Earlier today, The Walt Disney Company has shut down Blue Sky Studios the Greenwich Connecticut studio behind the Ice Age & Rio franchises, as well as other animated films including Robots, Horton Hears a Who, Epic, The Peanuts Movie, Ferdinand and Spies in Disguise. It's last day of operations would be in April resulting in 450 employees leaving the company. Blue Sky was originally set to release Nimona for January 2022 based on the graphic novel by Noelle Stevenson, unfortunately the film was soon scrapped leaving only 10 months of work left uncompleted.

You can view the article right here on Deadline. But all I can say is I'm heartbroken and disappointed that Disney is shutting down Blue Sky Studios, cause while Blue Sky isn't as well known or popular as the animated films released by Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination, Sony Pictures Animation or achieve the Universal acclaim as Pixar, I grew up and appreciated their animated films and it was one of the animation Studios that Disney decided to keep following the Fox Acquisition back in March 2019. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other financial issues happening right now within the company, Disney decided to shut down Blue Sky leaving over 450 talented artists and technicians without a job.

But what do you guys think of this news and where you a fan of any of the Blue Sky's films?

Edited February 11, 20214 yr by DisneyXPixarfan95
Adding another image and more info

....Wait, they DID???!!!

it honestly is a very sad I think. I mean in some aspects I can't say it's surprising and was probably bound to happen eventually as I heard rumours awhile ago that blue sky might be sold off to another company, since they weren't doing as well in terms of money. I hope these 450 can be shifted to other studios within the Disney company. that would be great wouldn't it?

I heard about this earlier today, it’s sad. I don’t think I knew them as well as Disney or Dreamworks, and I’ve only seen a few of their movies but nevertheless it’s weird to have something you’re familiar with no longer be. 

well they had more downs than ups

That's horrible!

I guess the Ice Age has finally ended

I only knew them for the Ice Age films as I grew up watching them, It kind of feels like a part of my childhood is gone 

2 hours ago, Leamax said:

I guess the Ice Age has finally ended

oh im sure theyll find someone to milk it

21 hours ago, Double OKP said:

....Wait, they DID???!!!

@Double OKPYeah since yesterday, all because of everything happening right now thanks to the pandemic which is why Disney shut them down.

 

20 hours ago, WakelessDream said:

I heard about this earlier today, it’s sad. I don’t think I knew them as well as Disney or Dreamworks, and I’ve only seen a few of their movies but nevertheless it’s weird to have something you’re familiar with no longer be. 

@WakelessDream, I only watch the first three Ice Age films, Robots, Horton Hears a Who, Rio, Epic, The Peanuts Movie, and Spies in Disguise. I haven't seen Ferdinand but glad it's on Disney+ so I'll watch it then and no comment on Ice Ages 4-5 and Rio 2. Like I said they might not made much of an impact as Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination and especially Pixar but their films still hold a special place within my heart and I'm really going to miss the studio very much.

I'm more worried on what's going to happen to the 450 employees at Blue Sky following it's closure in April, even if Disney is planning to bring in the majority of them to have them work at other divisions within Disney (including hopefully within Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar) most of them don't want to relocate to the west coast due to the expensive cost and currently California is having so many cases right now thanks to the pandemic.

 

8 hours ago, Vulpes XIII said:

I only knew them for the Ice Age films as I grew up watching them, It kind of feels like a part of my childhood is gone 

Same @Vulpes XIII I really going to miss Blue Sky as a animation studio and for their films. I only watched the first three Ice Age films, Robots, Horton Hears a Who, Rio, Epic, The Peanuts Movie, and Spies in Disguise, as for my favorite film it's hard to say I appreciated their films but my favorites were of course Rio, Horton Hears a Who and especially The Peanuts Movie.

32 minutes ago, DisneyXPixarfan95 said:

@Double OKPYeah since yesterday, all because of everything happening right now thanks to the pandemic which is why Disney shut them down.

Oh... I've watched all five Ice Ages, the Rios, and Epic. I rewatched them tons of times when I was younger. Though I can't say that I'm the biggest fan, it...it just feels strangely sad to see them go. 

3 hours ago, DisneyXPixarfan95 said:

@WakelessDream, I only watch the first three Ice Age films, Robots, Horton Hears a Who, Rio, Epic, The Peanuts Movie, and Spies in Disguise. I haven't seen Ferdinand but glad it's on Disney+ so I'll watch it then and no comment on Ice Ages 4-5 and Rio 2. Like I said they might not made much of an impact as Disney, DreamWorks, Illumination and especially Pixar but their films still hold a special place within my heart and I'm really going to miss the studio very much.

I'm more worried on what's going to happen to the 450 employees at Blue Sky following it's closure in April, even if Disney is planning to bring in the majority of them to have them work at other divisions within Disney (including hopefully within Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar) most of them don't want to relocate to the west coast due to the expensive cost and currently California is having so many cases right now thanks to the pandemic.

I only watched the first three Ice Ages as well. Enjoyed the first one but don’t have much to say about the rest. I haven’t seen any of the other movies though. 

I was thinking of the employees too. Hopefully they’re able to find work soon, the pandemic has not been kind on the job market though.  Maybe there will be remote work options so they won’t have to relocate, though I don’t know how ideal that would be....hopefully the situation for those affected improves. 

oh man

there goes my rioh 3

but I assume they can pick up one or more of those IP anytime they want 

This deserves a lot more attention. The Peanuts Movie was great, and Spies in Disguise was not bad. And I have a fondness for Robots.

Blue Sky Studios Co-founder Chris Wedge posted a letter of Blue Sky Studio's Closure yesterday (April 7) on all their social media pages.


https://twitter.com/blueskystudios/status/1379822457729785863

Edited April 9, 20214 yr by DisneyXPixarfan95

12 hours ago, kodedo said:

It's really sad news I wasn't expecting this

Honestly, the writing was on the wall. With the major acquisition of 20th Century Fox, that meant Disney had 3 major animation studios under their umbrella, which (arguably) was more than they needed or were willing to invest in.