Rich Moore, who won an Academy Award for “Zootopia,” will be joining Sony Pictures Animation to develop, produce, and direct original animated features.
Sony Pictures Animation, which made the announcement on Monday, said Moore will also be be available to act in an advisory capacity with ongoing feature film and series-based projects.
Kristine Belson, president of Sony Pictures Animation, said, “Rich is a world-class storyteller and he brings with him a wealth of experience and a unique sensibility for story, comedy, and heart. We are so excited for him to join our team of filmmakers at Sony Pictures Animation as we continue to develop a slate of animated features that are big, bold, and will take audiences by surprise.”
Moore also received Oscar nominations for “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” with fellow director Phil Johnston. He was one of the original three directors on “The Simpsons,” directing episodes over the series’ first five seasons, including the Emmy-winning “Homer vs. Lisa and the 8th Commandment.”
Moore oversaw the creative development and production of Matt Groening’s “Futurama,” and worked on Ralph Bakshi’s “Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures,” Gracie Films’ “The Critic,” the Warner Bros. theatrical short “Duck Dodgers in Attack of the Drones,” Comedy Central’s “Drawn Together,” Mad TV’s “Spy vs. Spy,” and Fox’s “Sit Down, Shut Up.”
Sony Pictures Animation won its first Oscar in February for “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.”
“Sony Animation has emerged as a major player among animation studios,” Moore said. “Their vision to give filmmakers and artists the freedom to take risks, and to really push the envelope when it comes to visual style and breadth of storytelling is impressive, and I can’t wait to be a part of shaping the studio’s future.”
Moore is represented by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham LLP.