Spider-Man: Into the Spider-VerseandAcross the Spider-Versehave ushered in and heavily popularized a new era of what was considered possible for 3D computer animation in film.
Their highly stylized animation and visual style were a massive departure from other 3D animated films, and audiences fell in love with this mesmerizing style that felt as if a comic was directly put on the big screen.
While theSpider-Versefilms popularized the concept of stylized 3D animation for audiences,there have been multiple films before and after that have effectively used a stylized approach.What makes this style of animation filmmaking so enthralling and exciting to audiences is just how varied and different each take and perspective on this style can be, with no two films feeling the same.
Image via DreamWorks
The animation industry is truly beginning its next chapter of exciting and unique animated stories, and stylized 3D animated films will be the defining aspect of this chapter in animated filmmaking.
25’Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' (2022)
Directed by Joel Crawford
Puss in Boots: The Last Wishsees the legendary Puss in Boots learning that he is on his 9th and final life after multiple lifetimes of careless adventuring.
With time catching up to him, Puss sets out on a journey racing against friends and foes both new and old to find the mythical Last Wish to restore his nine lives and reclaim his former legendary glory.
While the originalPuss in Bootsfilms certainly had its fans,the beautiful animation style found inThe Last Wishhas helped cement its status as one of the unexpectedly greatest animated filmsin recent memory.
It adds more depth and beauty to what was previously an arguably one-note character of Puss in Boots, creating a beautifully poignant and visually enthralling cinematic experience for all ages.
Your Rating
Your comment has not been saved
Cast
24’Wish' (2023)
Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn
Acting as a celebration for 100 years of Walt Disney Animation Studios,Wishemploys a combination of the modern-day 3D animated Disney style with a classic hand-drawn aesthetic and texturing to create a beautiful blending of Disney history.
The film follows the story of Asha, an idealist living in a city run by the powerful King Magnifico, who uses his magical abilities to grant the wishes of the townspeople.
However, after Asha comes to realize the grim reality of Magnifico’s rule, she teams up with a magical magic star to free everyone’s wishes.
While not as initially compelling or as stylistic compared to its contemporaries who came before it, Disney’s choice to follow the trend and experiment with stylized animation for its 100th-anniversary film speaks volumes to the capabilities of stylized animation.
The biggesthighlight ofWish’s stylized animationcomes from the character of Star, who acts asthe perfect blending of 2D facial expressions and movement in a 3D space, and is the clear highlight of the film.
23’Orion and the Dark' (2024)
Directed by Sean Charmatz
One of the more underrated animated films from DreamWorks Animation in recent years,Orion and the Darktakes a quirky look at getting over childhood fears with the distinct meta-storytelling ofCharlie Kaufman.
The film sees young Orion (Jacob Tremblay) dealing with a wide variety of crippling fears, the most prominent being the dark, leading to a physical manifestation of darkness (Paul Walter Hauser) to take him on a journey across the night sky to show him how things aren’t all that scary.
While its visual style deviates from the children’s book it is based on,Orion and the Dark’s stylish and flourishing animation stillfinds greatsuccess thanks to creative character designs and a storybook aesthetic.
Kaufman’s distinct writing style finds itself blending perfectly with the abstract yet deeply personal story of familial bonds and generations at play, giving a great deal of weight to not only storytelling, but transparency and dialogue alongside these stories.
22’The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run' (2020)
Directed by Tim Hill
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Runsees SpongeBob and Patrick partaking on a dangerous road trip across the ocean as they attempt to save Gary after he is mysteriously snail-napped.
Their adventures bring them to all sorts of strange and unexpected corners of the ocean before they find themselves at the gates of the lustrous and dangerous Atlantic City.
WhileSpongeBob SquarePantshas been adapted to the big screen in the past,Sponge on the Runhad the difficult task of transforming the traditional 2D world and characters into the third dimension.
Especially compared tothe previous bonkers SpongeBob film’s short time in 3D animation,Sponge on the Runperfectly recreates and recaptures the charm and beauty of the original showin stunning stylized 3D animation.
Image via Disney
21’Diary of a Wimpy Kid' (2021)
Directed by Swinton O. Scott III
Acting as the first in the new animatedadaptations of the classic children’s book series,Diary of a Wimpy Kidfollows the misadventures and struggles of middle schooler Greg Heffley.
While he has big dreams of hitting the big leagues and becoming a massive celebrity later in life, for now he has to deal with the trials and tribulations of the middle school social climate, accompanied by his best friend Rowley.
While previous film adaptations ofDiary of a Wimpy Kidwere live-action, this rendition of the characters decides to stay truer to the original books with its animated style.
