The Producers Guild of America (PGA) announced today that Chris Meledandri, Founder & CEO of Illumination, will be honored with the 2025 David O. Selznick Achievement Award for his extraordinary producing accomplishments. He will accept the honor at the 36th Annual Producers Guild Awards on Saturday, February 8, 2025 in Los Angeles. Meledandri will become only the second animation producer in the history of the PGA to receive this prestigious honor (the first was John Lasseter, 2010).
“The extraordinary vision and innovation Chris brings to animated feature films has not only captivated audiences of all ages but also been instrumental in reshaping the entertainment landscape,” said Producers Guild of America Presidents Donald De Line and Stephanie Allain in a joint statement. “His hands-on, meticulous approach to producing has resulted in the rare accomplishment of record-breaking films and beloved franchises. We are proud to honor Chris with this prestigious award as a leader in both the animation industry and our industry as a whole.”
Meledandri stated, “Being recognized by my peers with the David O. Selznick award is one of the most meaningful moments in my career. However, it makes me realize how much more I have to accomplish in my third act to earn an association with this legend. His influence on the artistry of motion pictures remains one of the most profound in cinematic history. I learned about life sitting in dark theaters, witnessing the magic of cinema — images that would shape my entire journey. Early in my career, I was fortunate enough to work with legendary filmmakers who taught me the intricacies of storytelling, production, and connecting with an audience. Their mentorship laid the foundation for everything I do today, instilling in me a deep appreciation for the craft and the collaborative effort it requires. My accomplishments in this industry have been enabled by countless filmmakers, artists, crew members, actors, studio colleagues and my fellow producers. I am deeply grateful to the PGA for this honor.”
A pioneer in the entertainment industry, Meledandri is known for some of the most successful and highest-grossing animated films and franchises of all time. Since founding Illumination in 2007, Meledandri has produced 15 feature films. Among these films are the four Despicable Me movies and two Minions movies, which comprise the most successful animated franchise in history, and the record-breaking The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as well as The Lorax, Hop, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, The Grinch and Migration. Illumination’s films have grossed nearly $11 billion worldwide. Prior to Illumination, Meledandri was President of 20th Century Fox Animation (Ice Age, Robots, Horton Hears a Who).
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced today the full slate of honorees for the 3rd annual Celebration of AAPI Cinema & Television, taking place on November 12 at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The Celebration highlights standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen, from the AAPI entertainment community.
Among the honorees this year are Moana 2 directors David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller as well as producers Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, who will receive the Animation Award in recognition of their work on the highly anticipated Disney sequel. The trailer for Moana’s second voyage broke the record for the most-viewed animated trailer launch in Disney and Pixar history.
The event will also distinguish actress/filmmaker Joan Chen (Career Achievement Award), actor Lee Jung-jae (Trailblazer Award), Ronny Chieng (Comedy Award), Samantha Quan (Producer Award), Dolly de Leon (Supporting Actress Award), Utkarsh Ambudkar (Actor Award), Ken Leung (Supporting Actor Award), Sue Kim (Documentary Award), Jimmy O. Yang (Breakthrough Actor Award), Kekoa Scott Kekumano (Rising Star Award) and Academy Museum trustee Julia S. Gouw (Industry Leadership Award). Read more at criticschoice.com.
Continuing the Moana 2 wave, Disney has revealed to The Hollywood Reporter that it is submitting two original songs from the sequel for consideration by the Academy Awards.
Both submissions feature music and lyrics by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear. “Beyond” is performed by titular voice star Auli’i Cravalho and also features Pacific choral vocals written and arranged by Opetaia Foa’i, and thematically echoes the first Moana‘s song nominee “How Far I’ll Go,” in the vein of the classic Disney heart’s-desire anthem.
“Can I Get a Chee Hoo?” performed by Dwayne Johnson as Maui is the sequel’s answer to his 2016 movie earworm, “You’re Welcome” — a bit of musical comic relief that showcases the character’s demigod bravado.
The Academy will announce the shortlists for Oscar nominations on December 17. Nominees will be announced on January 17, 2025. The 97th Oscars are scheduled for Sunday, March 2.
A section of “Beyond” can be heard in a Special Look video released by Disney earlier this month:
