Januel Mercado

Januel Mercado is a feature animation director, storyboard artist, and writer who has been a key figure at DreamWorks Animation since 2008. A graduate of San Jose State University, he began his career as a story artist on 'Kung Fu Panda 2' (2011) and contributed to several major productions, including 'Turbo' (2013), 'Penguins of Madagascar' (2014), and 'Trolls' (2016). Mercado made his co-directorial debut with 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish' (2022), alongside Joel Crawford, earning nominations for both an Academy Award and a BAFTA. His upcoming project, 'Forgotten Island' (2026), is an animated adventure comedy set in the Philippines, which he co-wrote and co-directed. Mercado's work is characterized by his ability to blend compelling storytelling with vibrant animation, making him a prominent figure in contemporary animated cinema.

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