Hyperion Pictures (also known as Hyperion Films or Hyperion Studios or Hyperion Animation) is an American film production and distribution company founded by Thomas L. Wilhite, who had previously been the head of motion picture and television produced for and owned by The Walt Disney Company, and writer/director Willard Carroll. The company produces both live-action and animated productions such as The Brave Little Toaster, The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars, The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue 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 three 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, ToonMania and The Oz Kids. In 1998, the company produced the film Playing by Heart for Miramax, as well as Sonic the Hedgehog: Wonders of the World for Paramount Pictures, SkyRuby Studios and Sega. Also, on December 9, 1998, it signed a deal with Showtime in order to develop a telemovie based on the hit book series Bad News Ballet.
On October 5, 1999, Hyperion, along with toon designer Bruce Smith, launched a joint venture Jambalaya Studio to produce shows aimed at a black audience. On September 22, 2002, Hyperion Pictures decided to expand into a memoir and a series of pulp novels into feature film production.
The studio has been dormant since 2007 but their website was recently updated in 2019 in where it was under construction. It then returned in 2020. However, the company is not involved with The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder and Toonatics Unleashed.
List of notable Hyperion features and television productions[]
Feature films[]
- Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986, with The Kushner-Locke Company)
- The Runestone (1990)
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Wonders of the World (1998, with SkyRuby Studios and Sega)
- Playing by Heart (1998, with Miramax)
- Tom's Midnight Garden (1999)
- My Louisiana Sky (2001)
- Three Way (2004, 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[]
Theatrical feature films[]
- The Brave Little Toaster (1987, with The Kushner-Locke Company, ITC Entertainment (UK), and Walt Disney Pictures)
- Rover Dangerfield (1991, with The Kushner-Locke Company, and Warner Bros. Animation)
- Robin Harris' Bébé's Kids (1992, with Paramount Pictures and Jambalaya Studios)
- Toonatics: Journey Around Hollywood (1996, with Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television Animation and O Entertainment)
Direct-to-video[]
- The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1997, with The Kushner-Locke Company, and Walt Disney Home Video)
- The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998, with The Kushner-Locke Company, and Walt Disney Home Video)
- A Toonatics Summer Vacation (1998, with Paramount Television Animation, O Entertainment, and Paramount Home Video)
- We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1999)
- O' Christmas Tree (1999)
- Jingle Bells (1999)
- Toonatics: The Zany Quest Begins (2000, with Paramount Television Animation, O Entertainment, and Paramount Home Video)
- The Tangerine Bear: Home in Time for Christmas! (2000, with Artisan Entertainment)
- The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina (2002, with Miramax)
- The Proud Family Movie (2005, with Jambalaya Studios and Disney Channel) (TV)
Short films[]
- Itsy Bitsy Spider (1992)
- Now We're Off (1993)
- 1001 Nights: An Animation Symphony (1998, with Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra)
Television series[]
- Toonatics (1992–1999, with O Entertainment, Paramount Television Animation, CBS and UPN Kids)
- Itsy Bitsy Spider (1993–1996, with USA Network)
- Life with Louie (1994–1998, with Fox Kids)
- Puff Up! Frenzy (1995–1997, with O Entertainment and UPN Kids)
- All Hail Meadow (1995–1999, with O Entertainment and UPN Kids)
- The Adventures of Hyperman (1995–1996, with CBS)
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995–2000, with HBO)
- The Oz Kids (1996, with ABC)
- Top Class (1999-2012, with Paramount Television and CBS)
- The Proud Family (2001–2005, with Jambalaya Studios and Disney Channel)
- Da Boom Crew (2004–2005, with Jambalaya Studios and Kids' WB!)
Television specials[]
- The Sissy Duckling (1999, with HBO)
- Toonatics: A Great Spring Break (2001, with Paramount Television Animation, O Entertainment, UPN and Nickelodeon)
- Toonatics: Spooky Night (2002, with Paramount Television Animation, O Entertainment, UPN and Nickelodeon)