Paramount Pictures has announced that the highly anticipated animated movie 'The Legend of Aang,' based on the Nickelodeon series, will now premiere on Paramount+ in fall 2026 instead of its original theatrical release planned for October 2026. The film features a star-studded cast and is part of the expanding Avatar universe, including new series and movies from Avatar Studios.
Zootopia 2 set a record with a $556 million global opening, making it the highest international debut for an animated film and the fourth highest worldwide, dominating the Thanksgiving box office alongside Wicked: For Good.
Netflix and Sony are planning to release 'KPop Demon Hunters 2' in 2029, following the success of the first film, which became Netflix's most-watched movie ever and achieved significant commercial and musical success. The sequel is in production, with no confirmed theatrical release, and is expected to take time due to the animation process.
Warner Bros. Animation and DC are adapting the iconic '90s Batman: Knightfall storyline into a multi-part animated film set for release in 2026, with the first part focusing on Bane's chaos and Batman’s breaking point.
KPop Demon Hunters, an animated Netflix film about a girl band fighting evil spirits, is being shown as a singalong in nearly 1,800 theaters across the U.S. for one weekend, drawing large crowds and selling out screenings, with the event serving both as fan engagement and a promotional strategy, potentially paving the way for a franchise.
KPop Demon Hunters, a popular Netflix animated film with a hit soundtrack, will have a special sing-along theatrical event in North America on August 23-24, aiming to boost revenue and engage fans with performances of chart-topping songs and a story about girl group demon hunters facing supernatural threats.
The 2025 animated film 'Smurfs' is a chaotic, inconsistent, and largely forgettable collection of kids' movie tropes, featuring random musical numbers, style shifts, and celebrity cameos, ultimately failing to provide a coherent narrative despite its fast pace and colorful visuals. It is, however, enjoyed by some children, like the reviewer's 6-year-old daughter.
Regina Hall, Ice Spice, and other celebrities have joined the cast of 'The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants,' set for release in December, with Ice Spice contributing an original song. The film follows SpongeBob and friends as they face the ghost of the Flying Dutchman, and features returning voice actors along with new additions. The announcement was made at the Annecy animation festival, alongside sneak peeks of upcoming Paramount and Nickelodeon projects.
Paramount's animated film "Transformers One" is moving its release date to Sept. 20 to capitalize on Imax screens and create distance from competition. The studio launched the official trailer from space, a first for Hollywood, featuring a star-studded voice cast including Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson. The movie is billed as the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, and is directed by Josh Cooley. Additionally, Paramount is delaying its untitled animated "Aang: The Last Airbender" Avatar movie to Jan. 30, 2026.
The first trailer for Transformers One, a CG-driven animated movie, teases the early friendship between Optimus Prime and Megatron, known as Orion Pax and D-16, before they became enemies. The trailer introduces the characters and hints at the conflict that drives them apart, offering a glimpse of their exploration of the surface and their first experiences with transforming powers. Directed by Josh Cooley, the movie is set to release on September 13.
Paramount Pictures unveiled the first footage of the upcoming animated film "Transformers One" at CinemaCon, featuring a youthful and lighthearted origin story for iconic characters Optimus Prime and Megatron. The movie, set on Cybertron before the Autobot-Decepticon war, introduces a more playful and comedic tone, with Chris Hemsworth voicing a young Optimus Prime and Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1. The trailer will be released on April 18, and the film is scheduled to hit theaters on September 13.
Paramount Pictures revealed details about the first of three planned animated Avatar: The Last Airbender movies, tentatively titled "Aang: The Last Airbender," at CinemaCon 2024. The voice cast includes Dave Bautista and Eric Nam, with Nam voicing Aang and Bautista playing a villain. The film, set for release on October 10, 2025, will be directed by Lauren Montgomery and is speculated to explore Aang's adventures as the Avatar between the original series and its sequel, The Legend of Korra. This project is the first to emerge from Avatar Studios, a production banner dedicated to expanding the Avatar universe, led by original creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.
Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning animated movie, The Boy and the Heron, will be available for streaming on Netflix in most of the world, excluding Japan and the U.S., as part of a new deal with Goodfellas and GKIDS. Additionally, 22 other Studio Ghibli films will continue to be available on Netflix globally, with viewers in various regions able to access them in multiple languages. The Boy and the Heron, Miyazaki's first feature film in 10 years, won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature and has become the third highest-grossing Japanese anime film.
Bill Hader and Quinta Brunson lead the vocal ensemble for the upcoming animated adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat,” set to open in theaters on March 6, 2026. The film aims to improve on the checkered cinematic legacy of the 2003 live-action adaptation, with high hopes from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Dr. Seuss Enterprises. Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja are writing and directing the movie, with an exceptional group of talent joining the effort to bring the iconic property to the screen as an animated feature.
Disney's animated movie "Wish" will be available for streaming on Disney+ starting April 3. The film follows 17-year-old Asha, voiced by Ariana DeBose, as she confronts King Magnifico, who is stealing wishes from the people of the magical kingdom of Rosas. Despite underperforming at the box office, "Wish" received an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been described as visually pleasing and mildly touching by critics.