Locksmith Animation
- Open roles
- 0
- Founded
- 2014
- Employees
- 51-200
- Offices
- 3
About Locksmith Animation
Locksmith Animation is a British CG feature animation and film production studio developing original stories and book adaptations for theatrical and streaming audiences. Established in 2014, it brings together creative development, storytelling, design and production management, connecting UK and European filmmaking talent with international distribution and animation production partners. Its work focuses on family and all-ages entertainment.
The studio’s capabilities span scriptwriting, storyboarding, character design, visual development and world-building, alongside animation pre-production and digital production supervision. Its operating model combines an internal creative team with external animation production partnerships. London serves as its principal creative and production base, while its US presence supports North American development, studio relationships and co-production leadership.
Features and development
Locksmith’s debut feature, Ron's Gone Wrong, reached cinemas in October 2021. Directed by Sarah Smith and Jean-Philippe Vine, it was co-produced with TSG Entertainment and distributed by 20th Century Studios. The film introduced the studio’s approach to original animated storytelling for an international theatrical audience.
Its second feature, That Christmas, premiered globally on Netflix in December 2024. Directed by Simon Otto and written by Richard Curtis and Peter Souter, the film adapts Curtis’s children’s holiday books. The studio’s output also includes the 2025 animated short Cardboard, directed by J.P. Vine.
A multi-year first-look agreement with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation supports a further theatrical slate. Announced projects include Bad Fairies, an original musical comedy directed by Megan Nicole Dong and scheduled for May 2027, and The Lunar Chronicles, an adaptation of Marissa Meyer’s science-fiction books directed by Noëlle Raffaele and scheduled for November 2028. Its development projects also include Wed Wabbit, based on Lissa Evans’s children’s book and directed by Olly Reid.
Locksmith became part of SISTER in 2021 and continues to operate as an animation studio within the group. Its distribution relationships across theatrical studios and streaming platforms provide several routes for bringing its films to worldwide audiences.
More about Locksmith Animation
Leadership and founders
- The report identifies Natalie Fischer as Chief Executive Officer, Julie Lockhart as President of Production, and Mary Coleman as Chief Creative Officer. Fischer was appointed CEO in June 2021 after working at Illumination Entertainment; Coleman previously led creative development at Pixar.
- Sarah Smith and Julie Lockhart brought experience from Aardman Animations to the studio’s founding, with backing from Elisabeth Murdoch. Smith subsequently left to pursue independent writing and directing.
Production collaborations
DNEG Animation provides large-scale CG animation and rendering through commercial production agreements, including work on Ron's Gone Wrong, That Christmas and Bad Fairies. It operates independently of Locksmith. Cardboard was produced with DNEG Animation and Ritzy Animation, while Industrial Light & Magic is the announced animation partner for The Lunar Chronicles.
Recognition
Ron's Gone Wrong won Best Long Form at the 2022 British Animation Awards; the report also attributes a Best Design win and Annie Award nominations to the film. That Christmas received multiple Annie Award nominations, including Best Animated Feature. These recognitions concern the films rather than standalone corporate awards.
Notable credits
6 creditsOffices
Where Locksmith Animation is based
- 113 Regent's Park Road, London NW1 8UR, England, United KingdomLondon, England, United Kingdom
London office
HeadquartersAbout this office
Overall studio headquarters and principal creative production facility, hosting leadership, art, design, editorial, story and digital production management.
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Los Angeles office
- 9255 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, United StatesWest Hollywood, California, United States
West Hollywood office
Opened 2023
About this office
US development and creative branch in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, supporting studio partnerships, North American development and co-production leadership.
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