Disney announces new animation studio in Vancouver, expansion in Burbank, to support Disney+

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A statue of founder Walt Disney with his creation, Mickey Mouse, at Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. | Unsplash/Travis Gergen

Disney has made it known that it has no plans to slow down its ambitious expansion any time soon, especially when it comes to creating new content for Disney+.

Walt Disney Animation Studios recently announced it will open an animation studio in Canada, in Vancouver, B.C. At the same time, it will expand its operations in Burbank, Calif., where it already employs more than 900 people. Both studios are hiring.

Clark Spencer, Walt Disney Animation Studios president, commented on the expansion in a recent news release on the Disney fan site DAPS Magic.

"With Burbank and Vancouver both home to some of the world’s most talented artists and technicians, we believe the storytelling and visual quality created within each location will meet the incredibly high standards we set for ourselves and audiences have come to expect from Disney Animation," Spencer said.

Disney appears to have big plans for the two studios, tasking them with some of the most important projects for its new Disney+ subscription service that offers movies and TV shows streamed on-demand. The studios will reportedly focus on long-form and special Disney+ projects, including a musical series rendition of "Moana."

The new studio in Vancouver, which Disney plans to open in January 2022, will be led by Amir Nasrabadi, a veteran animator. He was previously EVP and general manager at WildBrain Studios and, prior to that, spent time at Pixar Canada. It will be a bit of a homecoming for him, as he previously was the finance lead at Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Nasrabadi is excited to start his new role.

“I am so honored and excited to be joining the Disney family again," he said. "I can’t wait to dive in and collaborate with the talented teams at Disney Animation on a new slate of projects for Disney+, starting with "Moana." I continue to be amazed at the high level of artistry and technical advancements coming out of the animation industry here in Vancouver, and I am so proud to be a part of this community. This is really a dream come true for me.”

The Burbank studio will produce the upcoming "Baymax" and "Zootopia+" shorter form series, in addition to creating all of Disney's animated feature films. The Burbank studios will also be where story development, storyboarding, and production design will take place for all projects, the company said.

“Disney Animation is creating more original storytelling for Disney+, expanding into series for the first time in our history, with 'Iwájú,' 'Tiana,' 'Moana,' 'Baymax' and 'Zootopia+,'" Jennifer Lee, chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios, said in the release. "As we continue to grow our original slate of projects, there are more creative, artistic and technological opportunities than at any previous time.”

The new "Moana" series is expected to arrive on Disney+ in 2024.