It comes with its fair share of both positives and negatives, asthe visuals and execution help it feel more in line with the themes and messages of the original novel, yet many fans fell in love with the original interpretation of the live-action films.
Still, it’s undeniably a joy for fans to see a version of the characters that feel more in line with the classic novel designs, as well as exploring stories never touched by the live-action films.
20’Dog Man' (2025)
Directed by Peter Hastings
Adapted fromDav Pilkey’s series of children’s graphic novels that acts as a spin-off/story within a story ofCaptain Underpants,Dog Man’s ceaseless charm and embracing of childhood imagination is fully enveloped in its animation style.
The film sees a faithful police dog and his human police owner getting into an accident where the life-saving surgery requires their bodies to be fused together.
Now under the mantle of Dog Man, he ends up becoming one of the city’s greatest crimefighters, frequently stopping the dastardly plots of supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson).
Dog Mangoes beyond simply retreading the stylized animation style of the previous film,with its character designs fully living up to the simple designs of the original graphic novel.
It makes for additional layers of comedy to see many of the characters being high-quality 3D models of children’s asymmetrical designs.
This childlike wonder doesn’t stop at the animation style, as the entire film caters around the concept of being an action movie created by wildly imaginative and rambunctious children.
19’I Lost My Body' (2019)
Directed by Jeremy Clapin
I Lost My Bodyis a French animated film that follows the blossoming young romance between a young man named Naoufel and a young woman named Gabrielle.
Image via Netflix
At the same time, there is a separate story of a disembodied hand that has escaped from a laboratory, scouring the streets of Paris to find its lost body once again.
As these two stories develop and reach their own climaxes, it becomes apparent that there is a close connection between Naoufel and this mysterious severed hand.
I Lost My Bodyhas a very distinct look, combining its use of 3D animation with a shading and texturing approachthat makes the entire film look and feel like a sketched drawing.
It’s a style that quickly breathes life and purpose into the city of Paris and the lives of Naoufel and Gabrielle, and creates a visual style and approach that creates a wholly unique artistic experience.
18’The Wild Robot' (2024)
Directed by Chris Sanders
A breathtaking work of modern animated mastery that has quickly shot up the ranks to be one of Dreamworks Animation’s greatest movies,The Wild Robottruly acts as a step forward for Hollywood animation.
The film brings the blossoming and beautiful intricacies of nature and community to life in a way rarely seen in animation.
Subtle attributes like evolving character animation throughout the film and subtle design changes to show the passage of time make the film that much more exceptional.
From a pure animation standpoint,The Wild Robotshows that there are still barriers to be broken and exceptional stories to be told in the medium that is constantly reinventing itself and evolving.The film takes the best lessons away from other stylized animated films likeInto the Spider-Verseand uses its creative animation as a tool for its own thematic resonance and messages.
The film paints a great picture of the future of DreamWorks animation, which is finally looking as if it is on par with, if not better than, its longtime rival, Pixar.
17’Stand by Me Doraemon' (2014)
Directed by Takashi Yamazaki and Ryuichi Yagi
Acting as the first 3D entry in one ofthe most successful animated series of all time,Stand by Me Doraemonis a beautiful reimagining of the series' greatest moments.
The film follows Doraemon, a robotic cat from the 22nd century who has traveled back in time to help maintain the flow of time by helping the young fourth grader Nobita Nobi in his day-to-day life.
The film chronicles some of the best adventures between Doraemon and Nobita, from their initial meeting up to the emotional wedding day.
Stand by Me Doraemondoes a terrific job of transforming the legendary 2D characters, most commonly recognized for their manga and multitude of 2D anime movies, into a stunning stylized 3D space.The film’s animation is just one of many ways that it acts as a love letter to one of the most beloved charactersand franchises in Japanese cinematic history, attaining status in itself as the most successful film in an already highly successful franchise.
16’Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem' (2023)
Directed by Jeff Rowe
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhemshows the story of how the iconic turtle brothers first come out of their isolated lives in the sewers in their quest to win over the heart of New York City.
Teaming up with their new human friend, April O’Neil, the brothers begin taking down the numerous crime circles of the city, leading them to the massive mob boss at the center of it all, Superfly.
There have been manyiconic iterations of theTMNTover the years, yet this most recent rendition immediately made an impact among audiences thanks in part to just how beautiful it looks.Mutant Mayhemexpertly visualized a grungy, and sketch-filled layer on top of the animationto give it a more genuine and raw feeling, which lines up perfectly with this new interpretation of the turtles.
It’s a style that breathes new life into the franchise and has audiences excited for what the future of this rendition of the turtles has in store.
Image via Disney+
Image via DreamWorks Animation
Image via Universal Pictures
Image via Paramount Pictures
