Stephen Michael Martino (born July 21, 1959) is an American designer and film director. He is best known for directing the Blue Sky Studios films Dr, Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008), ' (2012), and The Peanuts Movie (2015).
Martino went to Ohio State University, where he studied design. After graduation, he heard computer animation pioneer Chuck Csuri speak. "I was absolutely blown away. No one was doing what he was showing us. I hadn't seen images like that anywhere before," Martino said. He returned to the university and earned in 1989 a master's degree, studying at the Computer Graphics Research Group (later renamed to Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design), founded by Csuri.
After graduation, Martino went to Los Angeles, where he worked in visual effects and animation. In 2001, he joined Connecticut-based Blue Sky Studios. There he co-directed the animated films Horton Hears a Who! (2008) and '. He also directed The Peanuts Movie (2015), an animated feature film adaptation of Charles M. Schulz's US comic strip Peanuts.
In February 2018, it was reported that Martino and Karen Disher would direct the animated fantasy musical, under the working title Foster, for Blue Sky Studios. The film was originally scheduled for release on March 5, 2021. However, following Disney's acquisition of Fox, it was pulled from the release schedule. The production studio was closed in 2021.
In November 2023, WildBrain Studios announced that Martino will direct an animated Peanuts film for Apple TV+.
Film
Short film
Film
Short Films
Television