Dan Scanlon
Daniel Scanlon (born June 21, 1976) is an American filmmaker, storyboard artist, and animator. He is best known for directing the Pixar animated films Monsters University (2013) and Onward (2020), with the latter nominating him for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.[3]
Dan Scanlon
- Name
- Dan Scanlon
- Born
- 21 June 1976
- Birthplace
- Clawson, Michigan, U.S.
- Education
- Columbus College of Art and Design
- Occupation
- * Film director
- Spouse
- Michele Scanlon
- Full name
- Daniel Michael Scanlon.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Fields
- animated film.
- Languages
- English and Slovene.
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Daniel Scanlon (born June 21, 1976) is an American filmmaker, storyboard artist, and animator. He is best known for directing the Pixar animated films Monsters University (2013) and Onward (2020), with the latter nominating him for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.[3]
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wikidata · Q5214348 · wikipedia · Dan Scanlon
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Dan Scanlon • Born — 21 June 1976 • Birthplace — Clawson, Michigan, U.S. • Education — Columbus College of Art and Design • Occupation — * Film director • screenwriter • storyboard artist • animator • Years Active — 1998–present • Spouse — Michele Scanlon • Employer — Pixar Animation Studios (2001–2024)
Early life
Early life
Scanlon grew up in Clawson, Michigan.[4] When he was one year old and his brother three years old, their father died, and when they were teenagers, a relative gave them a brief audio recording of their father. Scanlon has said that these experiences helped inspire the story of Onward.[5] He graduated with a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 1998.
Career
Career
Scanlon was an animator for The Indescribable Nth and Joseph: King of Dreams. He served as a storyboard artist for The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea and 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure.[6] Scanlon joined Pixar in 2001, where he was a story artist for Cars and Toy Story 3. He co-directed the short film Mater and the Ghostlight. He illustrated part one of Unmentionables, a comic book written by his wife, Michele Scanlon, and wrote and directed the live-action feature film Tracy.[7] Tracy was Scanlon's first feature film as a writer/director. He also served as a member of the senior creative team on Brave and Inside Out. Scanlon directed the prequel film of Monsters, Inc., Monsters University, released in 2013, to positive reviews and commercial success. He subsequently directed the fantasy-road trip film Onward (2020), featuring the voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Octavia Spencer.[8] It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but lost to another Pixar film Soul.[9] In February 2021, Scanlon stated that he and Kori Rae would develop another original Pixar feature film.[10] In November 2024, Scanlon stated he was leaving Pixar, but would not be against working with the company in a consultancy role in the future.[11][12][13]
Other Credits
Other Credits
• Year — Title — Notes • 2008 — Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales — Special Thanks • 2017 — Lou • 2019 — Purl • Float • 2020 — Out
Identity
Identity
Dan Scanlon is recorded as film director, writer, animator, screenwriter and actor. Recorded at birth as Daniel Michael Scanlon.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1976
Dan Scanlon born at Clawson.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
San Francisco.
Residences
Clawson.
Birth place
Feature films
Feature films
• Year — Title — Director — Writer — Executive Producer — Story Artist — Animator: Character Builder — Additional Voices — Other — Notes • 2000 — The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea — Direct-to-video • Joseph: King of Dreams • 2003 — 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure • 2006 — Cars — Additional Screenplay Material • 2007 — Ratatouille — Pixar Productions • 2010 — Toy Story 3 • 2011 — Cars 2 — Pixar Senior Creative Team • 2012 — Brave • 2013 — Monsters University • 2015 — Inside Out • The Good Dinosaur • 2016 — Finding Dory • 2017 — Cars 3 • Coco • 2018 — Incredibles 2 • 2019 — Toy Story 4 • 2020 — Onward • Soul • 2021 — Luca • 2022 — Turning Red • Lightyear • 2023 — Elemental • 2024 — Inside Out 2 • 2025 — Elio — Special Thanks • Zootopia 2
Independent Films
Independent Films
• Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer — Film Editor — Cinematographer — Puppeteer — Sound Mixer — Animator — Other — Role — Notes • 2009 — Tracy[14] — Dan Sullivan — Extras, Artwork, Song Lyricist
Short films and series
Short films and series
• Year — Title — Director — Writer — Animator — Executive Producer — Other — Notes • 2000 — The Indescribable Nth • 2006 — Mater and the Ghostlight — Co-Director — Original Story • 2013 — Party Central • 2022 — Cars on the Road — Disney+ Original short films, Pixar Senior Creative Team • 2024 — Dream Productions — Disney+ Original long-form limited series, Pixar Senior Creative Team • 2025 — Win or Lose
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q5214348: Dan Scanlon
Reputable secondary · Wikimedia Foundation
- “Dan Scanlon”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority file
- VIAF cluster 37238201 for Dan Scanlon, aggregating national library name authorities.
General reference · OCLC
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Scanlon, Dan. I've had one childhood dream since my birth in 1976, & it's to be followed by anyone & everyone responsible for "The Office.". Twitter. February 25, 2012.
- 2.Scanlon, Dan. Thanks automated emailing system at Jackson Square Dentistry for being the first to wish me a Happy Birthday. I love you. Twitter. June 21, 2012.
- 3.Variety Staff. D23: Disney-Pixar Announces Untitled 'Suburban Fantasy' Movie. Variety. July 14, 2017.
- 4.C & G Publishing. C&G Newspapers.
- 5.Bell, Crystal. Pixar's New 'Suburban Fantasy' Sounds Like A Real Tearjerker. MTV. June 7, 2017.
- 6.Kirkland, Bruce. Life as an animator at Pixar. Canoe. November 5, 2006.
- 7.Connelly, Brendon. Dan Scanlon Is Directing Monsters University – But What Else Has He Done?. Bleeding Cool. March 31, 2011.
- 8.Hipes, Patrick. Pixar's 'Onward' To Star Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Octavia Spencer. Deadline. December 12, 2018.
- 9.Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. 93rd Academy Awards Nominees.
- 10.Grobar, Matt. Onward Director Dan Scanlon Subverts Fantasy Tropes, Channels Pain Into Art With His "Love Letter To Siblings". Deadline Hollywood. February 15, 2021.
- 11.Dan Scanlon. "Pixar" 1 of 5. 1857597699551527162. November 15, 2024.
- 12.Dan Scanlon. LOVE Pixar, but want to move on from full-time writing/directing family entertainment. 1857658070148776428. November 16, 2024.
- 13.Dan Scanlon. I LOVE story consulting on animated films and I'm available to help out part-time at any studio that will have me. Would LOVE to help out at Pixar again :). 1857670966782079480. November 16, 2024.
- 14.Cavna, Michael. For Dan Scanlon, directing Pixar's 'Monsters University' marks a big career leap. The Washington Post. June 14, 2013.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Secondary witnessreference work
Wikidata, structured authority record Q5214348: Dan ScanlonWikimedia Foundation
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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