Pixar just gave fans their first real look at one of the studio’s most unique films ever, and it already feels unlike anything we’ve seen from the animation giant before.
Disney and Pixar have officially released the first trailer for Gatto, the upcoming original animated film from Luca director Enrico Casarosa, while also announcing two major additions to the voice cast: Mark Ruffalo and Laurence Fishburne. The film is currently set to arrive exclusively in theaters on March 5, 2027.
According to Pixar, Ruffalo will voice Nero, a scrappy black cat who has spent years navigating the winding canals and alleyways of Venice, Italy. Deep in debt and questioning the choices he’s made throughout his life, Nero finds himself searching for a new purpose.
Fishburne will voice Rocco, a ruthless feline mob boss who plays a major role in Nero’s journey. The first trailer introduces audiences to the pair during a humorous interrogation scene that quickly shows off the movie’s blend of crime-drama influences and classic Pixar comedy.
In the footage, Rocco demands answers about missing tuna while Nero attempts to play the tough guy — before immediately getting distracted by a dangling pull chain, reminding viewers that no matter how serious these mobsters may seem, they’re still cats.
A New Adventure Set in Venice
Gatto takes place in a feline-run version of Venice, Italy, where superstition, mystery, and mob activity shape daily life. Pixar’s official synopsis says Nero is forced into an unexpected friendship that could ultimately help him discover who he is and what his purpose might be — if Venice doesn’t get the better of him first.
The setting will feel familiar to fans of Luca, which was also directed by Casarosa and inspired by his Italian roots. However, Gatto appears to lean into a much different tone, combining emotional storytelling with elements of a mob film, comedy, and adventure.
Pixar’s Most Unique Visual Style Yet?
Beyond the story itself, one of the biggest talking points surrounding Gatto is its animation style.
Pixar has been teasing the project since its announcement at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where studio leaders described the film as having a painterly look inspired by Venice itself. Early footage and the newly released trailer showcase a visual style that blends Pixar’s signature dimensional animation with hand-painted textures and artwork-inspired visuals.
The result is a movie that feels noticeably different from traditional Pixar films while still maintaining the studio’s trademark attention to detail and emotional storytelling.
The Team Behind the Film
Gatto reunites the creative team behind Luca, with Casarosa directing and Andrea Warren producing. Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter is serving as executive producer.
With a fresh setting, a striking new visual style, and a cast led by Ruffalo and Fishburne, Gatto is shaping up to be one of Pixar’s most intriguing original films in years.
And if this first trailer is any indication, audiences may be in for a wild ride through the feline underworld of Venice when the film arrives in theaters on March 5, 2027.
Stay tuned to Theme Park Scope for more Disney and Pixar news, movie updates, trailers, and entertainment announcements as they happen.
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