The Annecy International Animation Film Festival once again proved why it remains the animation industry’s most influential annual gathering. Held in Annecy, France, from June 21 to 27, the festival brought together the world’s biggest animation studios, independent filmmakers, distributors and industry professionals for a week packed with premieres, first looks, work-in-progress presentations and major project announcements. Alongside the festival, the Marché International du Film d’Animation (MIFA) continued to serve as one of the industry’s most important business markets, where studios, producers and buyers looked beyond 2026 toward the future of global animation.
This year’s edition highlighted three clear trends. Studios continued expanding established franchises while investing in original animated features, streaming platforms doubled down on anime and adult animation, and international collaborations remained at the heart of the industry’s future. From Disney and Pixar to DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Netflix and Prime Video, Annecy 2026 delivered one of the busiest slates of announcements in recent years.
Disney and Pixar Balance Original Stories With Familiar Franchises
Disney Animation arrived at Annecy with a slate that blended fresh original storytelling with beloved legacy characters. The studio offered the first public look at Hexed, its upcoming magical coming-of-age adventure following teenager Billie as she discovers mysterious powers that transport her into a hidden realm of witches. Directors Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jason Hand and Josie Trinidad also introduced Lilo & Scratch, a new animated short that reunites Chris Sanders as Stitch alongside Maia Kealoha as Lilo.
Pixar, meanwhile, focused on originality. Academy Award-nominated director Enrico Casarosa unveiled new footage and concept artwork from Gatto, the studio’s Venice-set animated feature scheduled for release in 2027. Disney and Pixar also revealed Loving Dory, a short film set in the Finding Nemo universe that follows Dory’s unusual friendship with what she mistakes for a jellyfish. Together, the presentations reflected Disney’s strategy of balancing new intellectual property with carefully chosen franchise expansions.
DreamWorks Expands the Shrek Universe
DreamWorks Animation showcased original projects while signalling a renewed commitment to one of its biggest franchises. The studio premiered material from Forgotten Island, an original fantasy adventure inspired by Filipino mythology, while one of the week’s biggest announcements came outside the formal presentations: Donkey, the first standalone film centered on Eddie Murphy’s beloved Shrek character, officially joined the studio’s upcoming slate.
With Shrek 5 arriving in 2027 and Donkey following in 2028, DreamWorks appears to be transforming Shrek from a dormant franchise into an active cinematic universe. The strategy mirrors Hollywood’s broader focus on expanding recognizable intellectual property while continuing to develop original features.
Warner Bros. Animation Delivered the Biggest Showcase
Few studios generated as much discussion as Warner Bros. Animation. Its presentation was packed with announcements spanning DC superheroes, classic animated brands and new originals. Among the highlights were Absolute Batman, an adaptation of DC’s acclaimed alternate-universe comic, anime-inspired Joker: Last Laugh, Mister Miracle, a children’s Krypto series, an Adventure Time spin-off and confirmation that a Powerpuff Girls feature film is in development. The studio also showcased Batman: Knightfall and highlighted its broader animation strategy across film and television.
Warner Bros.’ presentation reflected a broader industry trend: animation is no longer confined to children or family audiences. By developing projects that range from preschool programming to mature superhero stories and anime-inspired productions, the studio demonstrated the increasingly diverse audience animation now serves.
Netflix, Prime Video and Anime Continue to Grow
Streaming platforms also maintained a strong presence throughout the festival. Netflix presented new footage from The One Piece, unveiled its upcoming anime series Fool Night, previewed Brad Bird’s long-awaited Ray Gunn, and showcased Ricky Gervais’ adult animated comedy Alley Cats. Prime Video highlighted Genndy Tartakovsky’s animated Conan the Barbarian, while Science SARU’s new Ghost in the Shell adaptation also generated significant attention. Crunchyroll announced its distribution plans for the French animated feature The Wolf, further reinforcing the growing global appeal of anime-inspired storytelling.
Annecy also hosted sneak peeks of Laika’s Wildwood, Aardman’s upcoming productions, and several world premieres, reinforcing the festival’s role as the industry’s preferred venue for unveiling major animated projects before release.
India’s Growing Presence and the Business Behind Animation
India also enjoyed meaningful representation at Annecy 2026. One of the festival’s most closely watched Work in Progress presentations was Baahubali: The Eternal War, the ambitious animated feature from Arka Media Works presented by S. S. Rajamouli, Shobu Yarlagadda and the creative team. At MIFA, Indian project And On That Day… was selected among the international feature pitches, highlighting the country’s growing presence across both production and project development.
Beyond the screenings, MIFA once again demonstrated why Annecy has become the animation industry’s premier marketplace. More than 400 projects were submitted across the pitching categories, with only 48 selected. The feature film category alone attracted 213 submissions, which were narrowed to just 12 projects, underlining the highly competitive nature of the global animation business.
The Biggest Takeaways From Annecy 2026
Annecy 2026 made one thing clear: animation has never been more diverse. Original films such as Hexed, Gatto and Forgotten Island demonstrated that studios remain committed to fresh storytelling, while Shrek, DC, Finding Nemo and other established brands showed that franchises continue to drive long-term investment.
Anime and adult animation also occupied a larger role than ever before, with Netflix, Prime Video and Warner Bros. expanding their offerings well beyond traditional family audiences. At the same time, the prominence of international co-productions and MIFA’s increasingly competitive project market reflected an industry that is becoming more global every year.
The festival also celebrated animation’s legacy through Honorary Cristal recipients Mike Judge and the Brothers Quay, while masterclasses, studio presentations and world premieres reinforced Annecy’s position as the place where the future of animation is first revealed.
From blockbuster franchises and ambitious originals to independent pitches and international collaborations, Annecy 2026 offered a snapshot of where animation is heading over the next several years. If this year’s announcements are any indication, audiences can expect a future shaped by bigger franchises, bolder original ideas and an increasingly international animation industry.
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