Jorge R. Gutierrez (born January 25, 1975), also known as "Super Macho",”Jorge Gutierrez” DFW Child. Published June 2015. Accessed digitally January 27, 2026. https://dfwchild.com/jorge-gutierrez/Gutierrez, Jorge. Jorge Gutierrez (a.k.a. SUPER MACHO) Journal. Dark Horse, 2003."About". Super Macho. Accessed digitally January 27, 2026. http://www.super-macho.com/ is a Mexican animator, writer, producer, director, and voice actor. He co-created the Nickelodeon animated series El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera with his wife Sandra Equihua, and co-wrote and directed the film The Book of Life and the television miniseries Maya and the Three. He and Equihua founded the production studio Mexopolis in 1994.
Biography Jorge R. GutierrezGutierrez, Jorge. ”Lucha con autismo”. TedxSanAngel. Published to YouTube November 30, 2023. Accessed January 27, 2026. was born on January 25, 1975Post by Gutierrez celebrating his birthday in 2026 on Instagram. Posted January 26, 2026. Accessed January 27, 2026. in Mexico City and raised in Tijuana.”Jorge Gutierrez”. Dallas Society of Visual Communications. Published digitally 2015. Accessed digitally January 27, 2026. https://dsvc.org/speaker/jorge-gutierrez As a child, he adopted the nickname "Super Macho" after his grandfather told him "there are two types of Mexicans: Macho and Super Macho".”My Journey from Student to Showrunner - Jorge R Gutierrez Webinar”. Posted to YouTube July 31, 2020. Accessed digitally January 27, 2026.
Gutierrez attended the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), where he received his BFA (1997) & MFA (2000) in Experimental Animation under Jules Engel, and was mentored by Maureen Selwood. There he created the 3D short Carmelo, which won the 2001 Student Emmy Award in animation and was screened at Kodak's Emerging Filmmakers Program at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. In 2000, Gutierrez worked under animator Maurice Noble, for the art direction of Chuck Jones' Timberwolf for Warner Bros. In 2001, he began creating Jorge Gutierrez' El Macho, an animated web series for Sony Pictures.
Gutierrez has also done character design on many animated series including Nickelodeon's ChalkZone, as well as Kids' WB's ¡Mucha Lucha!, Cartoon Network's Class of 3000, and Disney's The Buzz on Maggie for which he was nominated for a 2006 Annie Award in character design. As a writer, he's worked on Scholastic's Maya & Miguel as well as Disney's Brandy & Mr. Whiskers and Vampirina.
In 2008, Gutierrez won two Annie awards (Best TV Animated Show & Best TV Character Design) and one Emmy (Best TV Character Design) working on his passion project for Nickelodeon, El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera, along with his co-creator and wife, Sandra Equihua who also won an Emmy for her character designs.
In 2010, he created some of the sketches in Cartoon Network's Mad including "Dear Reaper...", "Dog vs Mailman" (part 1, 2 and 3), "Video Game Cheats", "Arcade Boy" and "Dog vs Fire Hydrant".
In 2012, Gutierrez directed and co-wrote an animated adventure feature film with a Romeo and Juliet style love story set against a Mexican "Day of the Dead" backdrop. The film, with the official title The Book of Life, was co-produced with 20th Century Fox Animation and was released on October 17, 2014. He earned his first Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014. He was also nominated for three Annie awards (Best Film, Best Director & Best Character Design).
In February 2015, Reel FX and Gutierrez announced a multi-year, multi-picture deal which included Kung Fu Space Punch and The Book of Life 2.
In 2016 Gutierrez designed, voiced, wrote and directed the Annie and Emmy nominated Son of Jaguar VR short for Google Spotlight Stories.
In 2016, Gutierrez was awarded an Impact Award by the National Hispanic Media Coalition for his "Outstanding Direction in a Motion Picture".
On August 2, 2017, it was reported that Gutierrez would write and direct The Billion Brick Race, a spin-off of The Lego Movie, for Warner Animation Group. However, on February 8, 2018, it was reported that Gutierrez had permanently cancelled the project.
In October 2020, he signed an over-all-deal with Netflix. He directed the Immigration music video for the Emmy Award-winning series We the People, and wrote and directed the Annie (Best TV Animated Show & Best TV Music) and Emmy (Best Writing, Best Promo, Best Sound and Individual Achievement for Color) Award-winning Maya and the Three, a nine episode animated limited series for Netflix Animation. He had been developing a follow-up series to Maya set in the same universe for Netflix titled Kung Fu Space Punch, however, it was scrapped in 2022 along with many other planned animated series. He was also set to direct an original animated film titled I, Chihuahua from a script he wrote with Gabriel Iglesias. However, the film was cancelled in April 2024, due to creative differences. In February 2026, it was announced that the film got revived by United Kingdom studio Snafu Pictures. In May 2026, it was announced that the film distribution rights would be shopped to different studios during the Marché du Film 2026.
