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At 2025's halfway point, A Minecraft Movie, Lilo & Stitch, and Sinners are the year's three biggest box-office success stories — on U.S. screens anyway. Internationally, though, those chicken jockeys, aliens, and vampires have been left in the dust by a rambunctious sprite named Ne Zha, the star of a Chinese-language animated sequel that's been a headlining attraction at multiplexes around the world for six months and counting. The first trailer for the upcoming English-language version debuted online Tuesday and spotlights the film's eye-popping animation, as well as funny animal jokes that easily cross borders.

Since opening in China in January, Ne Zha 2 has broken the $2 billion barrier at the global box office, joining such rarefied company as James Cameron's Avatar movies and the one-two punch of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. While the bulk of those grosses have come from its native land — where it has earned...

With apologies to Papa Smurf, it's been a rough smurfin' year for theatrical animation. The first half of 2025 has seen a box-office resurgence for family fare with A Minecraft Movie, How to Train Your Dragon and the billion-dollar-grossing Lilo & Stitch all racking up massive numbers. But all three of those movies were live-action features — albeit live-action features that used extensive amounts of computer animation. Stranger still, Lilo and Dragon were remakes of animated movies released by their respective studios, Disney and Universal, over a decade ago.

Meanwhile, the animated films that have been released in U.S. theaters in the past seven months are mostly a distant afterthought with audiences and critics. With a 20 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and dismal tracking numbers, Paramount's attempt to relaunch the Smurfs franchise is unlikely to change 2025's unfortunate trajectory when it opens in theaters this weekend — even with Rihanna onboard as...

It’s only been three months since the Abbott Elementary Season 4 finale aired on ABC, but the network is already moving forward with the next season of the hit sitcom. ABC has confirmed that Abbott Elementary Season 1 will debut on October 1 alongside the next season of Shifting Gears, another hit sitcom starring Tim Allen. Abbott Elementary sits at a nearly perfect 99% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and even general audiences are high on the series, rating it a strong 89% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. Abbott Elementary is a workplace comedy centered around a group of dedicated teachers at a Philadelphia public school. Despite the odds being constantly stacked against them, they are committed to helping get the most out of their students and helping them succeed.

Abbott Elementary was written and created for television by Quinta Brunson, who also stars in the lead role of Janine Teagues in the hit ABC sitcom.

It's official: Disney has become the first Hollywood studio to score a $1 billion box office hit in 2025. The movie in question is the live-action "Lilo & Stitch" remake, which opened to more than $180 million across the four-day Memorial Day weekend in May. Ever since then, it's been on a tear and has now amassed more money globally than any other American-made movie this year.

To date, director Dean Fleischer Camp's "Lilo & Stitch" has made $416.2 million domestically to go with a whopping $584.8 million internationally for a grand total of $1 billion worldwide. That makes it the 58th movie to ever cross the milestone, just behind "Jurassic World Dominion" ($1.001 billion). Rather crucially, though, it is not the top-grossing movie of the year overall. That honor goes to the animated Chinese blockbuster "Ne-Zha 2," which made well over $2 billion earlier this year, with most of that money coming from China alone.

That aside,...

After nearly two months in theaters, Disney’s remake of “Lilo & Stitch” has passed $1 billion at the global box office, becoming the studio’s 29th theatrical release to cross that milestone and fourth in the last 13 months.

It is the second movie this year and the first from Hollywood to cross the $1 billion threshold, joining the $2 billion-plus Chinese animated hit “Ne Zha 2.” It is also the fifth Disney remake to pass the milestone, joining remakes of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Aladdin.”

“We knew there was a lot of love for ‘Lilo & Stitch’ with audiences around the world, yet we never take that for granted, and we’re proud of how this new film has connected with people,” said Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman. “I’m thankful to our filmmakers, our cast, and all on our Studio team who have made this film such a success,...

Did you know that fans were experiencing a Mandela Effect meltdown over the discovery of different titles of Zootopia? Yes! The movie, which first hit theaters in 2016, didn’t just become a box-office hit, but also a cultural landmark, confusing people beyond belief.

With its incredible Rotten Tomatoes score of 98% and a well-earned spot in the billion-dollar club, the internet is still buzzing about the movie. And it’s not about the sequel, but its name! If you were left wondering whether you dreamt up an alternate title, you’re not alone. So, what’s the real story behind this confusion?

Zootopia or Zootropolis: The Movie That Confused the World A still from Zootopia | Credits: Walt Disney Animation Studios

The movie follows Judy Hopps, a rabbit from a rural town who becomes the first bunny cop in the big city of Zootopia. She reluctantly partners up with a con-artist fox named Nick Wilde,...

