We’ve got our first look at Saverio, the pigeon sidekick from Pixar’s Gatto, and honestly, a pigeon co-star might be the most Italian casting choice Pixar’s ever made.
The reveal came straight from the D23 Pixar booth, where a new display shows off Nero, the film’s cat lead, alongside his feathery new sidekick Saverio. The whole thing is set against gorgeous Italian architecture (arched openings, stucco-over-brick walls, a terracotta tile roof) basically everything I want out of a Pixar backdrop and then some.
Quick refresher if you haven’t been following Gatto closely (no shame, there’s a lot of D23 news to keep up with this week): it’s directed by Luca‘s Enrico Casarosa, and it’s taking us back to his home country of Italy. Mark Ruffalo voices Nero, a cat trying to leave his mischievous past behind, but not before pulling off one final job: stealing a violin. Naturally, things get complicated when he starts bonding with the violin’s owner, Maya, over their shared love of opera. A heist gone soft. I’m already emotionally invested.
The animation style is worth talking about too — Gatto is leaning into brushstroke effects and 2D-inspired touches like watercolor, with reflectors used on water to sell the look. Pixar’s calling it like walking into a painting, and it’s the studio’s first time using this technique. So we’re not just getting a new sidekick, we’re getting a whole new visual language from Pixar. Big year for cats and pigeons alike.
As for when you can actually see all this for yourself: Gatto is set for theaters on March 5, 2027, moved up from its original June 18, 2027 date, so hey, less waiting than we thought.
What do you think of Saverio joining Nero’s story — are you Team Pigeon Sidekick? Let me know!
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