Aaron Waltke
Waltke at the 2018 Annie Awards
Born (1984-08-08) August 8, 1984
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
NationalityAmerican
Other namesAaron J. Waltke
Occupation(s)screenwriter and television producer
Notable work
Spouse
Ellen Tremiti
​
(m. 2016)​

Aaron John Waltke (born August 8, 1984)[1] is an American screenwriter and Emmy-winning, Annie-nominated executive producer and showrunner.[2] He is best known for his work on Guillermo del Toro's Trollhunters (2016–2018), Wizards: Tales of Arcadia (2020), Unikitty! (2018–2020), and Star Trek: Prodigy (2021–present).[3][4] In 2020, he was named by The College Magazine as one of its "20 under 40" List.[5]

Early life

Aaron Waltke was born and raised in Greenwood, Indiana, in the suburbs of Indianapolis.[6] He attended Indiana University Bloomington, where he majored in Psychology before changing his focus to Telecommunications, English and Theatre.[7] While there, he began directing live theatre, performing sketch comedy, and writing screenplays.[8] He eventually moved to Los Angeles where his work was shown at venues including The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, iO West, The Comedy Store, and the L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival.[9]

Career

Film and television

Waltke began his television career producing and directing documentaries for PBS affiliate WTIU. After moving to Los Angeles, he was hired by The National Lampoon as a writer and producer to create original content.[10]

In 2012, he was hired to write a live-action feature film adaptation of The Brave Little Toaster.[11] He was later hired to adapt a live action feature film version of the popular comic strip Heathcliff for the same company.[12]

In 2014, he joined Guillermo del Toro's award-winning Netflix series Trollhunters produced by DreamWorks Animation, for which he was twice-nominated and won an Emmy Award in the category of "Best Writing for an Animated Program," and was nominated for an Annie Award.[13]

He later became co-executive producer and co-showrunner on the final installment of the franchise, Wizards: Tales of Arcadia, for which he co-wrote the pilot with del Toro. He won a Kidscreen Award for "Best New Series" and was nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Animated Series".[14][15][16]

In 2017, he served as a head writer for a Cartoon Network spinoff of The LEGO Movie entitled Unikitty! produced by Warner Bros. Animation.[17] While there, he co-wrote an episode of Teen Titans Go! for the same creative team.[18]

In July 2019, Waltke joined the Paramount+ television series Star Trek: Prodigy as a writer and co-producer, later co-executive producer and co-head writer for the project, which marks the first CBS Studios and Nickelodeon co-production in the Star Trek franchise. He previously collaborated with the show's creators, The Hageman Brothers, on Trollhunters.[19] In 2022, he was nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Animated Series" for his work on the show.[20] In 2023, his work received a nomination for a Television Critics Association Award in the category of "Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming."[21]

In October 2020, Legion M announced that Waltke was attached to develop and executive produce an adult animated feature film with Powerhouse Animation based on George Mann's Ghosts of Manhattan novels, an action sci-fi noir story set in an alternate history 1920s New York.[22]

In 2023, Waltke was hired to develop the story and script for the forthcoming feature film Transformers One, a prequel film in the Transformers franchise.[23]

Comics and graphic novels

In 2023, Waltke was announced as a writer for DC Comics in the upcoming anthology, How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days. The anthology will explore the strange world of superhero romance in the DC Universe.[24]

Personal life

Waltke is married to fellow writer and published mystery author Ellen Tremiti. They reside in Los Angeles.[25]

Waltke engages in youth activism and outreach. He was the keynote speaker at the 2018 RESET Technology & Creativity Conference, a bi-national event between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, aimed at encouraging youth innovation, creativity, and opportunity across the Mexico–US border.[26]

Selected filmography

Aaron Waltke television work
YearTitleCredit
2008–2010National Lampoon's College NetworkWriter, Producer, Director
2012–2013Game Program Attack!Writer (7 episodes)
2016–2018Trollhunters: Tales of ArcadiaWriter (24 episodes), Staff Writer (52 episodes)
2017Teen Titans Go!Writer (1 episode)
2018–2020Unikitty!Head Writer, Story Editor (56 episodes)
2020Wizards: Tales of ArcadiaShowrunner, Co-Executive Producer, Head Writer (10 episodes)
2021–2023Star Trek: ProdigyCo-Producer, Writer (20 episodes) Co-Executive Producer, Co-Head Writer (20 episodes)

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2013 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Creative Achievement In Interactive Media The 3rd Annual Streamy Awards Nominated [27]
2018 Kidscreen Awards Best Writing Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia Won [28]
Annie Awards Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production Nominated [29]
Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing in an Animated Program Won [30][31]
2019 Outstanding Writing for an Animated Program Nominated [32]
2021 Outstanding Children's Animated Series Wizards: Tales of Arcadia Nominated [33]
Kidscreen Awards Best New Series Won [34]
2022 Children's and Family Emmy Awards Outstanding Animated Series Star Trek: Prodigy Nominated [20][35]
2023 Television Critics Association Awards Outstanding Achievement in Family Programming Nominated [36]

