Dan Scanlon

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title: "Dan Scanlon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1976-births", "animators-from-michigan", "american-male-screenwriters", "american-storyboard-artists", "american-animated-film-directors", "artists-from-san-francisco", "columbus-college-of-art-and-design-alumni", "film-directors-from-san-francisco", "film-directors-from-michigan", "living-people", "pixar-people", "screenwriters-from-california", "screenwriters-from-michigan", "walt-disney-animation-studios-people"] description: "American filmmaker (born 1976)" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Scanlon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American filmmaker (born 1976) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Dan Scanlon
image	Dan Scanlon.jpg
caption	Scanlon at the 2013 Annecy International Animated Film Festival
birth_date
birth_place	Clawson, Michigan, U.S.
alma_mater	Columbus College of Art and Design
occupation
years_active	1998–present
spouse	Michele Scanlon
employer	Pixar Animation Studios (2001–2024)
::

| name = Dan Scanlon | image = Dan Scanlon.jpg | caption = Scanlon at the 2013 Annecy International Animated Film Festival | birth_date = | birth_place = Clawson, Michigan, U.S. | alma_mater = Columbus College of Art and Design | occupation = | years_active = 1998–present | spouse = Michele Scanlon | employer = Pixar Animation Studios (2001–2024)

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.

Early life

Scanlon grew up in Clawson, Michigan. 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. He graduated with a BFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design in 1998.

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.

Scanlon joined Pixar in 2001, 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. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, but lost to another Pixar film Soul.

In February 2021, Scanlon stated that he and Kori Rae would develop another original Pixar feature film. 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.

Filmography

Feature films

::data[format=table] | 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

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Director	Writer	Producer	Film Editor	Cinematographer	Puppeteer	Sound Mixer	Animator	Other	Role	Notes
2009	Tracy										Dan Sullivan	Extras, Artwork, Song Lyricist
::

Short films and series

::data[format=table] | Year | Title | Director | Writer | Animator | Executive Producer | Other | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2000 | The Indescribable Nth | | | | | | | | 2006 | Mater and the Ghostlight | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | ::

Other Credits

::data[format=table]

Year	Title	Notes
2008	Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales	Special Thanks
2017	Lou
2019	Purl
Float
2020	Out
::

References

References

1. Scanlon, Dan. (February 25, 2012). "I've had one childhood dream since my birth in 1976, & it's to be followed by anyone & everyone responsible for "The Office."". Twitter.
2. Scanlon, Dan. (June 21, 2012). "Thanks automated emailing system at Jackson Square Dentistry for being the first to wish me a Happy Birthday. I love you.". Twitter.
3. ''Variety'' Staff. (July 14, 2017). "D23: Disney-Pixar Announces Untitled 'Suburban Fantasy' Movie".
4. "C&G Newspapers". C & G Publishing.
5. Kirkland, Bruce. (November 5, 2006). "Life as an animator at Pixar". Canoe.
6. Connelly, Brendon. (March 31, 2011). "Dan Scanlon Is Directing Monsters University – But What Else Has He Done?". Bleeding Cool.
7. Hipes, Patrick. (December 12, 2018). "Pixar's 'Onward' To Star Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Octavia Spencer".
8. "93rd Academy Awards Nominees". [[Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences]].
9. Grobar, Matt. (February 15, 2021). "''Onward'' Director Dan Scanlon Subverts Fantasy Tropes, Channels Pain Into Art With His "Love Letter To Siblings"".
10. Dan Scanlon. (November 15, 2024). ""Pixar" 1 of 5".
11. Dan Scanlon. (November 16, 2024). "LOVE Pixar, but want to move on from full-time writing/directing family entertainment.".
12. Dan Scanlon. (November 16, 2024). "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 :)".
13. Cavna, Michael. (June 14, 2013). "For Dan Scanlon, directing Pixar's 'Monsters University' marks a big career leap". [[The Washington Post]].

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