2025 came to a close with animation as globally dominant as ever. Ne Zha 2 topped the worldwide box office with $2.21 billion, followed by Walt Disney Animation\u2019s Zootopia 2, which came out hot in late November and is still cooking, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle at $759.3 million.<\/p>\n
Anime was more dominant than ever, with films like Chainsaw Man \u2013 The Movie: Reze Arc and compliation theatrical releases like\u00a0Jujutsu Kaisen: Execution\u00a0emulating, to a lesser extent, Demon Slayer\u2018s incredible profitability.<\/p>\n
What does that mean for 2026? With Walt Disney Animation scoring a much-needed win in 2025, will its sister studio Pixar Animation follow suit with its two releases \u2014 Hoppers and Toy Story 5 \u2014 and restore the once-dominant CG animation studio to box office success and original storytelling? Will there be any break-out originals like Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation\u2019s KPop Demon Hunters? Or will the coming year only bolster the seemingly endless stream of sequels, prequels, and remakes?<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the calendar of animated features currently set for release in the U.S. in 2026, which we will update periodically thorughout the year as new details emerge.<\/p>\n
JANUARY<\/p>\n
Lupin The IIIRD: The Movie \u2013 The Immortal Bloodline<\/a> The first Lupin feature in six years, The Immortal Bloodline drops Lupin III and his crew onto an uncharted island after they follow a mysterious invitation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Charlie the Wonderdog<\/a> A CG-animated super-pooch story, Charlie the Wonderdog follows a shy kid who imagines superhero adventures with his pet dog, Charlie (voiced by Owen Wilson). When Charlie is abducted by aliens and gifted real superpowers, he emerges as the greatest superhero the world has ever seen.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n All You Need Is Kill (aka \u00d4ru Y\u00fb N\u00eedo Izu Kiru)<\/a> Based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka\u2019s 2004 light novel All You Need Is Kill, illustrated by Yoshitoshi Abe. Readers may know the story from its 2014 live-action adaptation Edge of Tomorrow, directed by Doug Liman and starring Tom Cruise. This anime version approaches the story from a distinct point of view meant to set it apart from previous adaptations.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Cosmic Princess Kaguya!<\/a> An original anime feature and the feature-length debut of Shingo Yamashita, Cosmic Princess Kaguya! is a contemporary reimagining of Japan\u2019s oldest folktale, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Featuring a mix of traditional 2D animation and 3D camerawork with a bespoke soundtrack, anime fans are eager to see what Yamashita delivers.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n FEBRUARY<\/p>\n The Last Whale Singer<\/a> This CG-animated adventure anthropomorphizes an ensemble of undersea creatures on a quest to save their ocean. The Telescope synopsis reads: \u201cWhen a young humpback whale plagued by self-doubt discovers that only his mystical song can save the oceans from a terrible creature, he\u2019s forced to confront his deepest fears.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n GOAT<\/a> Sony Pictures is touting the film by name-checking producer Stephen Curry and emphasizing that it\u2019s made by many of the same artists behind Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters. An original underdog (goat?) story, GOAT follows little Will, who dreams of playing roar-ball and gets a chance to join the pros in a world where animals are the dominant species.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n MARCH<\/p>\n Hoppers<\/a> The theatrical feature debut of We Bare Bears creator Daniel Chong, Hoppers is Pixar\u2019s comedic take on Avatar. Mabel, a human animal lover, has her consciousness transferred into a beaver and ends up helping organize an uprising against encroaching humans.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n APRIL<\/p>\n The Super Mario Galaxy Movie<\/a> Horvath and Jelenic return for their second adventure in the Mushroom Kingdom. Per the logline: \u201cMario and Luigi join Princess Peach and Toad on an adventure into outer space and across the galaxy to face off against Bowser\u2019s son, Bowser Jr.\u201d The film will also introduce Princess Rosalina (voiced by Brie Larson).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n MAY<\/p>\n Animal Farm<\/a> In production since 2022, this third adaptation of George Orwell\u2019s 1945 novella Animal Farm takes a comedic, revisionist approach. Despite the tonal departure, Serkis assembled an A-list voice cast including Seth Rogen, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, and himself.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n JUNE<\/p>\n Toy Story 5 Andrew Stanton returns to the franchise he helped build. Bonnie is now eight years old and has a new tablet, throwing the toys into panic as they struggle to compete for her attention.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n JULY<\/p>\n Minions 3 The third sequel centered on the tiny yellow troublemakers, the now\u2013$5 billion franchise remains a summer box office juggernaut for Illumination and Universal.