In December 2024 and February 2025, Gutierrez hinted that he and Equihua had meetings with The Walt Disney Company on a potential new project. In April 2026, Gutierrez confirmed that he was developing a new animated project for Disney hinting that it is "based on an IP they own".
On June 20, 2025, it was announced that Gutierrez was developing an original animated independent short film La Venganza Rodríguez at Spanish animation studio Hampa Studio.
On July 4, 2025, Gutierrez announced El Guapo vs. the Narco Vampires, an adult animated pilot in collaboration with Ánima Estudios that would be shopped to streamers and studios. The pilot debuted in January 2026.
In December 2025, Gutierrez teased that he was developing a Speedy Gonzales feature film at Warner Bros. Pictures Animation. The project was greenlit at Warner Bros. Pictures Animation on January 16, 2026.
In May 2026, Prime Video announced the production of Gutierrez's animated project Punky Duck as a part of the GenAI Creators' Fund, an Amazon MGM Studios initiative for integrating artificial intelligence to professional animation pipelines including the use of generative AI tools. In a statement to Cartoon Brew, Gutierrez said that he would be cautious with artificial intelligence, saying, "artists driving tech, and not the other way around, is my goal." The announcement was met with backlash from his fans on social media, with many calling him a sell out after his long career in the animation industry and his history of supporting artists' rights. Gutierrez backed out of the project days after the announcement, saying on X: "My sincerest apology to those I upset. I promise to do better moving forward."
Personal life Gutierrez did not speak until the age of five. As an adult, he was diagnosed with autism following his son's diagnosis.
Filmography Short film Year Title Director Writer Voiceactor Role Notes 2000 Carmelo Carmelo's Father Won Student Emmy 2017 Son of Jaguar Son of Jaguar VR shortAlso character designer and art director
Storyboard artist Lint People (2001)
Feature film Year Title Director Writer Notes 2014 The Book of Life Also character designer and additional music composer 2015 Guardians of Oz Also executive producer and character designer Untitled Speedy Gonzales fim La Venganza Rodríguez I, Chihuahua
Voice roles Year Title Role 2014 The Book of Life Skeleton Carmelo 2023 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Additional Voices 2024 The Casagrandes Movie Felipe the Street Vendor 2025 The Bad Guys 2 Lucha spectator 2025 Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires Toltecatzin Untitled Speedy Gonzales film
Television Year Title Director Writer Creator Executiveproducer Notes 2001 El Macho Web seriesAlso character designer 2004–07 Maya & Miguel 8 episodes 2006 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Episode "Big Girls Don't Body Slam" 2007–08 El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera Character designer, production designer 2010–13 Mad Various skits; Animator 2021 We the People Episode "Immigration" 2021 Maya and the Three Miniseries
TV pilot Year Title Director Writer Creator Characterdesigner Voiceactor Role 2005Pepe the Bull 2010 Carmen Got Expelled Butcher 2026 El Guapo vs. The Narco Vampires El Guapo/Judas
Guest works Year Title Role 2003 ChalkZone Art director for "Pumpkin Love/Chip of Fools/Irresistible/Please Let Me In" 2007 Class of 3000 Music video art director for "Love is in the Hair...Net" 2024 The Simpsons Director/writer/designer for the opening and credits of "Treehouse of Horror XXXV"
Voice roles Year Title Role Notes 2001 El Macho El Macho 2007–08 El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera Gordo Gordo 2018 Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Ghostbear 4 episodes 2019–22 Victor and Valentino Sal Recurring role 2019 The Loud House Lucha Libre Commentator Episode "Lucha Fever with the Casagrandes" 2021 Animaniacs Diego Rivera Segment "The Warners Are Present" 2021 Maya and the Three King Teca 2021The Casagrandes Lucha Libre Commentator / Pigeon Referee Episode "Saving Face" 2024 Star Trek: Prodigy Dr. K'ruvang Episode "A Tribble Called Quest" 2024 Helluva Shorts The Farmer Episode "Mission: Chupacabras" 2025 Big City Greens Customer Episode Mulligan'd
Other credits Year Title Role 2004 ¡Mucha Lucha! Character designer for Season 2 and 3 2005 The Buzz on Maggie Character model design supervisor 2015–16 The Adventures of Puss in Boots Executive consultant Kung-Fu Space Punch Canceled
Bibliography Year Title Publisher ISBN Notes Ref 2014 The Art of The Book of Life Dark Horse Books Author & illustrator 2018 Día de los Muertos Little Simon Illustrator Border Bang Cernunnos Author and illustrator
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