Acclaimed writer and director Dean DeBlois has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature for How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.
DeBlois is the writer, director, and executive producer of the How to Train Your Dragon trilogy with The Hidden World being the final installment of the coming-of-age story of a young Viking, Hiccup, and his dragon, Toothless.
As a graduate of Sheridan’s Animation program, DeBlois’s animation credits include such animated films as The Lion King, A Troll in Central Park, and Atlantis: The Lost Empire. He also served as story co-head on Disney’s Mulan, and co-wrote and co-directed Lilo & Stitch. He’s also won numerous awards, including two Annie Awards and a Golden Globe. How to Train Your Dragon and How to Train Your Dragon 2 have also been nominated in the Best Animated Feature category.
“Dean DeBlois’ characters are beloved by audiences around the world. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World is a showcase of mastery in animation and storytelling, and we are thrilled that such a heartfelt, poignant story has been nominated for an Academy Award,” says Ronni Rosenberg, Dean of Sheridan’s Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design. “Our graduates become leaders in their field. We’re deeply proud of all our alumni who contributed to films that have received Oscar nominations this year.”
Along with DeBlois, there are several other Sheridan alumni that have also worked on four of the five films nominated for Best Animated Feature this year including How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, Klaus, Missing Link, and Toy Story 4.
Nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards were announced on January 13, 2020. The winners will be announced on February 9, 2020. See all of the nominees here and learn more about DeBlois’s work on IMDB.
