THE APEX TIMES
Disney highlights ‘Hexed,’ ‘Lilo & Scratch’ and new Pixar titles at Annecy, turning festival spotlight into a preview of 2026-2027 slate
At the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar and Disney Kids & Family used major panels and exclusive footage debuts to preview upcoming theatrical releases and new series greenlights.
Walt Disney returned to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week with a tightly curated slate of announcements and exclusive previews, using the industry’s marquee animation stage to showcase upcoming theatrical releases, fresh short films and new kids and family projects.
On June 26, directors Fawn Veerasunthorn, Jason Hand and Malcon Pierce appeared on the Bonlieu Grand Theater main stage on behalf of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Veerasunthorn and Hand led an onstage presentation for Disney’s “Hexed,” including the first-ever public debut of select scenes from the upcoming November 25, 2026 theatrical release.
“Hexed” is described as an all-new magical coming-of-age story that follows Billie, an impulsive and unconventional teenage girl voiced by Hailee Steinfeld, who discovers secret magical abilities. Once unleashed, the abilities propel her out of suburbia and into a witch realm called Hexe, where she is forced to team up with her cautious mother, Alice, voiced by Rashida Jones. Disney said family mysteries they uncover could change the world of witches. The film is directed by Veerasunthorn and Hand, co-directed by Josie Trinidad, and produced by Roy Conli and Yvett Merino. Disney also said it is the studio’s 65th animated feature.
During the same presentation, Veerasunthorn and Pierce announced an all-new animated short, “Lilo & Scratch,” which debuts in theaters this November alongside “Hexed.” Disney positioned it as the first project starring Stitch from Disney Animation since the 2002 original animated feature “Lilo & Stitch.” The short features voice performances from Chris Sanders reprising Stitch, and Maia Kealoha reprising Lilo from Disney’s 2025 live-action film adaptation, according to the festival remarks. In the story preview, Disney said Lilo introduces Scratch, a mischievous and mysterious cat, to their “ohana,” then leaves Stitch in charge, setting up the chaos that follows. Disney also described the short’s animation approach as authentic to the look and style of “Lilo & Stitch,” combining hand-drawn and CG techniques with watercolor backgrounds.
Pixar’s Annecy segment also leaned on both narrative development and visual process. Oscar-nominated director Enrico Casarosa revealed new plot details for Pixar’s original film “Gatto,” and showed never-before-seen artwork highlighting the film’s distinctive visual style. Disney said Casarosa debuted three Annecy-exclusive sequences designed to emphasize the film’s comedy and emotion.
In “Gatto,” Disney described Nero, a scrappy black cat voiced by Mark Ruffalo, who begins questioning whether he has lived the right lives after years of navigating a canal-ridden, superstitious city in Venice, Italy. Nero is indebted to Rocco, a ruthless local feline mob boss voiced by Laurence Fishburne, and Disney said that obligation forces Nero into an unexpected friendship that could reveal his purpose, unless Venice turns the tables first. Disney said “Gatto” is directed by Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren, the filmmaking team behind Pixar and Disney’s Oscar-nominated feature “Luca,” and that the movie releases exclusively in theaters March 5, 2027.
Beyond theatrical features, Disney also used the festival stage to preview upcoming Pixar and Disney shorts. Disney and Pixar announced the title of “Loving Dory,” set in the world of “Finding Nemo,” and said director Lou Hamou-Lhadj and producer Mary Alice Drumm revealed plot details for the first time. In the short, Disney said Dory confuses a plastic bag for a gentle jellyfish and becomes captivated by its curiosity, then discovers feelings that escalate from clingy to “toxic,” requiring outside intervention.
The company’s festival presence extended into animation industry recognition and mainstream television. Disney said Emmy Award-winning animation legend Mike Judge, co-creator of the Hulu original series “King of the Hill,” received the Honorary Cristal on June 24. To commemorate the honor, Disney said Judge presented an exclusive episode from the upcoming 15th season, ahead of its summer premiere on Hulu in the United States and Disney+ internationally. Disney also said a new trailer for season 15 is now available.
Elsewhere in the Disney umbrella, the company described additional programming from 20th Television Animation, including an interactive “The Simpsons” live drawing panel hosted by animator and director David Silverman. In Disney Kids & Family, Disney said it showcased preschool and kids animation through festival events, competition selections and announcements, including a live drawing session for the new Disney+ series “Dragon Striker,” an exclusive first look and work-in-progress panel for “Cars: Lightning Racers” from Disney Jr. and Pixar, and screenings for the upcoming Disney+ series “The Doomies,” selected in the festival’s TV and commissioned films category.
Disney said the festival also served as a launchpad for major development news, including series greenlights for “Journey” (working title), currently in production from Disney Kids & Family and Higher Ground; “Warrior Cats,” based on the best-selling children’s book series; and a full-length Christmas special, “Mickey’s Home Alone,” arriving this holiday season. Disney also announced the fourth and final season of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” plus “A Proud Family Wizmas,” a new stop-motion, musical holiday special debuting this winter.
Looking ahead, Disney’s Annecy playbook suggests a strategy of combining audience-facing previews with behind-the-scenes validation, by pairing major theatrical tentpoles with shorts that carry franchise recognition and by using the festival’s spotlight to sustain momentum through long lead times. What remains unclear is how extensive the final rollout will be beyond the select scenes and festival-exclusive sequences already previewed, including whether any additional footage, release dates or release-market specifics were addressed during other panels not detailed in the company’s announcement. For investors and industry watchers, the immediate next checkpoints will be how these festival previews map to marketing milestones and the timing of additional first-look material as the 2026 and 2027 release windows draw closer.
Why It Matters
- Annecy is a key annual meeting point for animation creators and industry buyers, so Disney’s front-loaded previews announcement an effort to build creative momentum and brand attention ahead of long release calendars.
- By attaching franchise-connected shorts to major theatrical releases, Disney is effectively using short-form content to reinforce familiar characters while maintaining audience engagement between feature films.
- Disney’s mix of feature teasers and series greenlights reflects how the studio is balancing big-screen tentpoles with an expanding pipeline for streaming and family franchises.
- The company’s public debut of selected scenes and festival-exclusive sequences suggests Disney will rely on high-credibility industry stages to validate storytelling and craft rather than only consumer-facing marketing.
Sources
Key Facts
- Disney returned to the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival and staged multiple announcements across Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, 20th Television Animation, and Disney Kids & Family.
- Walt Disney Animation Studios presented “Hexed,” including the first-ever public debut of select scenes from the planned November 25, 2026 theatrical release; the film is Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 65th animated feature.
- Disney announced the theatrical short “Lilo & Scratch,” which debuts this November with “Hexed,” featuring reprised voice roles for Stitch and Lilo and described as combining hand-drawn and CG animation with watercolor backgrounds.
- Pixar used Annecy to preview plot and visuals for “Gatto,” including three Annecy-exclusive sequences; the film releases exclusively in theaters March 5, 2027.
- Disney and Pixar announced “Loving Dory,” a short set in the “Finding Nemo” world, and revealed initial plot details about Dory and a romantic misunderstanding that spirals.
- The company highlighted industry recognition at Annecy through Mike Judge’s Honorary Cristal award for his work on “King of the Hill,” alongside a preview episode from the upcoming 15th season.
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