The Animation Blog

‘Gabby’s Dollhouse: Fairylandia Tour’ Comes to 12 U.S. Cities — Meet Gabby and Participate in Garden-Themed Craft Activities

March 18, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

DreamWorks Animation and KidsGardening are launching Gabby’s Dollhouse Fairylandia Tour, a three-month program intertwining the new Fairylandia setting featured in the Netflix series and the hands-on enrichment opportunities found at botanical gardens across the country.

The tour stops will offer character meet and greets with Gabby (costume character, not the actress) in her Fairylandia-themed attire and garden-themed craft activities.

Featured crafts include a Kitty Fairy crown and a terrarium, and each child will be gifted an activity booklet including temporary tattoos, watercolor sheet, and button to commemorate their visit.

Short Film Spotlight: Ombr

March 17, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Synopsis: The old memories of an ancient family resurface through the walls of an old abandoned house.

Directed by:
Charles Menet
Mathis Binauld
Célia Rakotoarisoa
Lucie Jelmoni
Margaux Bonnet
Njike Ngassam Rick Vanel

Original Music by Thomas Peyrounette.

Sound Design by Charles Menet.

Sound Editing by Pierre-Antoine Naline.

Sound Mix by Christian Cartier.

98th Oscars: ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Wins Best Song and Best Animated Feature, ‘The Girl Who Cried Pearls’ Wins Best Animated Short

March 16, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Best Animated Feature Film:
KPop Demon Hunters
Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans. Produced by Michelle L.M. Wong.

Best Original Song:
“Golden” – Music and lyrics by EJAE, Mark Sonnenblick, Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo and Teddy Park.

Short Film Spotlight: L’Armure (The Armor)

March 15, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Note: Switch the audio track to French. The English track is auto-generated.

Synopsis: In a faraway land, a goblin finds himself cursed and trapped in the body of an empty suit of armor. After years of failing to regain his former body, the Armor decides to end it all… until he meets Eustace.

Directed by:
Mathieu De Macedo
Elodie Dubos
Lucas Eugene
Mila Jourdan
Adélaïde Langouet
Elisabeth Moreau
Claire Pendelio
Théo Rubin

Original score by Matthieu Monot.

Sound by Baptiste Leblanc, José Vicente and Yoann Poncet.

Voiced by Emmanuel Curtil and Gabriel Bismuth-Bienaime.

‘Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show’: Special TV Version of the Theatrical Production Comes to Disney+

March 14, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Release date: March 16, 2026 on Disney+

Synopsis: Bluey’s Big Play – The Stage Show is a special televised version of the touring theatrical production, featuring live performances of Bluey characters brought to life by puppeteers, with an original story by creator Joe Brumm and new music by Joff Bush.

Disney also announced that a collection of 10 Bluey Minisodes, previously only available online and in Australia, will be available for the first time on Disney+ beginning May 20.

The collection includes: Humpty Dumpty, Green Bottles, Flying Saucer, Tea Party, Pea Pod Sausages, Old Macdonald, Honk, Lollipop Song, Cinderella, and Make Mum Laugh.

Stewie Gets His Own ‘Family Guy’ Spin-Off with Seth MacFarlane Starring and Executive Producing

March 13, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Release date: 2027-2028 on FOX and Hulu in the U.S., and Disney+ internationally.

Synopsis: After getting kicked out of his old preschool, Stewie is enrolled in a new one where he must make new friends and deal with an outspoken class turtle.

All the kids are miserable until Stewie brings out his homemade devices to take them on daily adventures throughout space and time.

Stewie (working title) received a two-season order, likely 13 episodes per season, and is executive produced by Seth MacFarlane, Kirker Butler and Kara Vallow.

‘Rick and Morty’ Season 9 Trailer, Release Date and First-Look Images

March 12, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

(Sneak peek. We’ll update this post when the official trailer drops.)

U.S. release date: May 24, 2026 on Adult Swim. Streaming August 31, 2026 on HBO Max.

European release date: May 25, 2026 on HBO Max.

Synopsis: Rick and Morty is back, baby! Season 9 is all certified bangers. No AI slop! Just Grade A organic slop, made by real humans with real human traits like back hair and cysts. Please watch, or we’ll have neglected our families for nothing.

Executive Produced by Dan Harmon and Scott Marder, who also serves as showrunner.

Voice cast:
Ian Cardoni as Rick Sanchez
Harry Belden as Morty
Sarah Chalke as Beth
Chris Parnell as Jerry
Spencer Grammer as Summer

‘Rooster Fighter’ Anime Trailer and Release Date: Action Comedy Manga Gets Adaptation on Adult Swim, Hulu and Disney+

March 11, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Release date: March 14, 2026 on Adult Swim. Next day on Hulu (U.S.) and Disney+ (International).