The 2025 class of Variety‘s 10 Animators to Watch, presented by Nickelodeon, and “Smurfs” director Chris Miller gathered at Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Los Angeles on July 9 for a “Smurfs”-themed awards reception.

Ramsey Naito, president of Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, kicked off the remarks. “This event is truly one of my favorite events, because we as a community can come together and celebrate animation and celebrate the artists, the artists behind the brush, the pencil, the cintiq, and it’s because of you that we’re here,” she said.

The 2025 Animators to Watch honorees included Brooke Shay Bradford (“The Bad Guys 2″), Tom Brass (“Wolf King”), Todd Harris (“Eyes of Wakanda”), Meg Park (“Zootopia 2”), Christina Sotta (“Batman: Caped Crusader”), C.J. Sarachene (“Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie”), Alon Winterstein (“Hoppers”), Margaret Wuller and Kasey Fagerquist (“Smurfs”), Daniel Lim Ti Yan (“Cat in the Hat”) and Kirill Yeretsky.

Burbank, California – July 09: (L-r) Kasey Fagerquist,...

Warner Bros./DC Studios’ “Superman” didn’t earn its studio’s biggest opening of the year, but it is still getting a new era of DC superhero movies off on the right foot with a global launch of $217 million, including $122 million domestic.

The domestic start is right in the middle of a wide projection range from industry analysts, rival studios and independent trackers, which had starts ranging from $115-135 million. It is also between the $118 million opening of director James Gunn’s last film, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” and the $133 million of the last hit DC film, “The Batman.”

The reception for “Superman” has also been largely positive, earning Rotten Tomatoes scores of 82% critics and 94% audience along with an 86% positive score on Posttrak and an A- on CinemaScore. The CinemaScore grade matches the A- of Zack Snyder’s 2013 Superman film “Man of Steel,” which opened to $128 million.

With that reception,...

The 2025 Humanitas Prize nominations have been announced, once again honoring television and film writers who masterfully explore the depth of the human experience. This year’s awards will be presented at a Sept. 7 ceremony in Hollywood hosted by actress and comedian Fortune Feimster.

On the TV side, drama nominees include Emmy contenders The Pitt, The Last of Us, The Handmaid's Tale, and Brilliant Minds. Comedy contenders include The Studio, The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, A Man on the Inside, and Clean Slate. Limited series being honored include Dying for Sex, Interior Chinatown, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, and Say Nothing.

In the film categories, last year's Oscar contenders Conclave, Nickel Boys, and Sing Sing will battle it out for Best Drama Feature, while Dìdi (弟弟), My Old Ass, and A Real Pain compete in comedy. Inside Out 2, Out of My Mind, and The Wild Robot are nominated for Best Family Feature.

The Humanitas org has revealed nominations for this year’s Humanitas Prizes, which will reveal winners at Avalon Hollywood on Sept. 7, hosted by actress/writer/comedian Fortune Feimster. Among the nominees on the TV side are “The Pitt,” “The Last of Us” and “The Studio,” while film nods include “Inside Out 2” and “The Nickel Boys.”

Also announced on Wednesday: Gina Prince-Bythewood will join Mara Brock Akil in presenting Lena Waithe with one of Humanitas’ top honors, the Voice for Change Award. As Variety first revealed in May, Waithe was chosen for this year’s prize because it “honors those who have created or championed visionary and courageous storytelling.”

A nonprofit that seeks to “honor and empower writers of film and television exploring the human experience,” Humanitas last year honored projects including “Hacks,” “Fellow Travelers,” “Black Cake” and Ava DuVernay‘s “Origin.”

The Humanitas Prizes are for film and television...

In 2011, ABC created something magical with Once Upon a Time. It blended beloved fairytales and real-world storylines, and the fans loved it.

It began with two worlds: Storybrooke, Maine, and the fairytale realm, which expanded throughout the series into multiple fairytale realms, including Neverland, Camelot, and Oz.

The premise seemed simple. Young Henry Mills brought his birth mother, Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), to Storybrooke to break a curse and believe in fairy tales, including those of his adoptive mother, who had once been the Evil Queen (Lana Parrilla).

Regina and Emma will contemplate whether the alternate world is better. (ABC/Jack Rowand)

Simple, right?

Not so much, especially when Emma’s parents turned out to be Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas).

Criminal Minds Season 18 Finale Review: The Disciple is Unmaskedby Carissa Pavlica It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season 17 Episode 2 Review: Frank Is In A Coma by...

Abbott Elementary has been one of the most successful network sitcoms of recent years. The show's creator and star, however, is already looking forward to graduation. In a recent interview with Bustle, Quinta Brunson talked about the show's inevitable conclusion and her interest in moving on to new projects. It won't happen any time soon, though: Abbott Elementary has been renewed for a fifth season, which will premiere in the fall.

