Pixar never stops surprising us. As their new film Elio prepares to debut in French theaters on June 18, the studio has already set its sights on the future. The Walt Disney Company is only just beginning to recover after a few difficult years, but the creative minds at Pixar are firing on all cylinders.
Following the global success of Inside Out 2, the company could have easily rested on its laurels by churning out sequels. However, the studio has decided to give free rein to its teams' imaginations and has a few surprises in store for us that are already the stuff of dreams. The Annecy Festival has just seen a flurry of announcements from Pixar that allow us to glimpse a bright future for animated cinema.
Back to Italy with Gatto
Do you miss the refreshing atmosphere and picturesque landscapes of Luca? Good news: its director Enrico Casarosa is back with a film based in Italy and which will tell the adventures of... a black cat. In Gatto, an adorable little cat named Nero “finds himself in debt to a feline gang leader,” a complex and dangerous situation that will lead him to “forge an unexpected friendship that could well guide him towards his true purpose.”
A first look at concept art for the film reveals the famous Nero, who could well end up becoming an iconic mascot for the studio. Let’s stop the comparisons with the feature film Flow right away: Gatto has been in development for a while now since it’s the “unannounced film” that Pixar had set for June 18, 2027 in its schedule (June 16 in France). See you in two years!
Toy Story 5 finds its big baddie
In 2026, who else but a touchscreen tablet could play the antagonist of the next Toy Story? Here's LilyPad, an adorable frog-like children's device, but which presumably has "a different approach to Bonnie's well-being." The idea of a storyline focused on the problem of screen time among young people may seem obvious, even almost reductive, but it's still an excellent idea.
If Toy Story 5 once again manages to play with our emotions, it's a safe bet that viewers will leave the screening with a different perspective on technology and its impact on children. The fifth installment of the saga will hit theaters on June 17, 2026.
Let's not forget the beavers!
Even before Buzz and Jessie return to the big screen, Pixar will offer us an original story called Hoppers. This film, scheduled for March 4, 2026, will tell the story of Mabel, a young girl passionate about animals who finds a way to transfer her consciousness into a beaver robot. Very few details have yet been shared about this project despite its release being fast approaching.
A new image was, however, presented at the Annecy Festival to reiterate the launch date. We discover an artistic direction that is very different from the studio's usual style, but which is not displeasing. One thing is certain: Pixar may well follow up Toy Story, The Incredibles and Coco, but the original projects remain relevant and never fail to intrigue us.
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