Coming to Amazon Prime: Nov 20, 2026
Other Platforms: Dec 4, 2026
The filmmakers behind the acclaimed documentary I Am Big Bird (movie review), has a new documentary, and this time, they are focusing on a man ahead of his time. In Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There, Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker will be looking at the life and times of one of animation’s most influential and uncompromising artists. Some may only know him for the groundbreaking interactive animated video game Dragon’s Lair, but others, he’s the creative mind behind fond favourites like The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail, The Land Before Time and Anastasia. His distinctive story telling approach and animation style says it all.
From the Press Release:
An early animation prodigy, Bluth dreamed of working for Disney and achieved that goal at just 18 years old when he was hired to work on Sleeping Beauty during his freshman year at BYU. Following the death of Walt Disney, however, Bluth became increasingly concerned about the direction of the studio. Along with fellow animators Gary Goldman and John Pomeroy, he ultimately left Disney and set out to build an independent alternative to the animation giant.
Their first feature, The Secret of NIMH, became a critical success and established the foundation for a decades-long rivalry with Disney. Bluth would go on to create a string of enduring animated films—including An American Tail, The Land Before Time and Anastasia—while also pushing the boundaries of interactive entertainment with Dragon’s Lair and Space Ace.
Through intimate interviews and hundreds of hours of never-before-seen archival footage and home video, Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There explores both the triumphs and contradictions of Bluth’s extraordinary career. The film examines an artist driven by an uncompromising commitment to his craft while confronting the often difficult balance between art, ambition and commerce.
Don has always been a titan to us,” said directors Dave LaMattina and Chad Walker. “Like so many others, his films were a part of our childhood. But more than that, as we came to know him throughout our many conversations, we gained a true appreciation for his artistic journey. The opportunity to document his life is a tremendous honor.”
Don Bluth: Somewhere Out There is produced by Copper Pot Pictures, founded by LaMattina and Walker in 2007. The company has produced and directed award-winning films and series across multiple platforms, including I Am Big Bird, their acclaimed documentary about Sesame Street performer Caroll Spinney, as well as the Animal Planet docuseries The Zoo and its subsequent spinoffs. The film is executive produced by Lavalle Lee.
ABOUT DAVE LaMATTINA
Dave LaMattina is a writer, director and producer and co-founder of Copper Pot Pictures. His work has taken him around the world, where he has worked with A-list talent and global institutions including Sesame Workshop and the Wildlife Conservation Society. He directed and produced I Am Big Bird and has produced projects including Exploring Planet Futbol, which required coordinating productions across five African countries in three weeks.
ABOUT CHAD WALKER
Chad Walker is a writer, director and editor and co-founder of Copper Pot Pictures. He began his career editing documentaries for public television in Boston before joining the editorial team at Blue Sky Studios, where he worked on Ice Age, Rio, Rio 2 and Epic. In addition to directing numerous Copper Pot productions, he has edited the majority of them, also serving as editor on Eddie, a Lionsgate documentary about basketball coach Eddie Sutton.
Don Bluth Somewhere Out There Trailer