Highlights
- Warner Bros. Pictures Animation revealed a seven-film theatrical slate running through 2028.
- The lineup begins with The Cat in the Hat in 2026, followed by Bad Fairies and Margie Claus in 2027.
- The 2028 slate includes Oh, the Places You'll Go!, and a highly anticipated DC offering, Dynamic Duo.
Warner Bros. Pictures Animation (WBPA) has unveiled its full theatrical lineup till 2028 on June 22, at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. WBPA president Bill Damaschke introduced the seven-film slate and a new Looney Tunes theatrical short, declaring it “the beginning of a new chapter for animation at Warner Bros.”
The lineup combines original productions, literary adaptations, and established intellectual properties, including Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Bad Fairies, and the previously announced Hello Kitty movie.
During the panel, titled Warner Bros. Pictures Animation – A New Chapter, WBPA also disclosed Prehistoria. Hazbin Hotel creator Vivienne Medrano is developing Prehistoria as her debut theatrical feature, collaborating with the studio. A premiere window for this project wasn’t announced.
2026: WBPA Slate Opens With Dr. Seuss
WBPA’s first major release in the lineup is The Cat in the Hat. Based on the classic Dr. Seuss property, the animated film is scheduled to release on Nov 6, 2026.
Written and directed by Alessandro Carloni and Erica Rivinoja, The Cat in the Hat was originally scheduled to release in February 2026, but the release was rescheduled back in 2025. The studio offered attendees 15 minutes of footage at Annecy, highlighting its visual and animation ambition.
WBPA’s 2027 Schedule: A Fairy Musical and a Holiday Comedy
WBPA’s 2027 calendar shifts toward animated originals and musicals. The year will bring Locksmith Animation’s first offering in this lineup, Bad Fairies and the July 2025-announced Margie Claus.
Bad Fairies, directed by Megan Nicole Dong and co-director Olivier Staphylas, centers on a subversive fairy group’s journey across a magical underground city called Donlon and real-life London. The animated musical stars Cynthia Erivo and Ncuti Gatwa. The film releases on May 21, 2027.
Margie Claus is a Christmas-themed animated feature directed by Kirk DeMicco. KPop Demon Hunters producer Michelle Wong is producing the movie with Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy. Margie Claus will be released on Nov 5.
2028: Four WBPA Films with Four Visual Languages
WBPA’s 2028 schedule is currently led by four theatrical features, including another Dr. Seuss adaptation and UK-based Locksmith Animation’s production.
- Oh, the Places You'll Go! (March 17): WBPA’s second Dr. Seuss adaptation, developed by Jon M. Chu and co-director Jill Culton. Ariana Grande and Josh Gad are attached to the project as voice actors. Bad Robot and Dr. Seuss Enterprises are also attached to Oh, the Places You'll Go!.
- Dynamic Duo (June 30): One of the most highly anticipated announcements at Annecy was the Dynamic Duo film, a DC project with WBPA, 6th and Idaho, and Swaybox Studios. The narrative is based on Batman’s two would-be Robins, Dick Grayson and Jason Todd.
Swaybox founder and co-CEO Arthur Mintz is directing the film. The movie is produced primarily using large-scale puppets, real sets, and computer animation.
- Hello Kitty (July 21): A theatrical film developed in partnership with Sanrio and New Line Cinema. WBPA’s Hello Kitty animated film, directed by Leo Matsuda, will be the first theatrical offering from the 54-year-old franchise.
- The Lunar Chronicles (Nov 3): Locksmith Animation’s adaptation of Marissa Meyer’s sci-fi fantasy book series offered a glimpse at early animations at the Annecy. The film, which is early in production, reimagines Cinderella in a cyborg future. The Noëlle Raffaele-directed movie received a strong reaction at the festival.
The slate carries significance as Warner Bros. Discovery's sale to Paramount Skydance advances, which involves Paramount acquiring Warner Bros’ entertainment portfolio. Against that backdrop, WBPA’s long-term animated film roadmap serves as a signal that Warner Bros. intends to remain a major player in theatrical animation.