Brunson is effusive about the show's success with critics and audiences, which has kept the show on the air for five years: "We are so fortunate and blessed to be on a network TV show for five seasons, and for people to still be fans." However, she's looking for projects that will let her escape her Abbott character, perky second-grade teacher Janine Teagues: "I’m always interested in playing against type. I think that’s any actor’s dream.

by Nathaniel R

Can Zootopia 2 overcome the Academy's resistance to animated sequels?

It's often hard to know from a distance whether a year will be competitive in Best Animated Feature or not. It isn't always based on the quality of the eligibility pool. The default situation is that the early hyped Disney or Disney/Pixar stays dominant from first buzz to Oscar night, whether there's week or strong competition though occassionally the Mouse House competitor that looks strongest from a distance concedes quickly to a less hyped sibling that proves more popular (Luca to Encanto or Moana to Zootopia). But in a solid amount of years the race eventually does get competitive albeit only between two films.What usually happens is that the original frontrunner manages to stave off an unexpectedly strong or deserving competition (Pinocchio vs Puss in Boots: The Last Wish or Soul vs Wolfwalkers). In the past two years,...

Netflix has announced the premiere date and debuted an official first look at Black Rabbit, the anticipated new limited series. Starring and executive produced by Jude Law and Jason Bateman, the series will premiere globally on September 18.

Set against the backdrop of New York City’s high-pressure nightlife scene, Black Rabbit centers on two brothers who are pushed to the brink by their duty to family and their pursuit of success.

Jake Friedken (Jude Law) is the charismatic owner of Black Rabbit, a restaurant and VIP lounge, poised to become the hottest spot in New York. But when his brother, Vince (Jason Bateman), returns to the business unexpectedly, trouble soon follows, opening the door to old traumas and new dangers that threaten to bring down everything they’ve built.

Black Rabbit is a propulsive thrill ride and character examination about the way an unbreakable bond between two brothers can shatter...

Jude Law and Jason Bateman are brothers in big trouble in the first look at Black Rabbit. The duo will play brothers who get wrapped up in the seamy side of New York City's clubland in the new drama. It was created by Zach Baylin (King Richard) and Kate Susman (The Order). The series will premiere on Netflix on September 18, 2025.

In the new images, Law plays Jake Friedken, the owner of Black Rabbit, the successful restaurant and VIP lounge of the title. It's on the verge of becoming the hottest spot in New York when his long-estranged brother, Vince (Bateman) comes back to town, bringing trouble with him. The images show off a grimy side of New York, as well as the contracting looks of the brothers: Law is neat and composed, while Batman is uncharacteristically long-haired and bearded. The series also stars Cleopatra Coleman (Infinity Pool), Amaka Okafor (Bodies...

There are many Disney fans out there who long for the days of traditional, artful, hand-drawn animation, harkening back to the golden days of the Disney Renaissance. Now, after practical years of wishing, wanting, hoping, and prarying, they seem to be getting their wish.

Disney Animation Studios head, Jared Bush, recently shared that 2D films would soon be making a comeback after over a decade. While that's indeed something to be excited about, Disney has made pie-crust promises before. Does this beacon of hope truly have legs to stand on?

Back to the drawing board?

This week, Jared Bush shared how important diversity was to the Walt Disney Company and the role it played in the creation of its films. While some might roll their eyes at the premise at first, he's not talking about a forced Dei initiative, but diversifying the type of media Disney puts out.

As fans...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' big adventure and upcoming crossover will be intertwined.

Per Deadline, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed during a new Fantastic Four trailer reveal at CineEurope that its events will tie directly into next year's Marvel teamup Avengers: Doomsday. Additionally, he confirmed that Doomsday is in the process of filming in London, with its story pairing the Fantastic Four with not only the Avengers, but members of the 20th Century Fox X-Men franchise as well. Other movies teased at CineEurope ranged from the new Pixar film Hoppers to Zootopia 2 and the upcoming Star Wars film The Mandalorian & Grogu, the IP's first cinematic release since 2019.

Despite confirming Fantastic Four's connection to Doomsday, it remains to be seen whether Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) will appear in the First Family's universe. Downey's initial casting was met with fandom skepticism due to his...

The 2025 Annecy Animation Festival proved once again that the annual French event stands strong as the capital of global animation. Attracting top indie talent from around the world, the biggest animation studios and thousands of students, this year’s festival emphasized seismic shifts in anime distribution, labor advocacy, cross-border collaboration and, of course, AI.

Below, Variety examines our ten biggest takeaways from Annecy’s 2025 edition.

