From Toy Story to Gatto: Pixar's Bold Future Revealed at Annecy
Pixar returned to the Annecy International Animation Festival with one of its most comprehensive showcases to date. Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter led the presentation, joined by the filmmakers behind Elio, and unveiled new details and footage from Hoppers, Toy Story 5, and announced Gatto. But before diving into Pixar’s future, Annecy paused to honor the past.
Annecy Festival Artistic Director Marcel Jean welcomed Docter on stage to unveil his handprints, marking his official induction into the festival’s Walk of Fame. “I love the amazing things that come out of people’s hands," said Docter. “When you see a great artist and you watch their hands and think, ‘That’s how your mind expresses itself.’ To have them honored in this festival means a lot to me." Docter was visibly moved, thanking the crowd before joking that he hoped the security guards could remain “quietly in their place" for the rest of the show.
What’s Coming Next from Pixar
Elio
In Theaters: June 20, 2025
The first part of the presentation was dedicated to Elio, with Domee Shi, Madeline Sharafian, and Mary Alice Drumm taking the stage to share new details about the film’s design, characters, and themes. They also presented 25 minutes of footage, giving Annecy audiences an extended first look at Pixar’s next theatrical release.
What We Learned:
- The film contrasts the cold, gray military base where Elio lives with his aunt Olga, against the dazzling, organic vibrancy of the Communiverse. Production designer Harley Jessup drew inspiration from deep-sea jellyfish, macrophotography, coral, fungi, and origami.
- Elio’s design was shaped by his misfit personality—round features, expressive eyes, and a homemade cape. The cape’s final design was inspired by a crew-wide Pixar cape-making challenge.
- Glordon, an intimidating alien who turns out to be Elio’s kindest ally, was inspired by sea creatures and microorganisms, as were many of the other aliens.
- Early animation tests and sketches showed how emotion was conveyed even in eyeless or bizarre character designs, including Glordon’s expressive face.
Annecy attendees were treated to 25 minutes of footage, which introduced both the Earth-based setup and Elio’s first moments in the Communiverse, including his meeting with Glordon and the hilarious diplomatic confusion that follows.
Hoppers
In Theaters: March 2026
Directed by Daniel Chong | Produced by Nicole Grindle
Hoppers follows Mabel, a nature-loving teen who discovers a lab of scientists that transfer their minds into robotic animals for field research. She uses this tech to repopulate a threatened forest and stop a development project.
Footage Highlights:
- Circle of Life Disruption: In animal form, Mabel saves a beaver from a bear, only to be scolded by both animals for interrupting the natural order.
- Meet King George: Mabel tours beaver society under the guidance of King George (voiced by Bobby Moynihan), learning “pond rules" and struggling to fit in.
- Mayor’s Car Scene: Voiced by Jon Hamm, Mayor Jerry Generazzo gets into his car to prep for a press conference, only to find animals have snuck in. Mabel texts him a warning using his phone’s speech-to-text feature, which humorously reads out every emoji.
Docter described the film as “Avatar meets Mission: Impossible meets Planet Earth"—an emotional, comedic, and action-packed adventure.
Toy Story 5
In Theaters: Summer 2026
Directed by Andrew Stanton | Co-Director: Kenna Harris | Produced by Jess Choy
With the franchise turning 30 this year, Docter offered a deeply personal retrospective of Toy Story’s beginnings, including early designs, commercials, and rejection letters from studios that passed on the original pitch.
Presentation Highlights:
- Woody was originally a ventriloquist dummy; Buzz was inspired by Tin Toy before becoming a modern space ranger.
- A failed early cut of Toy Story almost got the project shut down by Disney, until Pixar’s team reworked the story to reflect what they truly believed in.
- The name Toy Story was a placeholder until late in production—alternatives included Lost and Found and Toys in the Hood.
Docter then transitioned into Toy Story 5, which tackles the generational shift from toys to tech. Bonnie, now eight, is obsessed with a Lilypad tablet—personified as cute but “prickly." Jessie leads Bonnie’s room, with Buzz as her assistant deputy.
Footage Shown:
- A still image of the Lilypad device—frog-shaped, seemingly sweet, but with possibly villainous intentions.
- The opening scene: On a beach, a High-Tech Buzz Lightyear lies in the sand. Dozens more are scattered nearby. One wakes up, sees a wrecked shipping container, and activates the others—all repeating: “Rendezvous with Star Command." The scene nods to Cast Away, mixing mystery and humor.
“It’s toy meets tech," said Docter. “The toys think they know what’s best for Bonnie, but Lilypad has other plans." He added that the film will place a bigger spotlight on Jessie, with Joan Cusack returning to voice her.
Gatto
In Theaters: Summer 2027
Directed by Enrico Casarosa | Produced by Andrea Warren
Announced for the first time publicly, Gatto is a painterly story set in Venice about Nero, a black cat who struggles to survive in a city full of canals and superstition. Nero’s only solace is music. One clip showed his tail acting independently when hearing street musician Maya, pulling him into her world, setting off the story. The pair form the heart of the film.
Early test footage revealed a hand-painted CG style, like a Venetian painting come to life. The technique blends digital precision with painterly warmth, evoking Venice’s dreamlike layers. Docter said the team was striving for a style that felt handmade and emotionally textured, similar in spirit to Burrow, but executed at feature scale.
And Beyond...
To close the presentation, Docter briefly mentioned that Incredibles 3 is in development with Brad Bird writing and executive producing, and Peter Sohn directing, plus Coco 2 is on the way with Lee Unkrich returning to direct. “We’re standing on one of the strongest slates we’ve ever had," he said.
From intergalactic misfits to tech-age toy dilemmas, Pixar’s next few years blend innovation, nostalgia, and emotional storytelling—hallmarks that made the studio what it is today.