Observed Signal · Jun 23, 2026 · Announcement · Source: Cord Cutters News · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Warner Bros. Unveils Ambitious Animation Slate at Annecy
At the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation presented a seven-film theatrical slate and signaled a renewed commitment to original theatrical animation under President and Chief Creative Officer Bill Damaschke. The studio debuted a new logo and a Looney Tunes short while outlining releases through 2028, led by The Cat in the Hat (November 2026) directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja with Bill Hader voicing the Cat. Key collaborations include Locksmith Animation on Bad Fairies and The Lunar Chronicles, a Hello Kitty feature with Sanrio and New Line Cinema, and Oh, The Places You’ll Go! featuring Ariana Grande and Josh Gad. Other announced projects include Margie Claus (2027 holiday), Dynamic Duo (Batman-era adventure), reimaginings of Tom & Jerry, Thundercats and Meerkats, and Prehistoria, the feature debut of Vivienne Medrano. The presentation follows a period when several Warner animation projects were shelved or sold to independent distributors.
A major film studio publicly recommitting resources to original theatrical animation and announcing multi-year release plans and IP collaborations, which affects content pipelines, theatrical advertising opportunities, licensing and cross‑platform marketing strategies.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Warner Bros. Pictures Animation unveiled a theatrical slate at Annecy 2026 covering 2026–2028.
- The Cat in the Hat is scheduled for theatrical release in November 2026; Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja wrote and directed, with Bill Hader voicing the Cat.
- Warner Bros. announced collaborations with Locksmith Animation (Bad Fairies; The Lunar Chronicles) and with Sanrio and New Line Cinema on a Hello Kitty feature.
- Oh, The Places You’ll Go! (2028) will feature voice performances by Ariana Grande and Josh Gad; Margie Claus is planned for the 2027 holiday season.
- The slate includes Dynamic Duo (a Batman‑universe adventure) developed with DC Studios, 6th & Idaho and Swaybox Studios, and confirmed projects in development such as Tom & Jerry, Thundercats, Meerkats and Prehistoria (Vivienne Medrano’s feature debut).
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Disney Announces 21 Projects at D23 Showcase
At the Disney Entertainment Showcase during D23 on August 14, 2026, Disney announced 21 movies and TV shows across its studios and labels, covering theatrical releases and streaming series through the end of the decade. Major highlights included Marvel Studios’ X‑Men reboot (May 5, 2028), Avengers: Doomsday (Dec 18, 2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (Dec 17, 2027), plus the Disney+ series VisionQuest. Pixar unveiled four films including Gatto (Mar 5, 2027), Ghost Market (spring 2028), The Incredibles III (Jun 18, 2028) and Coco 2 (Nov 2029). Walt Disney Animation and live-action announced projects such as The Princess Diaries 3, Lilo & Stitch 2 (May 26, 2028), Zootopia 3, a live-action Tangled, and Oswald (Disney+, Feb 2027). 20th Century and Lucasfilm also revealed new entries, and TV/streaming titles include Kingdom Hearts, The Bluey Movie, Percy Jackson S3 and the National Geographic docuseries LION.
Paramount Reveals Film Slate Through 2027 and Beyond
In its quarterly earnings report, Paramount disclosed a slate of upcoming theatrical releases for the remainder of 2026, during 2027, and films planned beyond 2027. Remaining 2026 titles include Dune: Messiah, Practical Magic 2, Digger (starring Tom Cruise), and The Cat In The Hat. The 2027 slate lists projects such as F.A.S.T. (Taylor Sheridan), Oceans (Bradley Cooper; starring Cooper and Margot Robbie), Man of Tomorrow (James Gunn), a follow-up to A Minecraft Movie, The Great Beyond (J.J. Abrams), The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and two releases from WBPA. Titles slated beyond 2027 include Aegon’s Conquest (Game of Thrones universe), the next Matrix, the next Batman film, and a live-action Jetsons film starring Jim Carrey. Paramount noted the merger with WBD remains pending and reiterated its focus on growing content volume and profitability.
Tubi Removes Several Cartoon Network Series End of August
Tubi will remove multiple Cartoon Network and Warner Bros. Animation series from its free streaming library at the end of August 2026, with the listed shows leaving the platform on September 1, 2026. Departing titles include Pinky and the Brain, Cow & Chicken, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Static Shock, and Krypto the Superdog. Tubi will add a new slate of nostalgic animated series starting September 2026, including Beetlejuice, Looney Tunes 3D Shorts, The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Freakazoid!, ¡Mucha Lucha!, and Green Lantern: The Animated Series. The changes are part of an ongoing content-licensing rotation tied to a broader partnership between Tubi and Warner Bros. Discovery that began with a January 2023 content agreement and expanded into a major animation rollout in early 2026.
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