1. The Big Picture

Annecy 2025 was the most global and ambitious edition to date, drawing a record 18,200 attendees from 118 countries, including first-time participants from Afghanistan, Guatemala, Montenegro and Rwanda. MIFA, the industry-focused market, hosted 6,550 accredited professionals and 196 stands, while 400 journalists and over 2,000 students filled theaters, forums and screenings. Le Pâquier lawn remained a nightly magnet, where tens of thousands gathered under the stars.

This year also marked the 40th anniversary of MIFA. Reflecting on its evolution from a modest co-production platform to animation’s premier business hub,...

Annecy, France – Somehow, this year was Jared Bush’s first time at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Last fall, Bush was named the chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios — arguably the most important job in animation. He was no stranger to Disney; for the past 10 years he’s served as part of the studio’s creative leadership, advising on new projects and helping out when things go astray. He wrote and co-directed “Zootopia,” wrote “Moana,” co-wrote and directed “Encanto,” and co-wrote “Moana 2.” Next up, he co-wrote and directed “Zootopia 2” (out this Thanksgiving) and co-wrote the live-action “Moana” (for next summer).

The man with the most important job in animation was, before that, one of the busiest people in animation. Still, his appearance at Annecy in France this month was a critical showing as he steps more fully into the leadership role at an inflection point for Walt Disney Animation,...

Disney leaned into 100 years of brand heritage at its CineEurope slate presentation on Wednesday afternoon (June 18), with an array of titles that offer “magic, wonder and joy,” in the words of Andrew Cripps, head of theatrical distribution.

The distribution boss also placed the presentation in the context of “immersive experiences” that “bring imagination to life”.

With new titles from all seven Disney brands – Disney, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios Animation, Marvel, 20th Century Studios, Lucasfilm and Searchlight Pictures – the studio offers a slate with a “regular 12-month cadence”, and films that play “exclusively on the big screen, longer than any of...

The 2025 edition of the world’s biggest animation film festival, held in the serene French town of Annecy since it kicked off in 1960, turned out to be a pretty good year all round – and not just because of the glorious weather that welcomed thousands of visitors to the Alpine mountains and the stunning lake (you really wish you could hop on a boat and sail straight to nearby Lake Geneva). Most of this year’s films – whether in or out of competition – were strong, varied, and had something to offer. Only industry professionals gathered at the MIFA market managed to dismiss the fair weather and worry about the current state of the industry and the existential threat posed by artificial intelligence.

As always, the festival kept its famously relaxed vibe. The crowd was full of young people bringing their usual cheerful, enthusiastic energy to the screenings. From the paper aeroplanes...

Disney on Wednesday rounded out the major studio shows at CineEurope, presented for the first time by veteran distribution exec Andrew Cripps, who moved to the studio in March as Head of Theatrical Distribution.

Titles across the seven studios under the Disney umbrella were highlighted at the Barcelona-set confab — kicked off by the ongoing success of Lilo & Stitch which is expected to cross $900 million this weekend on its way to becoming Hollywood’s first $1 billion grosser of 2025. Stitch plushies adorned every seat in the auditorium and sported lights that flashed along with the show.

A new clip and a sizzle for Pixar’s spring 2026 release Hoppers, about a teenage nature lover who places her mind in a robotic beaver to get closer to the animal kingdom, was introduced via video by exec producer and Pixar Cco Pete Docter. That was followed by the opening scene from Toy Story 5 which...

After a weak start to the year, the box office is benefitting from an unlikely savior — PG films.

As movie theater attendance, at long last, begins to rebound, at least part of the newfound success is being attributed to PG films like the Warner Bros. video game adaptation “A Minecraft Movie” ($951 million), Disney’s “Lilo & Stitch” remake ($858 million) and Universal’s live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” ($197 million in its opening weekend). Since January, PG films have earned $1.53 billion, accounting for 41% of the year-to-date revenue. It’s the highest percentage of any rating this year, according to Comscore.

That’s notable because it’s usually PG-13 films that generate the biggest bucks. Since 2000, movies rated PG-13 by the MPA have dominated the box office and often command more than 50% of the total marketshare. Almost all of the most broadly appealing franchise fare — from Marvel to Avatar to Star Wars...

Cinema admissions across Europe fell in 2024 despite a slight rise in overall box office revenue, according to the International Union of Cinemas’ (Unic) 2025 annual report, released during the CineEurope convention in Barcelona on Tuesday.

Total admissions across the 39 European territories represented by Unic reached 934.2 million in 2024, down 2.6 percent from the previous year. Box office revenue, at €7.1 billion ($8.2 billion), was up by the slimmest of margins, increasing 0.03 percent. The Unic report cited “the lingering effects of the 2023 actors’ and writers’ strikes” as one of the main reasons for the sluggish performance.

