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Bad Robot veteran Hannah Minghella has been hired as Head of Feature Animation and Live-Action Family Film at Netflix, Deadline can confirm. We understand that her departure from the J.J. Abrams-led company was amicable.
Also announced today was the news that Sharon Taylor, formerly CEO of Animal Logic Studios, will return to Netflix to head up production on feature animation, based out of Vancouver.
With this change, Karen Toliver and Traci Balthazor are exiting Netflix, we’re told. Both helped build the streamer’s animated film division into a powerhouse in the industry, launching hit films like Leo, Academy Award winner Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, The Sea Beast and Nimona, while also integrating Animal Logic Studios and expanding key creative partnerships.
During her four years at Bad Robot, Minghella served as President of Motion Pictures, working across all live action, animation and documentary features. Prior to that, she spent nearly 15 years at Sony Pictures and Columbia where she oversaw the launch of hit franchise films like Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Hotel Transylvania, The Smurfs, The Amazing Spider-Man, 21 Jump Street and Casino Royale, to name just a few.
Said Netflix’s Chairman of Film Dan Lin, “Hannah brings her unique skill set and experience to this role, along with strong relationships with top filmmakers. As a studio executive and producer, Hannah has overseen many franchise films across animation and live-action. I believe her expertise will deepen our efforts to bring variety and quality to both our animation and live action family film slate.”
Continued Lin, “I’m also excited to welcome Sharon Taylor back to Netflix where she will lead production for our feature animation slate. Having previously worked together, I know firsthand that she brings a wealth of experience leading production with a world class team of animators and I look forward to her continuing to build on that success.”
On the departure of Toliver and Balthazor, Lin noted his “immense gratitude for everything they’ve done” for the company.
Stated Minghella on her hiring, “I am thrilled to be joining Netflix and the incredibly talented team working on feature animation and live-action family film. In such a short time, the studio has already distinguished itself within the animation community as a home for bold and original voices. I am so grateful to Bela and Dan for the opportunity to build on that foundation and collaborate on a dynamic slate of both animation and live-action movies.”
Added Minghella, “I’ve loved my time at Bad Robot with JJ Abrams, Katie McGrath and my wonderful colleagues there. It is hard to leave those people and those projects behind but I return to being an executive with an even deeper appreciation and respect for all artists, storytellers, filmmakers and producers who give so much of themselves to the process of creating.”
At present, Bad Robot is very focused on its creative endeavors with current leadership Katie McGrath as co-CEO, Rachel Rusch Rich as President of TV and Grace Del Val as General Counsel & Head of Business Affairs. Recently, the company debuted the series Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+, also wrapping production on the first season of Max series Duster and the David Robert Mitchell-directed, Anne Hathaway-Ewan McGregor starring Flowervale Street, which is slated for a theatrical release on May 16, 2025. Additionally, its Max documentary Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes just world premiered at Cannes, its podcast Dear Felicity just dropped, The Blue Angels documentary was just released in Imax, and Bad Robot Live’s Gutenberg! The Musical recently received a Tony nomination for Best Revival of a Musical.
Currently, Bad Robot is producing an animated musical adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! for Warner Bros Animation with Jon Chu & Jill Culton directing from a script by Rob Lieber. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are writing its songs.
Variety was first to the news of Minghella’s Netflix hiring.
