Animated features In 2004,
Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Comics' new parent corporation, struck a deal with
Lions Gate Entertainment to produce a series of eight
direct-to-video animated movies under the name of
Marvel Animated Features in conjunction with
Marvel Studios, Marvel's direct film subsidiary. Eric Rollman was hired by Marvel as Executive Vice President, Home Entertainment & TV Production for Marvel Studios to oversee the deal with Lionsgate. On December 31, 2009,
The Walt Disney Company purchased Marvel Animation with parent company Marvel Studios as part of the
Marvel Entertainment group for $4 billion. Both Marvel and Disney have stated that the merger would not affect any preexisting deals with Lionsgate or other production companies for the time being, although Disney said they would consider distributing future Marvel Animation projects with their own studios once the current deals expire. With the creation of the
Marvel Television division in June 2010 within Marvel Studios, Marvel Animation would operate under Marvel TV's direction. In July 2010, Marvel entered into Superhero Anime Partners with
Madhouse and
Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan to develop and produce the
Marvel Anime project that took famous Marvel characters and reintroduced them for a Japanese audience in four 12-part television series which aired on
Animax in Japan and
G4 in the United States. In 2012, Marvel established its based in
Glendale, California under Senior Vice President Eric Radomski. On April 1,
Disney XD launched a block called "
Marvel Universe", with the premiere of
Ultimate Spider-Man, followed by the returning ''
The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes''. The block is a result of Disney's 2009 Marvel acquisition. In June,
Walt Disney Animation Studios announced they were in development with Marvel to make a film of
Big Hero 6. At San Diego Comic-Con in July, Marvel Television announced a second "season" of Marvel Knights Animation with Shout Factory and the involved titles. Following up on early anime productions in the Superhero Anime Partners, Marvel has re-partnered with Madhouse and Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan as SH DTV Partners for a direct to video anime feature film,
Iron Man: Rise of Technovore. Also in October, Marvel Animation Studios announced its first DTV production, a direct to video film,
Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United, to be released in 2013. Marvel announced in May 2013, that the new shows,
Avengers Assemble and
Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H., would be shown on Disney XD as part of the "Marvel Universe" block and would be a part of the same fictional universe. In October, Marvel announced that Disney Japan was producing a new anime television show with
Toei Animation called
Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers to be aired on April 2, 2014, on
TV Tokyo and other
TXN stations. A
Guardians of the Galaxy animated series was officially announced in October 2014, with production set to begin for a 2015 release on Disney XD. In August 2015, Marvel Studios was integrated into the
Walt Disney Studios, while Marvel Television and Animation were left under Marvel Entertainment and Perlmutter's control. Marvel announced a new anime television series titled,
Marvel Future Avengers, which was broadcast in mid-2017 on the Disney satellite channel,
Dlife. Marvel Entertainment announced a new pre-school franchise,
Marvel Super Hero Adventures, in September 2017 consisting of a 10 short-form episodes animated series along with publishing and merchandise during "Marvel Mania" October. In the publishing field,
Marvel Press issuing early reader chapter books in September, Super Hero Adventures has Spider-Man teaming with another Marvel hero. On December 7, 2017, Marvel announced its
Marvel Rising franchise focusing on new characters as youngsters starting with animation in 2018 with Ghost-Spider, a renamed Spider-Gwen, shorts and an animated film,
Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors. Marvel Animation's first full-length series for Disney Jr.,
Spidey and His Amazing Friends was announced at
D23 Expo. This series primary stars Spider-Man,
Ghost-Spider and
Spin and premiered in summer 2021;
Marvel Studios Animation replaced the studio as main production company starting from season 2.
Under Marvel Studios In October 2019, Marvel Studios president
Kevin Feige was given the title of
chief creative officer (CCO) of Marvel, and was set to oversee the creative direction of Marvel Television and Marvel Family Entertainment (animation), with both moving back under the Marvel Studios banner. With the December 2019 announcement of the closure of its parent unit, Marvel Television, also came news that TV and animation executives at vice president level and above would be let go. This announcement included
Cort Lane, senior vice president of Marvel Animation & Family Entertainment. He would leave in January 2020, and be replaced.
Marvel Studios Animation was subsequently formed in 2021. In 2023, Marvel Animation released
Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, its first collaboration with
Disney Television Animation. The studio is also expected to work with Disney TVA on future Marvel adaptations. No new projects have been announced since, with all future animated productions being handled by Marvel Studios Animation. == Units ==