In 2025, animation features ruled the box-office, from long-awaited sequels (“Zootopia 2”) to original streaming megahits (“KPop Demon Hunters“). Behind the scenes, the success of these seasoned directors and newfound talents reveals an ongoing audience appetite for bold artistic choices, compelling narratives and, most importantly, the animated medium.
Empowering these creators is the daily job of United Talent Agency (UTA) teams. The only major talent agency with a dedicated animation division, UTA has the largest and most robust roster of animation clients, including Academy Award winners Brad Bird (“The Incredibles”, “Ray Gunn”), Maggie Kang (“KPop Demon Hunters”), Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo”, “Zootopia 2”) and many more.
According to the agency, movies directed by UTA animation clients have grossed more than $25 billion in the worldwide box office, with success stories such as Phil Lord & Chris Miller’s “Spider-Verse” franchise now hailed as game-changers by the entire entertainment industry.
Jason Burns, partner and co-head of MP Lit, who leads the department and personally represents Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, along with writer Matthew Fogel (“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”) and many more, has been following the rise of animation at UTA for many years.
