EXCLUSIVE: Adult Animation Director Mike Moon is leaving Netflix at the end of this month to pursue other opportunities.
Moon, an animation veteran who had worked on animated movies and series at Sony Pictures Animation, Disney Television Animation and Cartoon Network, joined Netflix over 4½ years ago to create and direct the Netflix’s adult animation team.
Her departure is unrelated to recent changes in Netflix’s family animation unit, which included Melissa Cobb stepping down as VP of Animated Film, promoting Karen Toliver to replace her. and the streamer’s slate being associated with the release of several high-profile projects.
A search is underway for Moon’s replacement as Netflix remains committed to original adult animation content and Vine Studios, its animated series production facility that Moon also ran.
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Moon, who started his career as an artist, working for more than 15 years as an animator, joined Netflix after the streamer made a promising start in the adult animation arena with BoJack Horseman , F Is for Family and Big Mouth, starring BoJack and Big Mouth remains Netflix’s biggest adult animated hit to date.
The slate, which Moon oversaw at Netflix, includes HR spin-offs from Brutus Pink‘s Big Mouth — the streamer’s first animated offshoot; Inside Job by Shion Takeuchi; The Midnight Gospel by Pen Ward and Duncan Trussel; as well as Kenya’s upcoming Entergalactic Barris and Kid Cudi, which Moon recently said was unlike anything else; Agent King by Priscilla Presley and John Eddie; and Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ Exploding Kittens, which also marks a major milestone for Netflix as the first property developed simultaneously as an anime series and a mobile game.
Moon has also led global adult animation-focused deals with Brutus Pink (the creative team behind Big Mouth), rising star Takeuchi, animation veteran Alex Hirsch, and production studio Titmouse. He was also instrumental in the formation and growth of Vine Studios, including building the staff and team.
