Disney and its frequent collaborator at Pixar are known for their innovative spirit — at least, that was definitely the consensus a few years ago. Despite basically writing the book on the animated blockbuster, a formula that saw Disney dominating in the ‘90s and ‘00s, the House of Mouse has since been surpassed. Its smooth, slick 3D style isn’t quite enough to capture an audience anymore, even if its films are just as visually stunning as ever. Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse totally changed the game in 2018, redefining what was possible on the big screen with an intoxicating blend of 2D and 3D animation. Disney has been trying to catch up ever since.
The studio’s most overt attempt to capitalize on the Spider-Verse style came with Wish in 2023, but most agree that it didn’t do quite enough to set itself apart. But that’s okay: Disney is nothing if not resilient. Its next effort to combine painterly animation with robust visual effects will come from Pixar, and it’s already shaping up to be a promising addition to the slate.
Peter Docter, DisneyPixar’s Chief Creative Officer, unveiled new additions to the company’s slate last week ahead of the Annecy Animation Festival. “There’s a lot to look forward to at Pixar,” he told press in attendance, including Inverse. “I think we’re standing on one of the strongest slates we’ve ever had.”
Apart from the many, many sequels in the works — like Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, and Coco 2 — Pixar is also working on a handful of new original stories. There’s Hoppers, an adventure about a teenage animal lover whose consciousness is transplanted into the body of a beaver. And there’s also Gatto, the latest from Luca director Enrico Casarosa. Docter debuted a first look image that boasted stunning animation in a hand-painted style, a first for Pixar, but an appropriate pivot given the film’s subject matter.
“We are heading back to Italy, this time to Venice,” Docter explained. He described the city as “a living painting,” chock full of layers of history. Ideally, that’ll be reflected in Gatto’s unconventional art style, which the Pixar team is still experimenting with.
“We’re trying to bring the depth and dimension that you expect from a Pixar film; at the same time capturing that painterly texture that you see in Venice,” added Docter. “We are doing a bunch of new tests and experiments.”
Gatto tells the story of Nero, a music-loving, aquaphobic black cat. Venice is “a dream world” for everyone but him: not only must Nero avoid the canals at all costs, but the superstition against black cats also keeps him from achieving his ambitions. “It’s so tough for Nero that he has no choice but to align himself with the seedier side of Cat society,” Docter explained. Nero finds himself indebted to “a feline mob boss,” Rocco, but an unconventional new friendship with another black cat might just lead him to his true purpose.
The beats of this film feel pretty familiar for a Pixar project, but with Casarosa at the helm, there’s no doubt that Gatto will deliver a new take on an old story. Paired with its unconventional animation style, DisneyPixar may finally be able to compete in a rapidly changing industry.
