Warner Bros. Pictures Animation Teams With ‘Hazbin Hotel’ Creator Vivienne Medrano for Theatrical Animated Musical ‘Prehistoria’

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation announced June 22 that it is partnering with independent animator and creator Vivienne Medrano on an original animated musical feature titled Prehistoria, with the project planned for a theatrical release. The announcement positions Medrano, whose work grew through YouTube creator culture, as a central creative force on a film produced in a major studio animation pipeline.

Deadline reported that Warner Bros. Pictures Animation will work with Medrano on the feature, described as an original animated musical. Warner Bros. Pictures Animation also indicated the studio is joining forces with one of the best-known voices to emerge from independent, creator-led animation platforms, reflecting the broader industry shift toward bringing established online audiences into traditional theatrical development.

Medrano’s existing creator brand includes Hazbin Hotel, which Deadline characterized as an influential adult animated project. Deadline’s report also described the overall creative lane that Medrano has become associated with, including animated musical storytelling and adult comedy elements that helped audiences find her work outside the conventional animation studio system.

The announcement does not provide additional details in the Deadline report about plot, cast, production schedule, or a release date. It also does not name specific roles for studio personnel beyond the creative partnership, and it does not outline whether Medrano’s involvement will include direct writing, producing, or other functions within Warner Bros. Pictures Animation’s development process.

As Warner Bros. moves the project into theatrical planning, the collaboration also places focus on how intellectual property and creator-developed formats can be translated from online distribution to a studio feature model. In practice, that can affect everything from long-form script development and music rights to audience expectations that were formed through episodic, internet-first releases.

For Medrano, the partnership represents a scaling opportunity for a creator-led track record into a big-screen format, while Warner Bros. Pictures Animation gains a known creator with a demonstrated ability to build a dedicated fan base. The deal underscores the role of music-forward animated storytelling as a continuing through-line for both mainstream studio projects and independent animation.

The next steps for Prehistoria will likely be studio confirmation of key production elements, including creative credits and distribution planning for theatrical rollout, though those specifics were not included in the June 22 report. No premiere window was stated in the Deadline announcement.