References

  1. ↑ "Twitter - Aaron Waltke". Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  2. ↑ "IMDb page for Aaron Waltke". IMDb. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  3. ↑ Holloway, Daniel (July 7, 2020). "'Wizards,' Final Chapter in Guillermo del Toro's 'Tales of Arcadia' Trilogy, Sets Premiere Date". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  4. ↑ Bennett, Tara (August 5, 2020). "Tales of Arcadia: Guggenheim Talks Beautiful Symmetry of Wrapping Up Netflix Franchise with 'Wizards'". Syfy Wire. Retrieved February 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ "The College's 20 Under 40". The College. August 7, 2020. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  6. ↑ Bradley, Dan (July 24, 2019). "A Sit Down with Aaron Waltke: From Cornfields to Trollhunters". The HDRoom. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ Camacho, Hannah (February 11, 2018). "'Episode #37. Interview with Writer Aaron Waltke (Trollhunters, Unikitty!): Letting a Story Live and Breathe'". The Basic Brainheart Podcast. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  8. ↑ Porter Tilley, Jenny (January 22, 2017). "2 IU grads help write the secret world of Netflix's 'Trollhunters'". The Herald-Times Online. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  9. ↑ Bradley, Dan (July 24, 2019). "A Sit Down with Aaron Waltke: From Cornfields to Trollhunters". The HDRoom. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  10. ↑ Pesola, Eric (October 28, 2020). "Meet Aaron Waltke — one of the creative minds behind Star Trek: Prodigy". The Trek Report. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  11. ↑ Foreman, Liza (12 September 2012). "Waterman Gives 'Brave Little Toaster' a New Lease of Life (Exclusive)". The Wrap. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  12. ↑ Haney, Kendall Michele. "Ep 9 - Serialized Storytelling with Aaron Waltke". The Typin' Toons Podcast. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  13. ↑ Porter Tilley, Jenny (January 22, 2017). "2 IU grads help write the secret world of Netflix's 'Trollhunters'". The Herald-Times Online. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  14. ↑ Dickson, Jeremy (November 23, 2020). "Who's up for a Kidscreen Award?". The Kidscreen Awards. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ Davis, Victoria (August 7, 2020). "Guillermo del Toro's 'Wizards' Brings His 'Tales of Arcadia' Trilogy to a Close". Animation World Network. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  16. ↑ Dickson, Jeremy (2021-02-09). "Kidscreen Awards 2021 Winners". Kidscreen. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  17. ↑ Joe, Literary (August 7, 2020). "TALES OF ARCADIA Exclusive: Writers Waltke And Quandt On The Franchise And Hopes For An MCU POWER PACK Film". ComicbookMovie.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  18. ↑ "IMDb page for Aaron Waltke". IMDb. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  19. ↑ Lovett, Jaime (July 30, 2019). "Star Trek Animated Series Reveals Writing Team". Comicbook.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  20. 1 2 "Star Trek: Prodigy Nominated for First Annual Children's & Family Emmys". Star Trek. November 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-03.
  21. ↑ Pedersen, Rosy Cordero,Erik; Cordero, Rosy; Pedersen, Erik (2023-06-30). "TCA Awards Nominations: 'Succession', 'The Bear' & 'The Last Of Us' Lead; HBO/Max Laps Field With 20 Noms". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-07-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ↑ Carter, Michelle P. (October 13, 2020). "Legion M's New Animated Noir Project... Ghosts of Manhattan!". Official Legion M website. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Infinite Diversity: A Star Trek Universe Podcast: ID 162: Lower Decks, S4E4: "Something Borrowed, Something Green" on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  24. ↑ Connor, Casey (2023-10-26). ""How to Lose a Guy Gardner in 10 Days": DC's Iconic Heroes to Star in Rom-Com-Inspired Valentine's Day Special". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  25. ↑ "Wedding Announcements". The Daily Journal. December 9, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  26. ↑ Staff, UC (October 20, 2018). "Binational Innovation and Entrepreneurship Summit Coming to UTEP". UTEP Communications. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Interactive Digital Media Programs to be Honored". Emmys Official Website. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  28. ↑ Whyte, Alexandra (February 13, 2018). "And the 2018 Kidscreen Awards go to…". Kidscreen. Brunico Communications. Archived from the original on 2018-02-14. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  29. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (December 4, 2017). "Annie Awards: Disney/Pixar's 'Coco' Tops Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  30. ↑ "THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS & SCIENCES ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR THE 45TH ANNUAL DAYTIME EMMY® AWARDS" (PDF). Emmy Awards Official Site. March 21, 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-10-23. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  31. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (April 27, 2018). "Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards: 'Bold And The Beautiful', 'Sesame Street' Top Winners". Deadline. Archived from the original on 2018-04-28.
  32. ↑ Milligan, Mercedes (March 20, 2019). "Daytime Emmy Nominees: 'Elena of Avalor,' 'Watership Down' Lead Animation". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on 2019-03-21.
  33. ↑ "2021 Daytime Children's and Lifestyle Nominees" (PDF). Emmys Official Website. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  34. ↑ Dickson, Jeremy. "Kidscreen Awards 2021 Winners". Kidscreen.com. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  35. ↑ "NATAS ANNOUNCES NOMINATIONS FOR FIRST ANNUAL CHILDREN'S & FAMILY EMMYS AS OF NOVEMBER 10, 2022" (PDF). The Emmys Official Website. November 10, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  36. ↑ Pedersen, Rosy Cordero,Erik; Cordero, Rosy; Pedersen, Erik (2023-06-30). "TCA Awards Nominations: 'Succession', 'The Bear' & 'The Last Of Us' Lead; HBO/Max Laps Field With 20 Noms". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-07-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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