From surprise new shorts to exclusive movie footage and major Disney Animation reveals, Annecy 2026 turned into one of Disney’s biggest animation showcases of the year.
The 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival gave Disney and Pixar the perfect stage to pull back the curtain on what’s coming next. Fans got brand-new looks at upcoming feature films, surprise project announcements, behind-the-scenes previews, and exciting updates from both Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
Here’s a roundup of everything Disney announced.
One of the biggest moments came from Walt Disney Animation Studios, which debuted never-before-seen footage from Hexed, the studio’s upcoming original animated feature set to arrive in theaters this November. During the showcase, filmmakers shared new details about the magical coming-of-age adventure and surprised attendees with the announcement of a brand-new Stitch theatrical short, Lilo & Scratch, which will play exclusively in theaters ahead of Hexed.
Festival attendees were treated to the first completed footage from Gatto, director Enrico Casarosa’s Venice-set original feature arriving in March 2027. Pixar showcased the film’s striking painterly animation style while introducing audiences to Nero, the black cat at the center of the emotional adventure.
Pixar also surprised fans with the announcement of Loving Dory, a brand-new theatrical short returning audiences to the world of Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. The short follows Dory on another heartfelt adventure and demonstrates Pixar’s continued commitment to producing original theatrical shorts alongside its feature films.
20th Television Animation Had a Big Presence at Annecy
The Annecy Festival wasn’t just about Disney Animation and Pixar — 20th Television Animation also took center stage with several exciting presentations and special events.
One of the festival’s biggest honors went to legendary animator, writer, and producer Mike Judge, who received the prestigious Honorary Cristal Award on June 24 in recognition of his decades-long contribution to animation. Best known as the co-creator of King of the Hill, Judge celebrated the milestone by presenting an exclusive episode from the upcoming 15th season ahead of its streaming debut on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ internationally later this summer.
Judge was joined on stage by fellow King of the Hill co-creator Greg Daniels and showrunner Saladin Patterson for a special Q&A discussing the highly anticipated revival. The trio also hosted an animation masterclass during the festival, giving attendees an inside look at the creative process behind one of television’s most beloved animated series. Disney also released a brand-new trailer for Season 15 of King of the Hill during the event.
Fans of Springfield also had something to celebrate, as The Simpsons hosted an interactive live drawing panel led by Emmy Award-winning animator and director David Silverman, giving festival attendees a behind-the-scenes look at bringing America’s favorite animated family to life.
Disney Kids & Family Revealed Several New Series and Holiday Specials
Disney also used Annecy to showcase the future of Disney Kids & Family animation with previews, major announcements, and exciting project updates.
Festival attendees received an exclusive first look at the upcoming Disney Jr. and Pixar series Cars: Lightning Racers during a special “Work in Progress” presentation, while the new Disney+ animated series Dragon Striker was highlighted during a live drawing session with members of the creative team.
Disney also screened multiple episodes of the upcoming Disney+ original series The Doomies, which was selected as part of Annecy’s official TV and Commissioned Films competition lineup.
Beyond the previews, Disney announced several brand-new projects headed to Disney+.
Among the biggest reveals was Journey (working title), a new animated series currently in production from Disney Kids & Family and Higher Ground, along with Warrior Cats, an adaptation of the bestselling children’s fantasy book series that has long been requested by fans.
Holiday programming also received a major spotlight. Disney announced Mickey’s Home Alone, a brand-new full-length Christmas special arriving this holiday season, along with A Proud Family Wizmas, a stop-motion musical holiday special set to debut this winter.
Finally, Disney confirmed that The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder will conclude with its fourth and final season, bringing the acclaimed revival series to a close while continuing the franchise with its new holiday special.
The Annecy presentations also reinforced Disney’s strong upcoming theatrical slate, with Hexed, Gatto, Loving Dory, and Lilo & Scratch joining previously announced projects that will continue expanding Disney’s animation lineup over the next several years.
For Disney fans, Annecy once again proved why it’s become one of the industry’s biggest stages for animation announcements. Whether it’s revealing exclusive footage, debuting surprise projects, or offering a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, Disney continues to use the festival to give fans an early glimpse at the future of animation.
We’ll continue following all of these projects as more trailers, release dates, and casting announcements are revealed, so be sure to check back with Theme Park Scope for the latest Disney Animation news, Pixar updates, movie announcements, and everything happening across The Walt Disney Company.
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