Hyperion Pictures
| Industry | Filmmaking |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 25, 1984 (1984-12-25) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
Key people | Thomas L. WilhiteWillard CarrollChris Young |
| Subsidiaries | Hyperion AnimationJambalaya Studios |
| Website | hyperionpictures |
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.
History
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 Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
Accolades
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]
List of notable Hyperion features and television productions
Feature films
- Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986, with The Kushner-Locke Company)
- The Runestone (1990)
- Playing by Heart (1998, with Miramax)
- Tom's Midnight Garden (1999)
- My Louisiana Sky (2001)
- Three Way (2004, with Brainstorm Media)
- Marigold (2007)
Short films
- Chunks of Life (1994, with MTV)
- The Need (2006)
Television series
- Amazing Stories (1985–1987) - Season 2, Episode 16: "Family Dog" (1987, with NBC, Universal Television, Amblin Entertainment and The Kushner-Locke Company)
- Bone Chillers (1996, with ABC)
- ARK, the Adventures of Animal Rescue Kids (1997–1998, with Discovery Kids)
List of Hyperion Animation productions
Television series
| 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 ProductionsThe Anderson/Hassan Company | |
| The Adventures of Hyperman | 1995–1996 | CBS | Columbia TriStar TelevisionIllumination Studios | |
| Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | 1995–2000 | HBO | Two Oceans Entertainment GroupConfetti Entertainment Company | |
| The Oz Kids | 1996–1997 | Direct-to-video | MeldacCanal + D.A.Wang Film Productions | |
| The Proud Family | 2001–2005 | Disney ChannelABC Kids | Walt Disney Television Animation[8]Jambalaya Studios | |
| Da Boom Crew | 2004 | Kids' WB | Berliner Film CompanyJambalaya Studios |
Television specials
| Title | Release date | Network | Co-production(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sissy Duckling | 1999 | HBO |
Television films
| Title | Release date | Network | Co-production(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Proud Family Movie | 2005 | Disney Channel | Walt Disney Television AnimationJambalaya Studios |
Direct-to-video films
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue | 1997 | Walt Disney Home VideoThe 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 |
Theatrical films
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Brave Little Toaster | 1987 | The Kushner-Locke Company | |
| Rover Dangerfield | 1991 | Warner Bros. PicturesThe Kushner-Locke Company | |
| Robin Harris' Bebe's Kids | 1992 | Paramount PicturesJambalaya Studios |
Short films
| Title | Release date | Co-production(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Itsy Bitsy Spider | 1992 | Paramount Pictures | |
| 1001 Nights: An Animation Symphony | 1998 | Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra |
References
- ^THE BRAVE LITTLE TOASTER (1987) (***)|Animation World Network
- ^Carver, Benedict (1998-05-07). "Edwards into 'Dancing'". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^Madigan, Nick (1998-12-10). "Showtime on toes for 'Ballet' telepic". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^Adalian, Josef (1999-10-05). "Jambalaya cooks up multi-ethnic toons". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^Dunkley, Cathy (2002-09-22). "Hyperion to pound pulp into pix". Variety. Retrieved 2022-01-10.
- ^The Brave Little Toaster|Television Academy
- ^The Brave Little Toaster|Sundance Institute
- ^"Happily Ever After Hours". May 11, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2025.
External links
- Hyperion Pictures
- 1984 establishments in California
- American companies established in 1984
- Mass media companies established in 1984
- American independent film studios
- Film production companies based in California
- Entertainment companies established in 1984
- Privately held companies based in Los Angeles
- Television production companies based in California