Travis Knight

Travis Knight (also known as Трэвис Найт) is an American screen artist best known for directing and shaping modern animation. Born on September 13, 1973, in Hillsboro, Oregon, he grew up close to the worlds of business and creativity as the son of Nike co-founder Phil Knight, later carving out his own path in film.

Knight became a defining force at the stop-motion studio Laika, serving as a lead animator and ultimately its CEO. His work helped elevate the studio’s handcrafted style into mainstream acclaim, most notably with Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), which he directed and which strengthened his reputation for emotionally rich, visually inventive storytelling.

Expanding beyond animation, Knight successfully transitioned to live action with Bumblebee (2018), bringing character-driven warmth to a blockbuster franchise. He continues to develop high-profile projects, including Laika’s Wildwood (2025) and the upcoming Masters of the Universe (2026), reflecting his range across genres and formats.

Across his career, Knight has earned multiple Academy Award nominations and remains a key figure in contemporary filmmaking. His credits also include appearances such as Claydream (archive footage) and the music-related credit Chilly Tee - “Get Off Mine”.