Chris meledandri chris wedge full#

“In the early ’80s, when movies were still being scheduled on stripboards and cut on flatbeds, I spent five years with Producer Daniel Melnick, who made films ranging from Altered States to Footloose. “Movies had long been the window through which I learned about life, but David cemented my love of cinema and my desire to make it my life’s work. At Dartmouth College, he studied with film historian David Thomson. Meledandri points to some of the mentors who influenced him at critical junctures. That afternoon, while lying through the star gate, my sense of wonder was ignited, and I have been chasing that feeling ever since.” Kubrick had transported us into the realm of his imagination and enabled us to suspend disbelief in a manner not quite previously possible. We were no longer in the Ziegfeld Theatre. “My parents didn’t particularly believe in babysitters, and they took me to see Easy Rider when I was just nine years old! Then a few months later, I entered a cavernous dark space and joined with many others as we stared at a giant screen, watching flickering lights illuminate the imagery of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

He notes that it was only later, through is own children, that he was exposed to the wide world of animation. His parents, Roland Meledandri, a noted men’s clothing designer, and Risha Meledandri, an activist, gallerist and poet, cultivated a movie-going household that relished auteurs like Scorsese, Kubrick and Fellini.

Looking back at what sparked his initial interest in filmed entertainment, Meledandri fondly recalls growing up in New York City with parents who loved cinema and transfixing films that helped chart his future course. Illumination’s 2013 mobile game, “Minion Rush,” has since been downloaded more than 800 million times, making it the sixth most-installed mobile game in history. Today, Illumination’s characters can be found worldwide in theme parks, consumer goods, social-media memes and games. In recognition of Meledandri’s ability to outperform titles such as Deadpool, Iron Man and Star Wars, Deadline wrote in 2017 that their “Most Valuable Blockbuster might have to be coined the Meledandri Tournament.” Seuss’ The Grinch, as well as Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets and Sing – have grossed over $6 billion globally, with 2016’s Minions and 2017’s Despicable Me 3 both crossing the $1 billion mark. Collectively, the company’s nine films – which include last year’s seventh highest-grossing film Dr. In just a decade, Illumination produced two of the five highest-grossing animated films of all time, as well as the highest-grossing animated franchise in history: Despicable Me. Since founding Illumination in 2008, Chris Meledandri has become one of the most successful creators of original film franchises.

Chris meledandri chris wedge full#

Upon receiving the award from longtime collaborator Steve Carell – whom Melendandri first tapped 15 years ago for Horton Hears a Who – Meledandri mused on the sobering experience, “I want to thank the VES for waking me up from my blissful dream-world, where I am forever 25 and have a full head of hair!” For his enormous contributions to the advancement and ever-increasing success of mainstream animated entertainment over the last 20 years, Meledandri was recently honored with the VES Lifetime Achievement Award at the 17 th Annual VES Awards.