Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has brought the house down at the world’s biggest animation festival, Annecy, rolling out its new identity as a studio, announcing a flurry of new features, and offering tantalizing glimpses of its future animation slate, extending to 2028.
President and Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke hosted the presentation, which included the world premiere of the Looney Tunes short Daffy Season, an extended preview of The Cat in the Hat, and a vision for the studio that promised innovation, creativity, and an “artists-first” approach with distinct visual identities for each film.
The Cat in the Hat
One of the headliners of the Annecy presentation was an extended sneak peek at the upcoming musical comedy The Cat in the Hat. Directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, the animated musical adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s classic will be the first theatrical release from the newly launched Warner Bros. Pictures Animation banner in November.
Daffy Season
The studio also unveiled the world premiere of the new Looney Tunes theatrical short, Daffy Season. Directed by Todd Wilderman and Hamish Grieve, the short is heavily inspired by the legendary work of Looney Tunes artist Maurice Noble and represents a renewed commitment from Warner Bros. To bringing its iconic characters to the big screen.
Bad Fairies
Perhaps one of the most energetic and exciting announcements was the brand-new original musical comedy, Bad Fairies, a collaboration between Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation. Directed by Megan Nicole Dong and Olivier Staphylas, the film, currently slated for a May 21, 2027 release, follows a group of playful fairies creating magical havoc. New casting announcements included Serrana Su-Ling Bliss, James Acaster, and voice icon Dee Bradley Baker, joining already announced Cynthia Erivo and Ncuti Gatwa.
The Lunar Chronicles
Fans of bestselling YA literature have reason to rejoice with the announcement of The Lunar Chronicles, an adaptation of Marissa Meyer‘s popular novel series. Directed by Nolle Raffaele, the film will reportedly bring a unique, sci-fi spin to fairy tales with a November 2028 release date.
Prehistoria
In one of the night’s biggest surprises, Warner Bros. Pictures revealed Prehistoria, an entirely original animated musical feature from Vivienne Medrano, the brilliant mind behind the massively popular web series Hazbin Hotel and Helluva Boss. This project marks Medrano’s feature film directorial debut and her first major narrative outside of the beloved “Hellaverse” universe.
“Since I began my animation journey, my biggest dream was to be part of a feature film,” Medrano shared during the presentation.
Oh, The Places You’ll Go!
An update was also provided on Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, an animated musical take on the iconic Dr. Seuss book, which has tapped Ariana Grande to voice Whisper and Josh Gad as Bixby. The film is said to heavily lean on Theodor Geisel’s signature artwork.
Dynamic Duo
A truly innovative project teased was Dynamic Duo, a partnership with DC Studios and Swaybox Studios that promises to blend cutting-edge animation techniques with practical puppetry for a groundbreaking DC film.
Hello Kitty
The ever-anticipated Hello Kitty feature film is still in development with Sanrio and New Line Cinema, and continues to be a part of the studio’s theatrical slate, though no new imagery was unveiled at the festival.
And The Beat Goes On…
Beyond the revealed slate, Warner Bros. also confirmed that work is underway on new theatrical adaptations of classic franchises like Tom & Jerry and ThunderCats, as well as an original feature titled Meerkats. Industry whispers of a potential new Powerpuff Girls movie also continue. With such an ambitious, diverse lineup ranging from familiar characters to original concepts and beloved literary works, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has solidified its intention to be a dominant force in theatrical animation for years to come.