Synopsis: Keiji is more than just an ordinary rooster — he’s humanity’s greatest defender! When strange creatures suddenly appear and start attacking, he confronts them head-on. His opponents may be ten stories tall, but nothing is bigger than his stout heart and his fearsome battle cry — “Kokekokko!”

Adult Swim will air the 12-episode series in English every Saturday evening at midnight.

Directed by Daisuke Suzuki.

Written by Hiroshi Seko.

Music composed by Tetsuya Takahashi.

Based on the manga by Shu Sakuratani.

‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Final Trailer: Donald Glover, Luis Guzmán and Issa Rae Will Voice Yoshi, Wart and Honey Queen

March 10, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

U.S. theatrical release date: April 1, 2026

Japanese release date: April 24, 2026

Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.

Written by Matthew Fogel.

Produced by Chris Meledandri of Illumination and Shigeru Miyamoto of Nintendo.

Original score by Brian Tyler.

Voice cast:
Chris Pratt as Mario
Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach
Charlie Day as Luigi
Jack Black as Bowser
Keegan-Michael Key as Toad
Kevin Michael Richardson as Kamek
Brie Larson as Rosalina
Benny Safdie as Bowser Jr.
Donald Glover as Yoshi
Luis Guzmán as Wart
Issa Rae as Honey Queen

Music Video Spotlight: Gorillaz – The Mountain, The Moon Cave and The Sad God

March 9, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

“The Mountain” feat. Dennis Hopper & Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash.

“The Moon Cave” feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought.

“The Sad God” feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar.

From The Mountain, the ninth studio album by Gorillaz.

Directed by Jamie Hewlett, Tim McCourt, Max Taylor and Jonathan Djob Nkondo.

Short Film Spotlight: The Balcony

March 8, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Synopsis: Matt goes out to his balcony and has a brief connection with someone across the way.

Written and directed by Anya Martin.

Backgrounds by Ty Wilson.

Sound Mix by Daniel Eaton.

Sound Design by Anya Martin.

Voice cast:
Ty Wilson as Matt
Isabella Spadone as The Girl
Will Wibisono as Grumpy Man
Peter Foltz as Pizza Guy

Short Film Spotlight: Wings

March 7, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Synopsis: In this story of kindness, friendship, and the fear of being left behind, a friendship takes flight as a mouse that wants to fly and an injured bird cross paths.

Written and directed by Casey McDonald.

Music and Sound Design by Colin Andrew Grant.

‘Wonder Pets: In the City’ Season 2 Trailer and Release Date: Apple TV Musical Adventure Series Returns with 13 New Episodes

March 6, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Release date: March 20, 2026 on Apple TV

Synopsis: By day, they’re classroom pets living in a New York City kindergarten, but when animals need help, Izzy, Tate and Zuri travel all around the globe in their amazing “Jetcar” to rescue animals in musical, mini-opera-themed adventures.

No matter the challenge, they always remember to combine their talents and abilities and work together to save the day — because together, there’s nothing they can’t do!

Developed by Jennifer Oxley.

Based on the original Wonder Pets! series created by Josh Selig.

Voice cast:
Victoria Scola-Giampapa as Izzy
Christopher Sean Cooper Jr. as Tate
Vanessa Huszar as Zuri

Short Film Spotlight: Théâtre de Guerre (Theater of War)

March 5, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Synopsis: During a theatrical performance featuring puppets glorifying war, a wounded soldier is taken backstage where he unveils the truth about war.

Directed by:
Arthur Lecocq
Gabriel Delcroix
Arthur Delcroix
Romuald Gouriou
Julien Vanas
Noëmie Ivelou
Clarence Delehaye

Original Music by Jordan Philipe.

Sound Design by Arthur Lecocq.

Sound Editing by Pierre-Antoine Naline.

Sound Mix by Christian Cartier.

‘Magicampers’ Preschool Series Coming to Disney Platforms: Trailer, Release Date, Synopsis, Theme Song and Poster Revealed

March 4, 2026 / The Animation Blog / 0 Comments

Release date: March 23, 2026 on Disney Jr. and Disney Jr. On Demand, with six episodes streaming the next day on Disney+ in the U.S. and select regions internationally.

Synopsis: Magicampers follows the adventures of best friends Darly and Loomis at a day camp for magical creatures on a fantastical island.

Darly is half-pig and half-Pegasus, Loomis is half-donkey and half-unicorn, and their young friends are also mythical mashups of all stripes.

Every day, they go on incredible journeys of discovery and dream of becoming legendary, having their stories told and retold for all time.

At the heart of the series, Darly and Loomis will learn that becoming a legend isn’t about mastering magic powers or winning the biggest prize — it’s about understanding and accepting yourself and others and working together with all kinds of friends.

Created by Obie Scott Wade.

Directed by Daniel Dubuis.

Written by Ashley Mendoza, Simon Nicholson and Elizabeth Kamir.

Original Music by Christophe Henrotte.