Several European markets did record year-on-year growth, however, including France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Greece. France led the region with 181.5 million admissions, boosted by the performance of domestic hits A Little Something Extra, The Count of Monte-Cristo, and Beating Hearts, which together sold more than 25 million tickets.

Disney’s Inside Out 2, which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide,...

Frozen 3 Release Date Cast And Story Tease ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

“There’s a reason the movie is coming out in 2027. And that is because no one wants to rush this,” says Josh Gad and boom, that’s your headline (via People). Olaf himself just melted the silence around Frozen 3, and it’s not just some icy rehash. According to IMDb Disney’s animated giant returns on November 24, 2027, almost eight years since Frozen 2, and the long gap? It’s not laziness, it’s legacy.

Gad made it clear during The Spotlight with Jessica Shaw podcast that the team’s all in on quality over cash-grab. “They want this to be absolutely worthy of the story we set out to make in 2013… They have something incredible in store.” Now that’s how you build hype without giving anything away.

Frozen 3 Release Date

Originally pegged for 2026, Frozen 3 slid...

Dynamite Entertainment’s ongoing “Zootopia” comic book title, in support of the animated feature “Zootopia 2” opening November 26, 2025, is written by Jeff Parker and illustrated by Alessandro Ranaldi, with covers by Trish Forstner and Craig Rousseau:

“…it’s another beautiful day in the bustling city of ‘Zootopia’ where every animal is free to strive to realize their full potential — and one of the most successful of those strivers is ‘Tripp Zebrando’, owner of the ‘Pb&j’ cell phone company.

“Pb&j’s high-tech devices are the must-have accessories for every species in town, and Tripp is about to launch their latest model with a huge publicity event timed for the arrival of the first shipment of phones at the airport.

“Unfortunately, somebody has it in for Pb&j, or Tripp (or both), and the resulting sabotage threatens to bring the house down — right on top of the unsuspecting crowd!

A trip to the theater to see a "family movie" in 2025 is more reliant than ever on Millennial sensibility, and bubbling Zoomer nostalgia begins to make its presence felt with big hits like "Lilo & Stitch" and "Inside Out 2." The Y2K-era and its immediate aftermath are firmly in the driver's seat as far as pop culture is concerned, even aughts horror staples like "Final Destination" are having a moment, that influence is only going to grow as the years continue to stretch onward. But, in the late '00s, Disney Channel had the chance to make one of their current fan-favorite franchises even bigger, and they surprisingly opted against it. "High School Musical" could have had a spinoff called "Madison High," however, the company chose not to put it into production despite casting and other reports surfacing around the show's development.

With the current love for "High School Musical,...

How to Train Your Dragon has had an enormous global debut. The 2025 movie is a live-action remake of the 2010 animated movie of the same name and stars Mason Thames as Hiccup, a Viking from a village of dragon hunters who forges an unlikely bond with an injured dragon who he names Toothless. The How to Train Your Dragon release kicked off on June 13, taking No. 1 at the domestic box office and knocking Disney's competing live-action remake Lilo & Stitch from its perch at the top of the chart, which it held for three consecutive weekends.

Per Variety, as of Sunday morning, How to Train Your Dragon is expected to conclude its opening weekend with a global box office haul of $197.8 million. While this pales in comparison to its live-action remake competitor Lilo & Stitch, which had a global debut of more than $340 million, this total is more than enough for the new movie to debut at No.

“Zootopia 2” is the new animated ‘buddy cop’ comedy sequel to the feature “Zootopia” (2016), directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard, starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Ke Huy Quan and Fortune Feimster, releasing November 26, 2025 in theaters:

“…detectives ‘Judy Hopps’ and ‘Nick Wilde’ must go undercover in ‘Marsh Market’…

“…to crack the case when they find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

Zootopia 2 is still under wraps, but fans are already losing it over one unexpected twist. Disney’s latest “thirst trap” isn’t a dashing prince or a roguish hero…it’s the new mayor. The internet has spoken, and this sleek, smooth-talking character’s quickly become the animated obsession no one saw coming.

With perfectly groomed fur, undeniable swagger, and that power suit energy, even the most serious Zootopia fans are blushing. Disney may’ve aimed for leadership vibes, but they accidentally unlocked fan thirst in the process.

Zootopia 2‘s new mayor is already breaking hearts and the internet Ginnifer Goodwin as Judy Hopps and Jason Bateman as Nick Wilde in a still from Zootopia | Credits: Walt Disney Animation Studios

Zootopia 2 just dropped its first major reveal, and fans are already collectively sweating. Enter: Mayor Winddancer, a buff, stallion politician with movie-star charm and muscle to match.

