As Annecy Animation Festival attendees attempt to keep away from the scorching solar as a lot as they will, Warner Bros. Photos Animation turned up the warmth in the present day in its 2026 Annecy Showcase, with each new titles and extra voice solid introduced for the upcoming characteristic “Bad Fairies,” in addition to extra data on its upcoming originals.
The studio’s greatest announcement got here from President of Warner Bros. Photos Animation Invoice Damaschke himself who introduced on stage a partnership with acclaimed animator and creator Vivienne Medrano on her new unique animated musical film “Prehistoria,” marking the characteristic directorial debut of the beloved “Hazbin Hotel,” “Helluva Boss” creator.
Medrano, also referred to as “VivziePop,” has emerged within the final decade as probably the most influential voices in impartial animation, constructing a world fanbase via her breakout YouTube-driven tasks and distinctive visible fashion. The creator’s work on the “Hellaverse” collection has cultivated a passionate, extremely engaged viewers, along with her content material producing billions of views and establishing her as a number one cross-platform storyteller.
“Since I began my animation journey,” Medrano shared, “my biggest dream was to be part of a feature film. Now to be creating an original story that I have been holding for years, and with Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, a studio whose characters and stories have been a huge part of my life, is truly a dream come true. I’m SO excited to share this fossil fantasy world with everyone!”
Damaschke went on to share extra particulars about this new characteristic. Set outdoors the “Hellaverse,” the movie underscores Warner Bros. Photos Animation’s continued dedication to collaborating with daring, creator-driven voices and tapping into rising expertise with sturdy direct-to-fan connections.
A testomony to that is positively “Bad Fairies,” which Warner Bros. Photos Animation and Locksmith Animation convey to Annecy forward of its Might 21, 2027 launch.
On stage, Director Megan Nicole Dong and co-director Olivier Staphylas revealed additional particulars about their upcoming punk, unique musical comedy that follows a delightfully subversive gang of fairies as they shake up their magical world, premiering two work-in-progress clips and the characteristic’s predominant tune “Live Out Loud,” carried out by Cynthia Erivo and British actress Serrana Su-Ling Bliss (“Enola Holmes 2,” “Belfast,” “Harry Potter,” voicing Fei).
The duo additionally added that beforehand introduced solid members Cynthia Erivo and Ncuti Gatwa will probably be joined by English comic James Acaster (Netflix’s “Repertoire”, HBO Max’s “Hecklers Welcome,” voicing Stickers), and Dee Bradley Baker (voicing Groundbeef). Baker, probably the most prolific voice actors in animation, is understood for voicing the clone troopers throughout the “Star Wars” animated universe, Klaus on “American Dad!,” Perry the Platypus on “Phineas and Ferb,” and Appa and Momo on “Avatar: The Last Airbender.”
From left to proper: Serrana Su-Ling Bliss, James Acaster, Dee Bradley Baker. Credit AP Wilding/James Acaster/Storm Santos
“Bad Fairies” is directed by Megan Nicole Dong and co-directed by Olivier Staphylas, from an unique screenplay by Deborah Frances-White. Tony Award-winning duo Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (“Six: The Musical”) are penning the unique songs, with Grammy-nominated Isabella “Machine” Summers (Florence + The Machine) composing the rating and contributing to the songs. Ian Eisendrath (“KPop Demon Hunters”) is govt music producer.
The movie’s artistic workforce additionally consists of producer Carolyn Soper (“Tangled”), editor Sim Evan-Jones (“Shrek 2,” “Shaun the Sheep), cinematographer James C.J. Williams, character designer Uwe Heidschötter, heads of story Rikke Asbjoern and Chris Garbutt, and manufacturing designers Justin Hutchinson-Chatburn and Mike Redman. Manufacturing is presently underway in London, with DNEG Animation serving as digital accomplice.
As underscored forward of the screening, “Bad Fairies” would be the first characteristic launched underneath the first-look deal between Warner Bros. Photos Animation and Locksmith Animation and can debut theatrically through Warner Bros. Photos on Might 21, 2027.
The second movie from WBPA and Locksmith Animation is “The Lunar Chronicles,” releasing worldwide on Nov. 3, 2028, which was launched on stage as properly by Noëlle Raffaele and producer Christina Steinberg, displaying a brand new video clip to Annecy’s already upbeat viewers.
As a part of the showcase, Damaschke and administrators Erica Rivinoja and Alessandro Carloni together with producer Daniela Mazzucato additionally unveiled in depth footage of “The Cat in the Hat,” the most recent Dr Seuss’ adaptation, to come back out in November, together with a unique “Dynamic Duo” reel from Swaybox Studios, produced in partnership with DC Studios and sixth & Idaho.
A brand new challenge dubbed by the workforce as a groundbreaking fusion of puppetry, sensible artistry, and cutting-edge know-how, “Dynamic Duo” is a brand new challenge mixing a contemporary coming-of-age story with DC legacy characters, with each Pink Hood and Batman making an appareance for Annecy’s roaring crowds.
Underlining the studio’s resilience, Damaschke added: “Under Arthur Mintz’s leadership, the Swaybox team is pushing the medium of animation forward, building on the pioneering puppetry of visionaries like Jim Henson while redefining what’s possible with today’s tools and techniques.”
WBPA’s President additionally honored the characters’ who helped Warner Bros. turn into one of many main animation studios, aka the Looney Tunes. Beforehand introduced, the “Daffy Season” quick was launched by its administrators Todd Wilderman and Hamish Grieve, to the nice pleasure of the benevolent, short-savvy Annecy crowds.
The presentation sugested WBPA has a full slate of options lined up for the years to come back, with seven theatrical movement footage and one theatrical quick scheduled for launch over 2026-2028.
Serrana Su-Ling Bliss is repped by The Artists Partnership. James Acaster is repped by PBJ Administration UK, CAA and Sue Terry Voices. Dee Bradley Baker is repped by Sutton, Barth & Vennari Expertise. Vivienne Medrano is repped by CAA, Redefine Leisure, and RLG.
