On Friday, Pixar revealed a brand new original story at France's Annecy Animation Festival, with the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar, Pete Doctor, revealing concepts for Gatto, set to get a summer release in 2027.
Bringing back the filmmaking team behind Luca, Enrico Casarosa will direct while Andrea Warren is set to produce Gatto.
Pixar will swap the idyllic Italian Riviera for Venice, as Gatto follows a black cat called Nero. Living in Venice, Nero has a deep fear of water, and wonders if he's wasted his nine lives slinking around the labryinth of canals, always seeming to land himself in trouble with the feline mob boss he's indebted to.
As the story pushes on, he forms an unlikely friendship with Maya, a street artist who takes him in, much to the saccharine of Nero.
JUST ANNOUNCED: Coming to theaters in 2027 is Disney and Pixar’s "Gatto.” 🐈⬛ From “Luca” director Enrico Casarosa, the film returns to Italy, following a black cat named Nero. Indebted to a feline mob boss, Nero finds himself forced to forge an unexpected friendship that may… pic.twitter.com/gCEUocT8kx
— Pixar (@Pixar) June 13, 2025
Always delighted to hear of another upcoming Disney movie release, many may be a little more cynical about the announcement given it's not been long since we had another black cat on the big screen with the release of the Academy Award-winning Flow. To that we say: justice for black cats!
According to the RSPCA, black cats are three times more likely to come into its centres. Black cats can also take three times longer to find new homes than tabby cats, with 626% more witchy guys and gals than ginger cats in the RSPCA's care.
So if the likes of Flow and, come 2027, Gatto can showcase black cats as the beautiful additions that they are to a home – and fight against tired superstitions – we're all for it. What's more, Pixar is likely to bring its own sprinkle of magic to its story, making room for another story of a black cat finding his way just as wholesome and beloved as the rest of Pixar's catalogue of family movies.
Never seen before, Gatto is set to take on a new style for Pixar in terms of its animation, with Doctor revealing animation tests that showcased a distinct hand-painted effect.
Attendees of the Annecy Animation Festival also got to watch a 27-minute preview of Elio, which is coming out in just a few days on June 20, as well as seeing more exclusive footage of Hoppers (coming spring next year). Doctor also confirmed the return of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, and Joan Cusack for the fifth instalment of the Toy Story movies, which is set to be Pixar's big summer release for 2026.
Heading to Cineworld with your kids for Elio or another great movie? Remember with Cineworld's family tickets, adults can pay kids prices in groups of four!
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