As Disney ramps up its sequel machine, one of its most beloved franchises is quietly preparing to make a major return. Frozen 3 is deep in development, with fans everywhere speculating on what’s next for Elsa, Anna, and the enchanted kingdom of Arendelle. At the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival, Zootopia and Encanto writer-director Jared Bush and Chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, gave Collider’s Steve Weintraub a promising update—and even dropped a hint or two about the mysterious Frozen 4while promoting Zootopia 2. When asked whether Frozen 3 and Frozen 4 were designed as a two-part story, Bush kept things vague, but full of praise:

“Some of that is under wraps, but what I'd share with you is that right now, the work being done on Frozen 3, specifically, is phenomenal. When people see it, I think returning to that world with those characters, the entertainment value...

Walt Disney Animation Studios brought some serious star power to the Annecy Animation Festival this week, as chief creative officer, director and screenwriter Jared Bush offered the studio’s most comprehensive look yet at its hotly anticipated “Zootopia 2,” coming to theaters on Nov. 26.

Following his presentation, Bush sat down with Variety to discuss the upcoming sequel, his goals for Wdas and the importance of finding and supporting the creators of the future.

Jared Bush Credit: Disney

Variety: Disney has a strong track record of creating films that represent all sorts of people and cultures, but that don’t feel like they’re just checking boxes. Two films you worked on, “Moana” and “Encanto,” are prime examples. How do you ensure the studio’s stories embrace these other groups but stay approachable to everyone, from children to adult viewers, all around the world?

Jared Bush: I think maybe more than anything,...

Pixar showed up to the Annecy International Animation Festival with the goods. The animation studio announced a new film slated for the summer of 2027, an original film called “Gatto” from “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa.

Pixar announced the film from the Annecy stage on Friday and showed some concept art from the film, which you can see above. “Gatto” returns Casarosa to Italy, but this time to Venice, and follows a black cat named Nero who, after years of maneuvering the canal-ridden, superstitious city, begins to question whether he’s lived the right lives. Indebted to a local feline mob boss, Nero finds himself in a quandary and is forced to forge a truly unexpected friendship that may finally lead him to his purpose — unless Venice gets the better of him first.

Casarosa is directing the film, his follow-up to 2021’s Italian Riviera-set “Luca,” and producer Andrea Warren is also re-teaming with Casarosa on the feature.

Today, at Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios presented a series of surprises that thrilled festivalgoers.

In the morning, Jared Bush, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming Zootopia 2, made his first appearance in Annecy to debut new footage and images from the anticipated sequel of the beloved Oscar-winning global hit film, which will be theatrically released this November.

Zootopia 2

The footage screened featured returning characters Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), and Mr. Big (voice of Maurice Lamarche), and new characters Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan), Nibbles (Fortune Feimster) and Dr. Fuzzby (voice of Quinta Brunson).

The audience was particularly delighted when learning that French actor Jean Reno will lend his voice to a cameo role as an officer of the Zootopia Police Department.

Great Mystery — Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia 2” welcomes back to the big screen rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman). When a snake called Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan) arrives on the scene, he kicks off a great mystery—but Nick and Judy are on the case. From the Oscar-winning team of Disney Animation chief creative officer Jared Bush and Byron Howard (directors) and Yvett Merino (producer), “Zootopia 2” releases in theaters Nov. 26. © 2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Today, at Annecy’s International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios offered a series of surprises that thrilled festival goers.

In the morning, Jared Bush, Walt Disney Animation Studios’ chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming “Zootopia 2,” made his first appearance in Annecy to debut new footage and images from the...

Disney’s “Zootopia 2” is finally arriving in theaters on Nov. 26, 2026.

The sequel to the 2016 film, which grossed over $1 billion globally and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, is one of the most anticipated movies in the history of the studio. And “Zootopia 2” director Jared Bush, who also happens to be the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios, was on hand at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Friday to show off the first footage from the movie.

A minor spoiler warning should probably be issued here, if you want to go in cold.

Bush began his presentation by saying that “Zootopia 2,” which reunites him with original co-director Byron Howard, designer Cory Loftis, composer Michael Giacchino and many others, follows rabbit Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and sly fox Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) immediately after the events of the first film. They might have...

Pixar is in production on Gatto, a new animated feature about a black cat in Venice, Italy, that will release in cinemas in summer 2027.

Pixar chief creative officer Pete Docter revealed the film at the end of Pixar’s slate presentation at Annecy International Animation Film Festival today.

Gatto will follow Nero, a black cat living in Venice, who cannot swim and must navigate a town filled with people who are superstitious about him.

Nero aligns himself with “the seedier side of cat society” said Docter, where he finds himself indebted to a cat boss named Rocco.

He loves music,...

Walt Disney Animation Studios pulled back the curtain on Zootopia 2 on Friday, offering the first major preview of the highly anticipated sequel during a packed presentation at the Annecy international animation film festival.

