Joel Crawford is an American film director, storyboard artist and screenwriter. He is best known for his work at DreamWorks Animation, including directing The Croods: A New Age (2020), Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), and Forgotten Island (2026). He received an Academy Award nomination for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Career
In 2006, Joel Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation, where he served as a story artist on Bee Movie (2007), the Kung Fu Panda trilogy (2008–16), Shrek Forever After (2010), and Rise of the Guardians (2012). In October 2017, Crawford signed on to direct The Croods: A New Age (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 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (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 movie's story.