John McLaughlin was a computer animator who spent a bulk of his career with DreamWorks, working on such films as Shark Tale, Kung Fu Panda, Over the Hedge, Kung Fu Panda 2, Rise of the Guardians and Kung Fu Panda 3. But McLaughlin’s biggest claim to fame was that he created the opening roller coaster animation for the Regal Cinema theater chain. McLaughlin passed away on May 12th at the age of 46, and while he has left behind an impressive body of work, he’ll forever be remembered for creating the video that is always just a little exciting to watch before the feature film (you can admit it). John McLaughlin will always have a small place in the annals of movie history.