Director and writer Jared Bush, who also serves as Disney Animation’s new chief creative officer, made his Annecy debut with the film, unveiling new footage from Zootopia 2 at the Bonlieu Scène Nationale. The sequel to Disney’s 2016 Oscar-winning hit reunites audiences with rabbit police officer Judy Hopps and former con-artist fox Nick Wilde as they investigate a mysterious new arrival in the mammal metropolis: a reptile named Gary De’Snake (voiced by Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan).

Bush revealed they cast Quan after spotting the excitable Oscar-winner doing an interview on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert and decided he had exactly the right energy to play Gary the venomous but misunderstood snake.

At the Annecy Animation Festival this Friday morning, Walt Disney Animation Studios offered a first look at its highly anticipated sequel, “Zootopia 2,” coming to theaters on Nov. 26.

Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer and director/writer of the upcoming “Zootopia 2,” Jared Bush, made his first appearance in Annecy to delight the Bonlieu audience with new footage and images from the upcoming sequel to the beloved Oscar-winning film.

“Over the last few months, I’ve been thinking a lot about this moment,” Bush told the audience. “Being here with all of you, like all of us, together in this amazing global community of artists and dreamers who love animation. We all live for it.”

A crowd consisting of industry vets, studio execs and several hundred artists and students responded with laughs, audible “awws” and tremendous excitement to the footage, which featured returning characters Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin), Nick Wilde...

Ahead of its premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Monday, the first footage from Andy Serkis's hotly anticipated animated adaptation of George Orwell's Animal Farm has been revealed. Variety exclusively shared the clip from Aniventure, which centers on Seth Rogen's Napoleon, who has a heartfelt conversation with Gaten Matarazzo's young pig Lucky, albeit with a brief interruption from Squealer, played by recent Oscar winner Kieran Culkin. It's a brief look at the pigs taking a moment to reflect in the aftermath of the animal rebellion on the farm, albeit with a more humorous, colorful, and family-friendly spin than the original novel. However, there are hints of the harrowing events to come as Napoleon hints that maybe not all animals are equal.

First announced in 2022, Serkis's Animal Farm follows a similar story to the dark satire, beginning with a group of animals who rebel...

Exclusive: Gfm Animation has closed key deals on feature film Stitch Head ahead of its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week.

The film has sold to Germany (Wild Bunch), France (Wild Bunch), Italy & Spain (Vertice Cine), Latin America (Idc), South Africa (FilmFinity), Portugal (Nos), Greece (Neo), Eastern Europe (Vertical), Cis (Central Partnership), Baltics (Acme), Iceland (Myndform), China (Aviro), Mongolia (Filmbridge), Vietnam (Skyline), Israel (Filmhouse), Middle East (Ecs) and airlines (Ricochet).

It will have its world premiere in the Annecy Presents strand on Tuesday, June 10.

The feature directorial debut of UK filmmaker Steve Hudson, Stitch Head is...

The highly anticipated trailer for Wicked: For Good is right around the corner, and a video teasing its release has offered a first look at the returning cast of the sequel. The official X/Twitter account for the upcoming musical fantasy sequel posted a short teaser announcing that there is only "one short day" to wait for an extended preview of the film. While no exact time was revealed for when it will arrive online, confirmation that the trailer will drop on June 4 will no doubt satisfy fans of last year's bewitching blockbuster adaptation.

The 20-second video features several familiar faces from the first installment of the two-part Wicked film series, and a few of them have had costume upgrades for their second outing. The teaser includes Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman,...

When I most unexpectedly reunited with the age-defying Ginnifer Goodwin on the Disney Upfront’s blue carpet earlier this month, I had recently gotten a Facebook “memory” about the Once Upon a Time musical episode, which aired eight years prior (and for which I was on-set, in March 2017).

So after talking a bit about her voice acting encore as police rabbit Judy Hopps in Disney’s Zootopia 2 (due in theaters Nov. 26!), I had to invite Ginny to reflect on Ouat‘s “The Song in Your Heart,” which aired May 7, 2017, saw her duet with husband Josh Dallas’ Charming, and teed...

Disney Pixar has launched a new official trailer for the cosmic animation ‘Elio.’

What if the thing you were searching for found you first? In Pixar Animation Studios’ big-screen comedic misadventure, alien-obsessed Elio discovers the answer to that question when he is transported to the Communiverse, an interplanetary paradise that is home to intelligent life from galaxies far and wide. But when he’s mistaken as Earth’s leader, he’ll have to form unexpected bonds, navigate a crisis of intergalactic proportions, and make sure he doesn’t lose the opportunity to live out his ultimate dream.

