Why 2026 Is a High Stakes Year for Original Animated Films

When it came to animated movies in 2025, the key takeaway was that franchise films were safe bets, while animated originals – at least theatrically – were potential minefields.

This can be summed up with two movies released by the Walt Disney Company – “Elio,” a Pixar original about a young boy who dreams of being abducted by extraterrestrials, opened last summer and, despite a warm critical response (it currently sports an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes), underperformed commercially, making just $154 million worldwide on a budget rumored to be in the neighborhood of $200 million.

Compare that to “Zootopia 2,” made by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released this past Thanksgiving. The sequel to the animal-filled original, which won the Best Animated Feature Oscar and brought in $1 billion in 2016, has been a smash, making more than $1.59 billion worldwide on a budget of $150 million and selling a truly staggering amount of adorable plush.

While 2026 is filled with several high-profile sequels that are sure to do gangbusters at the box office, the long-term future of the various animation studios hinges on the success of original animated features. They feed a larger ecosystem of consumer products and theme park attractions and “Fortnite” skins. They can inspire complementary streaming series and more sequels. As the first “Zootopia” demonstrated, a gamble on an original feature today could lead to a billion-dollar franchise tomorrow.

That’s why this year, almost every animation studio has an original movie on the calendar, potentially making it the biggest year for original animation ever, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Industry consolidation has led to fewer films in theaters, which has put the future of the moviegoing business in jeopardy — especially as Netflix plans to gobble up Warner Bros.

Strong performance from several original animated films could make way for the next box office mega-hit, and instead of retreating to the safety and security of sequels and spinoffs, most studios are going out on a limb with fresh products and new ideas.

The question, as always, is will audiences show up?

The timing of these originals is fortuitous. Last year saw a number of breakouts from original live-action titles like, “Sinners” and “Weapons,” with animated “KPop Demon Hunters” — a streaming release — a certified phenom on Netflix. Bottom line: People want something fresh.

A survey taken by the National Research Group in conjunction with TheWrap about their thoughts on 2026 found that 72% of viewers want more original films and 43% believe there are too many franchises. (You can view the whole report here.)

When I asked one animation director, who has worked on original projects and existing IP, about the prospects of original animated features, he said, “My only thought is that it has never been more of an absolute crap shoot.”

A stacked lineup

We’ll know soon enough whether or not audiences will respond to fresh IP, when Sony Pictures Animation unleashes “Goat” over Valentine’s Day weekend. Produced by and co-starring NBA star Stephen Curry and timed to release on NBA All-Star Weekend, it follows a basketball playing goat (voiced by “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin) in an all-animal world (yes, shades of “Zootopia” are definitely present) who dreams of being the greatest player of all time.

A few weeks later, on March 6, Pixar will unleash “Hoppers,” about a young woman (Piper Curda) who transplants her consciousness into that of a robotic beaver, learning more about the animal kingdom than she ever could as a human observer. You know, that old chestnut. Directed by Daniel Chong, who worked as a Pixar story artist before creating the wildly successful Cartoon Network series “We Bare Bears,” the original feature has been generating positive buzz and a lot of excitement internally. It even spurred an ongoing TikTok meme with the release of its teaser trailer back in July.

During the pandemic, countless original films, including new favorites like Sony Pictures Animation’s “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” and Pixar’s “Soul” and “Turning Red,” were unceremoniously shuttled to streaming, training families to think that animated films don’t need to be pricey outings to the theaters.

But in order for animation studios to flourish, audiences need to re-learn that top-tier original animated content is playing in their local multiplex, not simply accessible through their streaming services. Studios are hoping those cute creatures and, in Sony’s case, a tie-in with the NBA, will motivate families to make the trip.

“The buy-in for a family of time, money, resources and stress equity is significant, so the lift for the lesser or unknown animated movie brands is heavier than for those films where everyone knows what to expect once the lights go down in the auditorium,” said Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst and head of marketing trends for Comscore.

A recurring theme in this year’s original animated films is fantasy — stories that promise to whisk audiences away on a giant screen.

In September, DreamWorks Animation has “Forgotten Island,” from “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” director Joel Crawford and Crawford’s frequent collaborator Januel Mercado. Incorporating elements of broad comedies like “The Hangover” and Filipino mythology, the film blends a buddy comedy with a fantastical world.

And perhaps the ultimate test of original movies’ popularity will be Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Hexed,” set for a Thanksgiving release, a modern fantasy about a young boy who exhibits extraordinary abilities and is taken to a magical world.

Additionally, LAIKA, the stop-motion animation studio behind “ParaNorman,” “Coraline” and “Kubo and the Two Strings,” has “Wildwood,” its first film in seven years. It’s a sprawling fantasy based on the book by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis and is set for release before the end of the year.

But original animated films will hit the small screen too.

