Pixar Unveils Gatto! See the First Look at the New Cat-Centric Movie & Release Date

Pixar has unveiled its latest project, an original movie called Gatto, along with a sneak peek and its anticipated release date. This new film is spearheaded by the team behind Pixar’s Luca, including director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren. Their previous work, released in 2021, captured the hearts of audiences with its endearing characters and picturesque Italian setting. Luca was notably the first Pixar film to debut exclusively on Disney+, and it topped the charts as the most-watched streaming movie of 2021, with viewers streaming over 10.6 billion minutes. Since then, Pixar has returned to launching its films in theaters.

During the Annecy Animation Festival in France, Pete Docter, the Chief Creative Officer of DisneyPixar, revealed Gatto, which is set to premiere in the summer of 2027. A teaser image was also shared, showcasing a black cat named Nero cautiously descending a flight of stone steps in Venice. Here’s your first glimpse:

Insights from Gatto’s Initial Visual Preview

Unveiling Details of the New Pixar Film

After setting Luca along the Italian Riviera, Gatto transports viewers back to Italy, specifically to Venice, which is director Casarosa’s native homeland. The story follows Nero, a black cat who has spent years mastering the labyrinthine alleys and waterways of this iconic floating city, and begins to question whether he has truly lived his nine lives to the fullest. Nero, a reluctant music lover with a notable aversion to water, finds himself entangled in trouble due to a debt owed to a local cat mafia leader.

Nero’s predicament drives him into forming an unlikely partnership with Maya, a vibrant street artist who chooses to adopt him, despite his objections. This odd couple gradually forms a bond that aids Nero in finding his true purpose, provided he can evade the sinister underbelly of Venice that threatens to ensnare him. The most striking aspect of the initial image is its unique, hand-painted artistic style, a new venture for Pixar, showcasing rich Venetian hues and traditional 2D hand-painted textures.

Our Perspective on Pixar’s Gatto

Comparative Analysis with Flow

Pixar’s Gatto is likely to be compared to the 2024 film Flow, which centers on a cat’s struggle during a flood and clinched the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. While the films share similarities in featuring cat protagonists and emotional narratives, they diverge in animation style and storyline. However, Pixar aims to create a distinct narrative with Gatto, blending whimsical storytelling with a heartfelt plot, all set against a never-before-seen hand-painted backdrop of Venice.