Steve Martino
Stephen Michael Martino (born July 21, 1959) is an American designer and film director. He is best known for directing the Blue Sky Studios films Dr, Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), and The Peanuts Movie (2015).
Also recorded as Stephen Michael Martino
Steve Martino

Steve Martino · Public domain
- Name
- Steve Martino
- Birth Name
- Stephen Michael Martino
- Born
- 21 July 1959
- Birthplace
- Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
- Education
- Ohio State University
- Occupation
- * Designer
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
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Documentary summary
Stephen Michael Martino (born July 21, 1959) is an American designer and film director. He is best known for directing the Blue Sky Studios films Dr, Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), and The Peanuts Movie (2015).
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Note VALÉORINE
Steve Martino (born 1959) is an American animator and director. The animator was born in Dayton. Steve Martino studied at Archbishop Alter High School and Ohio State University. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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Documentary evidence
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Authority files
getty · 500217001 · wikidata · Q2347144 · wikipedia · Steve Martino
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Steve Martino • Birth Name — Stephen Michael Martino • Born — 21 July 1959 • Birthplace — Dayton, Ohio, U.S. • Education — Ohio State University • Employer — Blue Sky Studios (2001–2021) WildBrain (2021–present) • Occupation — * Designer • film director • Years Active — 1990–present
Early life
Early life
Martino went to Ohio State University, where he studied design. After graduation, he heard computer animation pioneer Chuck Csuri speak. "I was absolutely blown away. No one was doing what he was showing us. I hadn't seen images like that anywhere before," Martino said. He returned to the university and earned in 1989 a master's degree, studying at the Computer Graphics Research Group (later renamed to Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design), founded by Csuri.
Career
Career
After graduation, Martino went to Los Angeles, where he worked in visual effects and animation. In 2001, he joined Connecticut-based Blue Sky Studios. There he co-directed the animated films Horton Hears a Who! (2008) and Ice Age: Continental Drift. He also directed The Peanuts Movie (2015), an animated feature film adaptation of Charles M. Schulz's US comic strip Peanuts. In February 2018, it was reported that Martino and Karen Disher would direct the animated fantasy musical, under the working title Foster, for Blue Sky Studios. The film was originally scheduled for release on March 5, 2021. However, following Disney's acquisition of Fox, it was pulled from the release schedule. The production studio was closed in 2021. In November 2023, WildBrain Studios announced that Martino will direct an animated Peanuts film for Apple TV+.
Director
Director
Film • Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008) • Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) • The Peanuts Movie (2015) • Snoopy Unleashed (2027) Short film • Scrat's Continental Crack-up (2010) • Scrat's Continental Crack-up - Part 2 (2011)
Art director
Art director
Film • Robots (2005) Short Films • Gone Nutty (2002) Television • World of Discovery (1990) (Main titles designer)
Other roles
Other roles
• Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006) (Pre-Production Consultant) • Spies in Disguise (2019) (Senior Creative Team) • Nimona (2023) (Special Thanks)
Works and production
Works and production
The following works and productions are recorded by name or by count.
Critical reception
• Film — Rotten Tomatoes — Metacritic • Horton Hears a Who! (2008) — 76% — 71% • Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) — 37% — 49% • The Peanuts Movie (2015) — 87% — 67%
Collections and holdings
Where the work is held
Collections and holdings
Institutional holdings are recorded as follows.
Documents and archives
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Steve Martino”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q2347144: Steve Martino
Reputable secondary · Wikidata
authority file
- Getty Union List of Artist Names 500217001, Steve Martino & Associates.
General reference · The Getty Research Institute
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result • 1991 — Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Title Sequences — World of Discovery Shared with Jeff Doud, Jon Townley and Thomas Barham • 2006 — Annie Award — Best Production Design in an Animated Feature Production — Robots Shared with William Joyce • 2016 — Outstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated Feature Production — The Peanuts Movie • African-American Film Critics Association — Best Animated Feature • Golden Globe Awards — Best Animated Feature • Seattle Film Critics Award — Best Animated Feature
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.Grossberg, Michael. Hollywood studios brimming with talent honed in Columbus. The Columbus Dispatch. September 16, 2012.
- 2.Library of Congress. Martino, Steve, 1959-.
- 3.The Ohio State University. Steve Martino, alumni, ACCAD.
- 4.Charles Schulz's 'Peanuts' Gang to Hit Theaters. ComingSoon.net. October 9, 2012.
- 5.Amidi, Amid. Karen Disher Set To Be First Woman Director At Blue Sky Studios. Cartoon Brew. February 13, 2018.
- 6.Lang, Brent. Pasek and Paul to Write Songs for Blue Sky's First Animated Musical. Variety Magazine. February 12, 2018.
- 7.Lang, Brent. Disney Announces New 'Star Wars' Films, Moves 'Avatar' Sequels. Variety. May 7, 2019.
- 8.D'Alessandro, Anthony. Disney Closing Blue Sky Studios, Fox's Once-Dominant Animation House Behind 'Ice Age' Franchise. Deadline Hollywood. February 9, 2021.
- 9.Brew, Caroline. Peanuts Head to the Big City in First Apple TV+ Movie. Variety. 2023-11-06.
- 10.Goodfellow, Melanie. 'Baahubali: The Eternal War', 'Snoopy Unleashed', Netflix's 'Steps' & Season Two Of 'Common Side Effects' Set For Annecy's WIP Showcase. Deadline. 2026-04-14.
- 11.Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008) - Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes.
- 12.Horton Hears a Who! Reviews - Metacritic. Metacritic.
- 13.Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) - Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes.
- 14.Ice Age: Continental Drift Reviews - Metacritic. Metacritic.
- 15.The Peanuts Movie (2015) - Rotten Tomatoes. Rotten Tomatoes.
- 16.The Peanuts Movie Reviews - Metacritic. Metacritic.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority file
Getty Union List of Artist Names 500217001, Steve Martino & Associates.The Getty Research Institute
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
This entry is compiled from 8 catalogued sources across 8 independent registers. The registers consulted are The Art Institute of Chicago, Crossref registry, DOAJ, Internet Archive, The Getty Research Institute, Wellcome Collection, Wikidata and Wikipedia. Every statement above is held against the register that stated it; where the registers are silent, the entry is silent.
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 16 August 2026.
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