| Hyperion Pictures | |
| Location: | Los Angeles, California |
| Key People: | Thomas L. Wilhite Willard Carroll Chris Young |
| Industry: | Filmmaking |
| Subsid: | Hyperion Animation Jambalaya Studios |
Hyperion Pictures (also known as Hyperion Films or Hyperion Studios or Hyperion Animation) is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Thomas L. Wilhite, who had previously been the head of motion picture and television production for The Walt Disney Company, and writer/director Willard Carroll. The company produces both live-action and animated productions such as The Brave Little Toaster[1] and The Runestone.
A subsidiary of the company is its animation division, Hyperion Animation Company, Inc. which has produced animated feature films and television series, including its most successful media franchises: The Brave Little Toaster, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars, The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue, The Itsy Bitsy Spider and The Oz Kids. In 1998, the company produced the live-action film Playing by Heart for Miramax.[2] Also, on December 9, 1998, it signed a deal with Showtime in order to develop a telefilm based on the hit book series Bad News Ballet.[3]
On October 5, 1999, Hyperion, along with Disney's animation designer Bruce W. Smith, launched a joint venture Jambalaya Studio to produce shows aimed at a black audience.[4] On September 22, 2002, Hyperion Pictures decided to expand into a memoir and a series of pulp novels into feature film production.[5]
The studio has been dormant since 2007, but their website was updated in 2019, stating that it was under construction. It then returned a year later. However, the company is not involved with .
The first Brave Little Toaster received an Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program nomination[6] and a Special Jury recognition from the Sundance Film Festival.[7]
| Title | Year(s) | Network | Co-production(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Itsy Bitsy Spider | 1993–1996 | USA Network | Paramount Television | ||
| Life with Louie | 1994–1998 | Fox Kids | Fox Children's Productions The Anderson/Hassan Company | ||
| The Adventures of Hyperman | 1995–1996 | CBS | Columbia TriStar Television Illumination Studios | ||
| 1995–2000 | HBO | Two Oceans Entertainment Group Confetti Entertainment Company | |||
| The Oz Kids | 1996–1997 | Direct-to-video | Meldac Canal + D.A. Wang Film Productions | ||
| The Proud Family | 2001–2005 | Disney Channel ABC Kids | Walt Disney Television Animation[8] Jambalaya Studios | ||
| Da Boom Crew | 2004 | Kids' WB | Berliner Film Company Jambalaya Studios |
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue | 1997 | Walt Disney Home Video The Kushner-Locke Company | ||
| The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars | 1998 | |||
| We Wish You a Merry Christmas | 1999 | Family Home Entertainment | ||
| Jingle Bells | 1999 | |||
| O' Christmas Tree | 1999 | |||
| The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas! | 1999 | Artisan Entertainment | ||
| The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina | 2002 | Miramax Films |
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Brave Little Toaster | 1987 | The Kushner-Locke Company | ||
| Rover Dangerfield | 1991 | Warner Bros. Pictures The Kushner-Locke Company | ||
| Robin Harris' Bebe's Kids | 1992 | Paramount Pictures Jambalaya Studios |
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Itsy Bitsy Spider | 1992 | Paramount Pictures | ||
| 1001 Nights: An Animation Symphony | 1998 | Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra |
