

Animation pipelines require visibility: who’s producing what, where it’s headed, and what’s ready to localize. Tools like Project Tracker enable this—mapping content lifecycles, partner status, and export-readiness in real time.