Joel Crawford is an American film director, storyboard artist and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the DreamWorks Animation films ' (2020) and ' (2022), with the latter nominated him for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
In 2006, Joel Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation, where he served as a story artist on Bee Movie (2007), the Kung Fu Panda trilogy (2008âÂÂ16), Shrek Forever After (2010), and Rise of the Guardians (2012). In October 2017, Crawford signed on to direct ' (2020), replacing both Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders as director. In November 2017, Crawford directed Trolls Holiday, a half-hour Christmas-themed spinoff of Trolls (2016). In March 2021, Crawford replaced Bob Persichetti as director of ' (2022).
On June 3, 2023, Crawford received an honorary degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design for his contributions to animation. In April 2025, he signed on to write and direct Forgotten Island (2026) for DreamWorks Animation, alongside his longtime best friend Januel Mercado. Their friendship is a major inspiration for the movieâÂÂs story.