Report: Apple Is Getting Into Feature Animation, Possibly With Cartoon Saloon

It doesn’t get much bigger than this. Apple, yes, the computer maker, is looking to start producing animated features, according to a report in Bloomberg.

The Cupertino, California company is currently in talks with Ireland’s Cartoon Saloon, according to people who were familiar with the negotiations. Cartoon Saloon is best known for its Oscar-nominated films The Breadwinner, The Secret of Kells, and Song of the Sea, as well as the preschool series Puffin Rock. Last year, Cartoon Brew exclusively debuted the trailer for one of Cartoon Saloon’s upcoming feature film projects, The Wolfwalkers.

Apple is looking to acquire distribution rights for a select number of countries, including the United States, for a specific unnamed Cartoon Saloon project. It would also likely create a theatrical release for the film so that it could qualify for the Academy Awards. Both Apple and Cartoon Saloon declined to comment on the record to Bloomberg.

The news report stresses that the deal hasn’t been sealed and could still far apart, but needless to say, the prospect of Apple, currently the most valuable company in the world in terms of market capitalization, investing in feature animation is a gamechanger. The company is already investing in original series animation, such as its recently announced Central Park series from 20th Century Fox Television.

Apple still hasn’t unveiled its new streaming platform, but the service will almost certainly be designed for viewing on iPhones and iPads, and through Apple TV. The company recently hired children’s entertainment veteran Tara Sorensen to head up creative development for children’s programming, which is an indicator that it could produce children’s series in the future.