Bluth formed Sullivan Bluth Studios with backing from businessman Morris Sullivan, while film director Steven Spielberg—a long-time animation fan who was interested in producing theatrical animation—helped Bluth to produce 1986's "An American Tail". The film was a hit, grossing $47,483,002 ($ in today's dollars). During its production, the studio relocated to Ireland, taking advantage of government tax breaks for film production. Bluth's 1988 follow-up "The Land Before Time" was a slightly bigger hit, grossing $48,092,846 ($ in today's dollars) and spawning 12 sequels and a TV series. Neither Bluth nor Spielberg were involved with any of the "Land Before Time" sequels; Spielberg produced the 1991 sequel "" without Bluth.