1 9 , ▁with ▁their ▁next ▁scheduled ▁release ▁set ▁to ▁be ▁Con ne cted ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 2 0 2 0 . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Sony ▁Pictures ▁considered ▁s elling ▁off ▁its ▁visual ▁effects ▁facility ▁Sony ▁Pictures ▁Image works . ▁After ▁failing ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁suitable ▁bu yer , ▁having ▁been ▁im pressed ▁with ▁the ▁CG I ▁sequences ▁of ▁Stuart ▁Little ▁ 2 ▁and ▁seeing ▁the ▁box ▁office ▁success es ▁of ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ' s ▁Sh rek ▁and ▁Disney / P ix ar ' s ▁Mon sters , ▁Inc ., ▁S PI ▁was ▁re config ured ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁animation ▁studio . ▁Ast ro ▁Boy , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁development ▁at ▁Sony ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁as ▁a ▁live - action ▁film , ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁be ▁S PI ' s ▁first ▁all - CG I ▁film , ▁but ▁never ▁made ▁it ▁to ▁f ru ition . ▁On ▁May ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Sony ▁Pictures ▁An imation ▁was ▁established ▁to ▁develop ▁characters , ▁stories ▁and ▁mov ies ▁with ▁S PI ▁taking ▁over ▁the ▁digital ▁production ▁while ▁maintain ing ▁its ▁visual ▁effects ▁production . ▁Meanwhile , ▁S PI ▁produced ▁two ▁short ▁films , ▁the ▁Academy ▁Award - win ning ▁The ▁Ch ub b Ch ub bs ! ▁and ▁Early ▁Blo omer , ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁testing ▁its ▁strength s ▁and ▁weak ness es ▁in ▁producing ▁all - CG I ▁animation . ▁