DreamWorks Animation unveils release dates for 12 films from 2013 to 2016

DreamWorks Animation is looking at the long-term picture after signing a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox last month. The studio behind Shrek, Kung Fu Panda and How To Train Your Dragon unveiled an unprecedented list of 12 films that it expects to release between 2013 and 2016.

The list includes two projects that had never been mentioned before, notes The Hollywood Reporter. B.O.O: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations, which will star Seth Rogen, will hit theaters on Nov. 6, 2015 and a third How To Train Your Dragon film will be out on June 18, 2016.

“This is the moment when we can declare that we will have three films a year going forward on a continuing basis,” DWA chief creative officer Bill Damaschke told THR. “Everyone of the movies in our lineup – whether it is an original film or a sequel to one of our beloved franchises – comes from the unique and special vision of our filmmakers, and we look forward to joining together with Fox to make them available to family audiences starting next year.”

DreamWorks’ slate makes up the majority of the five-year deal CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and Fox announced last month.

Jim Gianopulos, co-chief executive and co-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment, told The Wall Street Journal that the list of releases was not impacted by the deal with Fox, which has its own animation department now. The upcoming films “would have existed regardless of whether we were in partnership or not...So, being in partnership allows us to manage them to create a [complementary] slate,” he said.

DreamWorks has only released three films in one year once, back in 2010. That year, Megamind, Shrek 4 and How To Train Your Dragon all hit theaters. In 2012, the studio released Madagascar 3 and will release Rise of the Guardians in November.

Here is the full list of releases announced:
2013: The Croods (March 22); Turbo (July 19); Mr. Peabody & Sherman (Nov. 1)
2014: Me and My Shadow (March 14); How To Train Your Dragon 2 (June 20); Happy Smekday! (Nov. 26)
2015: The Penguins of Madagascar (March 27); Trolls (working title; June 5); Mumbai Musical (working title; Dec. 19)
2016: Kung Fu Panda 3 (March 18); How To Train Your Dragon 3 (June 18); B.O.O: Bureau of Otherwordly Operations (Nov. 6)