From Disney’s Lion King to Marvel’s Captain America: ArtCenter Professor’s 32-Year Journey Through Hollywood Animation

For more than two decades, Sam Michlap has shaped the imaginations of aspiring concept artists as a longtime faculty member in ArtCenter College of Design’s Entertainment Design program. This year, audiences worldwide are seeing his vision come to life on the big screen in “Captain America: Brave New World,” where Michlap worked in the art department.

The film, which premiered Feb. 11 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and was released Feb. 14, has grossed $415 million worldwide, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2025.

Michlap’s career spans 32 years as an entertainment concept artist, production designer, painter and teacher. His journey began in 1992 with Disney’s “The Lion King,” launching a career that would touch some of Hollywood’s most beloved animated and live-action films.

In 1995, Michlap was invited to join DreamWorks Animation at the beginning of the studio’s formation. He worked on “The Prince of Egypt” for 18 months, contributing to continuity, lighting, color and serving as lead designer for several key sequences including the parting of the Red Sea, Death of the First Born, Ultimatum and Beating of Miriam.

His DreamWorks portfolio expanded to include “The Road to El Dorado,” “Sinbad,” “Shrek,” “SharkTale,” “Monsters vs. Aliens,” “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted,” “Turbo,” “MegaMind” and “The Rise of the Guardians.” For “Monsters vs. Aliens,” Michlap was one of the first artists alongside Craig Kellman to develop the film’s visual world.

Michlap worked as a layout artist at Disney Feature Animation from 1992-1996 and as a production designer, art director and visual development artist at DreamWorks Animation from 1996-2005. His client list includes The Walt Disney Studios, DreamWorks Feature Animation, Disney’s Imagineering, Sony Pictures, Reelfx and Warner Brothers.

Since 2000, Michlap has taught primarily for ArtCenter College of Design, bringing his industry expertise into the classroom. ArtCenter’s Entertainment Design program was added as a new undergraduate department in 2008, and the program now features distinguished faculty that includes some of Hollywood’s most celebrated concept artists, animators and character designers.

His recent film credits include “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” (2020), “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017) and “Doctor Strange” (2016). He also worked on concept design for an early, unmade version of “The Batman.”

ArtCenter College of Design, founded in 1930 in downtown Los Angeles, began granting Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in arts in 1949. The school now employs more than 400 distinguished faculty instructors across its programs.

Ken Bielenberg, as Chair of Entertainment Design at ArtCenter College of Design, oversees a program that continues to prepare the next generation of entertainment industry professionals.