Benjamin “Ben” Gluck is an American director, screenwriter, and storyboard artist. In 2009, acknowledging the importance of inclusivity in animated feature films and drawn to the film’s potential theme of forbidden love, Gluck chose to contribute to the project. Gluck was credited as one of the two directors of the first Alpha and Omega film [2010], which launched the Alpha and Omega franchise.
Despite its limited budget and production challenges, Alpha and Omega,[1] made a significant impact. The film, with a budget of only $20 million—far below the average $175 million for Disney/Pixar animated features—grossed $50 million worldwide and sold 1.1 million DVD units. It played a notable role in expanding the market for American animated features in India, being one of the first American-produced animated films released there. The film resonated with audiences despite some negative reviews, developing a dedicated following and earning cult status.
In a statement from Lionsgate, the production distributor, the film was deemed a success, further evidenced by the release of three franchise books by Scholastic and several licensed video games. To date, Alpha and Omega remains Lionsgate Family Entertainment’s highest-grossing animated original franchise, leading to seven sequels:
- Alpha and Omega 2: A Howl-iday Adventure (2013)
- Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games (2014)
- Alpha and Omega 4: The Legend of the Saw Tooth Cave (2014)
- Alpha and Omega 5: Family Vacation (2015)
- Alpha and Omega 6: Dino Digs (2016)
- Alpha and Omega 7: The Big Fureeze (2016)
- Alpha and Omega 8: Journey to Bear Kingdom (2017)
While Gluck’s characters continued to be part of the franchise, he was not involved in the development or production of the subsequent films.