Januel Mercado

Januel Mercado (also credited as Januel P. Mercado and ジャニュエル・P・メルカド) is a Filipino-American feature animation filmmaker, best known for directing and shaping story-driven animated adventures. Born on November 23, 1984, in Stockton, California, he has built a career that blends sharp comedy, dynamic action, and character-first storytelling.

A graduate of San José State University, Mercado joined DreamWorks Animation in 2008 and steadily rose through the studio’s creative ranks. He began as a story artist on Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011), then helped develop key sequences and narrative beats on titles such as Turbo (2013), Penguins of Madagascar (2014), and Trolls (2016).

Mercado reached a major milestone as co-director of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) with Joel Crawford, a breakout hit celebrated for its bold visual style and emotional punch. The film earned him high-profile awards attention, including Academy Award and BAFTA nominations.

In addition to directing and story work, Mercado has contributed voice performances, including roles in The Croods: A New Age and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, underscoring his versatile presence across modern animation.