<\/p>\n AUGUST<\/p>\n Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie<\/a> Heroic dogs remain all the rage. The third Paw Patrol feature brings back the same creative team, with animation handled by Mikros Image in Montreal.<\/p>\n Coyote vs. Acme<\/a> The miracle release of 2026, Coyote vs. Acme narrowly escaped being shelved as a tax write-off before being sold to Ketchup Entertainment. Audiences will finally get to see Wile E. Coyote sue the Acme Corporation for decades of faulty products.<\/p>\n SEPTEMBER<\/p>\n Forgotten Island<\/a><\/p>\n Director: Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado Two lifelong best friends become stranded on a fantastical island where forgotten memories take physical form, forcing them to choose between finding their way home and sacrificing the shared history that defines their bond.<\/p>\n OCTOBER<\/p>\n The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender<\/a> A continuation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the characters are aged up to young adults as the story picks up after The Legend of Korra. Montgomery, a veteran of both series, directs. Recently dropped from Paramount\u2019s theatrical plans and will be sent straight to streaming, much to the chagrin of franchise fans.<\/p>\n Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom<\/a> The final installment in the Shaun the Sheep feature trilogy, with a likely spookier tone befitting its Halloween release.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n NOVEMBER<\/p>\n The Cat in the Hat<\/a> DNEG Animation leads this new take on Dr. Seuss\u2019 iconic character, with Bill Hader voicing the mischievous Cat.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Hexed<\/a> A magical original story centered on an awkward teenage boy whose abilities are discovered by his Type A mother.<\/p>\n DECEMBER<\/p>\n The Angry Birds Movie 3 UNDATED, BUT SCHEDULED FOR 2026<\/p>\n Includes Untitled Peanuts Movie<\/a>, A New Dawn, Wildwood<\/a>, Ray Gunn<\/a>, Steps<\/a>, Swapped<\/a>, and We Are Aliens.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2025 came to a close with animation as globally dominant as ever. 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Director: Takeshi Koike
Production Companies: Ch\u00fb\u00f4k\u00f4ron Shinsha, Telecom Animation Film
U.S. Distributor: GKIDS
Release Date: January 4\u20136<\/p>\n
Director: Shea Wageman
Production Company: ICON Creative Studio
U.S. Distributor: VivaKids
Release Date: January 16<\/p>\n
Directors: Ken\u2019ichir\u00f4 Akimoto, Yukinori Nakamura
Production Company: Studio 4\u00b0C
U.S. Distributor: GKIDS
Release Date: January 16<\/p>\n
Director: Shingo Yamashita
Production Companies: Chromadog Studios, Studio Colorido
U.S. Distributor: Netflix
Release Date: January 26<\/p>\n
Director: Reza Memari
Production Companies: Telescope Animation, PFX, La Bo\u00eete \u00e0 Fanny
U.S. Distributor: VivaKids
Release Date: February 12<\/p>\n
Directors: Tyree Dillihay, Adam Rosette
Production Companies: Modern Magic, Sony Pictures Animation, Unanimous Media
U.S. Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Release Date: February 13<\/p>\n
Director: Daniel Chong
Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios
U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: March 6<\/p>\n
Directors: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Production Companies: Illumination, Nintendo
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: April 3<\/p>\n
Director: Andy Serkis
Production Companies: Imaginarium Productions, Aniventure
U.S. Distributor: Angel<\/p>\n
Director: Andrew Stanton
Production Company: Pixar Animation Studios
U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: June 19<\/p>\n
Director: Pierre Coffin
Production Company: Illumination
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: July 1<\/p>\n
Director: Cal Brunker
Production Companies: Nickelodeon Movies, Domain Entertainment, Spin Master Entertainment
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Distribution
Release Date: August 14<\/p>\n
Director: Dave Green
Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures Animation
U.S. Distributor: Ketchup Entertainment
Release Date: August 28<\/p>\n
Production Company: DreamWorks Animation
U.S. Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release Date: September 25<\/p>\n
Director: Lauren Montgomery
Production Companies: Nickelodeon Movies, Avatar Studios
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Release Date: October 9<\/p>\n
Directors: Steve Cox, Matthew Walker
Production Company: Aardman Animations
U.S. Distributor: StudioCanal
Release Date: October 31<\/p>\n
Directors: Erica Rivinoja, Alessandro Carloni
Production Companies: Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, DNEG Animation
U.S. Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: November 6<\/p>\n
Directors: Josie Trinidad, Jason Hand
Production Company: Walt Disney Animation Studios
U.S. Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release Date: November 25<\/p>\n
Director: John Rice
Production Companies: Rovio Animation, DNEG Animation, Flywheel Media
U.S. Distributor: Paramount Distribution
Release Date: December 23<\/p>\n