Pixar is continuing its recent run of high-profile releases with a fresh original feature rather than another sequel. The studio has unveiled ‘Gatto’, an animated film set in Italy that introduces a new world of feline characters navigating a crime-inflected version of Venice.
According to ‘Variety’, the announcement comes as Pixar maintains momentum following earlier successes such as ‘Hoppers’ and ahead of the release of ‘Toy Story 5’, signalling a continued balance between franchise titles and original storytelling.
The film will feature voice performances from Mark Ruffalo and Laurence Fishburne. Ruffalo voices Nero, a scrappy black cat trying to reassess his life in the canals of Venice, while Fishburne plays Rocco, a feared local mob boss within the city’s feline underworld.
At the centre of the story is Nero’s debt to Rocco, which pulls him into an uneasy situation that gradually develops into an unexpected friendship as he searches for meaning in his life. According to the official logline, Nero has spent years navigating the “canal-ridden, superstitious city of Venice” before beginning to question whether he has made the right choices.
A teaser trailer offers an early glimpse of the film’s tone, opening with a group of cats gathered on a rooftop and behaving with exaggerated, mobster-like mannerisms. The brief sequence sets the stage for a story that blends crime-world styling with Pixar’s character-driven approach.
Directed by Enrico Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren, the team behind Luca, ‘Gatto’ is scheduled for theatrical release on March 5, 2027.
The project arrives during a strong period for Pixar, following the box office success of Inside Out 2, which grossed nearly US$1.7 billion globally, reinforcing the studio’s continued appeal across both original concepts and established franchises.