Directed by Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi and Adrian Molina, the voice cast includes Yonas Kibreab as Elio, Zoe Saldaña as Aunt Olga, Remy Edgerly as Glordon, Brad Garrett as Lord Grigon, Jameela Jamil as Ambassador Questa and Shirley Henderson as Ooooo.

Also in trailers – Teaser trailer lands for animated sequel ‘Zootropolis 2’

The...

Disney is gearing up to own the 2026 box office with its biggest blockbusters. For the first time in years, Star Wars is returning to the big screen alongside Marvel Studios and Pixar, in addition to a confirmed line-up of original titles. 

For reference, the House of Mouse will be attempting to follow up on 2025's impressive theatrical line-up, which consisted of Lilo and Stitch, two MCU movies, and sequels such as Zootopia 2 and Avatar: Fire and Ash. Still, fans familiar with Disney's tentpole franchises and mix of new stories won't be able to deny 2026's juggernaut potential.  

Disney's 9 Biggest Movies Confirmed for 2026 Read full article on The Direct.

Not much is known yet about the plot of Disney's Zootopia 2, which is hitting theaters this Thanksgiving. The recently released teaser trailer featured no dialogue and just a bunch of images and quick scenes being shown over a catchy tune. One thing that has stuck out among fans is a mysterious hooded figure, likely the main villain of the movie. One popular and extremely convincing theory is that this is Nick Wilde's dad, a character who was crapped from the first film. 

While Disney has showcased two scenes from Zootopia 2 so far, they were played exclusively at conventions - D23 and CinemaCon - meaning not a lot has been released to the general public. The biggest news has come in the form of new characters. Quinta Brunson will voice Dr. Fuzzby, a quokka therapist, and Gary De'Snake will be played by Ke Huy Quan. With the teaser revealing yet another new character,...

How To Watch Drop Online? (Photo Credit – YouTube)

Christopher Landon’s (Director – We Have a Ghost) mystery-thriller Drop, which carries the intriguing tagline “Everyone she sees is a suspect,” was released in theatres on April 11, 2025. The film has just landed on an Ott platform. But is Drop worth your time? And who should be watching it? Read on to learn more about the film’s plot, critical response, and where to stream it.

Drop: Plot

Drop follows the story of a widowed mother, Violet (played by Primetime Emmy nominee Meghann Fahy of The White Lotus Fame). After many years, Violet goes on a date at a posh restaurant where she meets a good-looking and charming photographer, Henry (played by Brandon Sklenar).

But the fun-filled date soon becomes a terrifying nightmare when she receives a series of increasingly threatening messages from an unseen person on her phone. The situation takes...

Here’s Where You Can Stream The Seed of the Sacred Fig In India! ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof’s widely acclaimed political drama The Seed of the Sacred Fig premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in May 2024, followed by its theatrical release in France and Germany later that year. The Persian-language film was nominated for the coveted Palme d’Or Award at Cannes.

Besides, it also earned the distinction of getting nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the Oscars, but lost to the Portuguese political drama I’m Still Here. After a long wait, the movie has finally started streaming on an Indian Ott platform.

Where To Watch The Seed Of The Sacred Fig In India?

The Seed of the Sacred Fig is now streaming on the Amazon Prime Video Ott platform in India.

Trending This Netflix Sci-Fi Comedy With A 97% Score Is A Hidden Gem – Season 4 Drops Soon!

Netflix’s Best-Kept Sci-Fi Secret Has A 97% Score—You Must Watch(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Netflix has something unusual up its sleeve again: an offbeat sci-fi comedy named Resident Alien. It’s already boasting a massive 97 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. Well, that’s no small feat, especially in a genre that often struggles to balance the weird with the funny, and now, with its fourth season landing soon, fans who’ve stuck around this long are in for more.

Resident Alien Plot

Resident Alien isn’t your usual extraterrestrial invasion story. The story starts with an alien arriving on Earth with only one job: to wipe out the human race. It sounds simple, I know, but it’s not. After taking over the body of a dead doctor in a small Colorado town, the alien finds himself stuck in human form, pretending to be Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle. Thus, the...

Walt Disney Animation Studios has revealed a new teaser trailer for ‘Zootropolis 2,’ the highly anticipated sequel to 2016’s Academy Award®-winning ‘Zootropolis.’

The trailer features glimpses at new and returning characters. It reunites rookie cops Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman) and teases a new team-up with a mysterious pit viper, Gary De’Snake (voice of Ke Huy Quan).

In the film, which opens only in cinemas on November 28, Judy and Nick find themselves on the twisting trail of a great mystery when Gary De’Snake arrives in Zootropolis and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, they must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.

Directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, the movie features the voices of Fortune Feimster, Quinta Brunson and Shakira, who returns as Gazelle.