At home, there’s gentle fantasy “Swapped,” from “Tangled” director Nathan Greno and “Ray Gunn,” the long-awaited sci-fi noir from “Incredibles” and “Iron Giant” filmmaker Brad Bird. Both were produced by Skydance Animation and both will premiere exclusively on Netflix through their output deal. “Swapped” is being eyed for the spring and “Ray Gunn” should be out in the fall.

Big franchises return

Not every studio, however, is branching out in 2026.

Illumination has “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” a sequel to 2023’s gargantuan hit “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and an extension of Nintendo’s vaunted video game series, opening on April 3, with “Minions 3,” the latest installment in the long-running spinoff series (part of the larger, insanely successful “Despicable Me” franchise) coming on July 1.

Meanwhile, Paramount will be unleashing the third “Paw Patrol” movie, “Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie,” on Aug. 14, and “The Angry Birds Movie 3” on Dec. 23, 2026. The studio also has “The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender,” a continuation of the beloved animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” which last month was removed from the theatrical schedule and is now headed straight to Paramount+ on an unannounced date.

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation has “The Cat in the Hat,” based on the Dr. Seuss book, which is scheduled for Nov. 6 in a prime pre-Thanksgiving slot. The studio is also readying an animated movie based on Seuss’ “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” from “Wicked” director Jon M. Chu and his leading lady Ariana Grande, set for release in 2028.

But, hey, at least there will be new animated movies to see in 2026, compared to the relatively anemic 2025 output.

“The best news for the industry is that family-friendly animated movies will continue to hit big screens in 2026 as evidenced by the plentiful offerings on the slate for the year,” Dergarabedian said. “The big question is will original animation be able to grab up the family audience in the same way that the tried-and-true franchises with familiar characters have been able to attract moviegoers to the multiplex over the years.”

But there is a silver lining, particularly for slightly edgier animated movies that embrace their PG-rating without tipping over into PG-13 territory.

Notably, for the second consecutive year, PG-rated films have outperformed their PG-13 counterparts, according to Comscore data, with PG movies generating $2.972 billion in 2025 compared to the $2.920 billion banked by PG-13 titles. The data suggests that, buoyed by the performance of PG-rated titles like “A Minecraft Movie” and “Lilo & Stitch,” families are eager to go to the theater for the right film.

Wearing out their welcome?

Having a hit original film is more pressing for studios than ever, as many of the sequels coming out in 2026 are for franchises that are getting long in the tooth.

Pixar’s “Toy Story 5,” which opens on June 19, is the latest installment in a franchise that is now more than 30 years old. And Illumination’s “Minions 3” is the seventh film in the “Despicable Me” franchise since 2010. No matter how much you love those little freaks (and you might really love them, considering they’ve made a cumulative $5.6 billion worldwide), that’s a lot of movies, and each successive sequel risks tiring out the audience.

For animation filmmakers, a franchise is a great place to get your feet wet, but most are eager to take a big swing at an original.

Crawford and Mercado, the writers and directors of DreamWorks’ “Forgotten Island,” had previously worked on two storied franchise films from the company’s library – “The Croods: A New Age” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” But making an original was always the goal.

“We actually started developing this idea for an original film while we were working on ‘The Croods: A New Age.’ This story is very personal to the both of us, and we were determined to share it with the world,” said Crawford.

Mercado added: “It’s fun playing in the sandbox of existing DreamWorks franchises, especially with iconic characters. With that being said, Joel and I were ready for the challenge and excitement of creating something new.”

When we asked if there was more resistance to an original project, versus one based on a preexisting franchise, Crawford said, “Our industry is constantly changing. It’s not what it used to be, and in general, it’s not easy to get an original off the ground. We are very fortunate to have the support of Margie Cohn, Kristin Lowe and the leadership at DreamWorks. They strongly believe in the value that originals bring to the future of our studio.”

But originals that catch on don’t always have to be backed by a major studio, as smaller films like the Oscar-winning “Flow” or this year’s “Arco” and “Little Amélie or the Character of Rain” (both likely Best Animated Feature Oscar nominees) have proven.

“I think there’s two pieces here. There’s the animation industry, which always seems to be in crisis and always seems to be unable to provide for its workers and always seems to be on the edge of falling apart and consolidating. And then there’s animation as an art form and community, which just keeps getting better and is unstoppable,” said Julian Glander, the director of “Boys Go to Jupiter,” a charming independent animated film that released in early 2025. “I’m so excited for everything that’s happening on the small end.”

The bottom line is that everybody — audiences, studios and other filmmakers — will benefit if these new original features are a hit. After getting reheated leftovers so many times, it will undoubtedly feel refreshing to have something new.

“We love movies with specific voices and new perspectives and want to see more animated features that continue to push the medium,” said Mercado. “So yes, it’s not only exciting, but validating knowing that studios are embracing great storytelling and open to fresh ideas. It motivates us to continue pushing the boundaries of animated films.”

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