2026 in animation
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2026 in animation is an overview of notable events, including notable awards, list of films released, television show debuts and endings, and notable deaths.
Events
[edit]January
[edit]- January 1: Clarabelle Cow, Blondie, Pluto, Flip the Frog, and the first Betty Boop cartoon Dizzy Dishes enter the public domain in the United States.[1]
- January 11: Season 3 of Primal premiered on Adult Swim.
- January 15: A third Phineas and Ferb film is announced by Disney Branded Television to be in development.[2]
- January 16:
- The final two episodes of the fifth season of Phineas and Ferb premiere on Disney Channel and Disney XD simultaneously.[3]
- The Phineas and Ferb spin-off short series titled Agent P, Under C premiered on Disney+, with its first episode uploaded to YouTube.[4]
- January 17: The final ten episodes from the fifth season of Phineas and Ferb were released on Disney+.[5]
- January 24: A crossover series between Cocomelon and Hello Kitty, named CoComelon Playdates with Sanrio Friends, was released on YouTube.[6][7]
- January 26: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) announced a six-year contract with Warner Bros. Discovery to air the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts starting in February amid ongoing efforts from several companies to acquire the company.[8]
- January 29: The Incredibles is inducted into the National Film Registry.
- January 30: Neon's Arco was released.
February
[edit]- February 2: The Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies shorts begin airing on TCM with a marathon of Bugs Bunny cartoons.[8]
- February 7: The eighth Helluva Boss short will be released on Youtube.[9]
- February 13: Sony Pictures Animation's Goat will be released.
- February 15: The season 37 finale (also promoted as its 800th episode) of The Simpsons will premiere on Fox.
- February 21: The 53rd Annie Awards will be held.
- February 22: American Dad! will return to Fox after airing on TBS for 12 years with the 22nd season.
- February 27: Doraemon: New Nobita and the Castle of the Undersea Devil will be released.
March
[edit]- March 6: Pixar's Hoppers will be released.
- March 15: The 98th Academy Awards will be held.
- March 18: Season 4 of Invincible will premiere on Prime Video.
- March 20: The eighth and penultimate episode of The Amazing Digital Circus will be released on YouTube.
April
[edit]- April 1: Illumination and Nintendo's The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will be released.
May
[edit]- May 1: Angel Studios' Animal Farm will be released.
- May 22: The pilot/first episode of Glitch Productions's GAMEOVERSE will be released on YouTube.[10]
June
[edit]- June 19: Pixar's Toy Story 5 will be released.
July
[edit]- July 1: Illumination's Minions 3 will be released.
August
[edit]- August 14: Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon's Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie will be released.
- August 28: Warner Bros.'s Coyote vs. Acme (a once-cancelled movie based on Looney Tunes's Wile E. Coyote) will be released.
September
[edit]- September 18: Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon's The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender will be released exclusively for Paramount+.[11]
- September 25: DreamWorks Animation's Forgotten Island will be released.
October
[edit]November
[edit]- November 6: Warner Bros. Pictures Animation's film adaptation The Cat in the Hat, based on the Dr. Seuss book of the same name, will be released.
- November 25: Walt Disney Animation Studios' Hexed, will be released.
December
[edit]- December 23: Paramount Pictures' The Angry Birds Movie 3 will be released.
Specific date unknown
[edit]- Aardman's Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom will be released.
- Skydance Animation's third feature film Swapped will be released as a Netflix exclusive.
- Skydance Animation's Ray Gunn will be released as a Netflix exclusive.
- Mating Season will premiere on Netflix.
- Adventure Time: Side Quests will be released on Cartoon Network.
- Part 2 of the third and final season of Beastars will premiere on Netflix.
- Sofia the First: Royal Magic will premiere on Disney Jr.
- An eighth season of Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood will be released.[12]
- The season 6 finale of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir will premiere on TF1 in France.
- The 16th season finale of Bob's Burgers will premiere on Fox.
- The season 24 finale of Family Guy will premiere on Fox.
- Season 38 of The Simpsons will premiere on Fox.
- Season 17 of Bob's Burgers will premiere on Fox.
- Season 25 of Family Guy will premiere on Fox.
- The ninth season of Rick and Morty will premiere on Adult Swim.
- Season 15 of King of the Hill will premiere on Hulu.
- Season 11 of Futurama will premiere on Hulu.
- Season 3 of Helluva Boss will premiere on Prime Video (and then on YouTube the following month).
- The ninth and final episode of The Amazing Digital Circus will be released on YouTube.
- The third season of Pupstruction will premiere on Disney Jr. in the United States.
- The fifth season of Big City Greens will premiere on Disney Channel and Disney XD simultaneously.
- The third season of Kiff will premiere on Disney Channel and Disney XD simultaneously.
- The sixth season of Phineas and Ferb will premiere on Disney Channel and Disney XD simultaneously.
- The fourth season of Chibiverse will premiere on Disney Channel and Disney XD simultaneously.
- Season 7 of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir will premiere on TF1 in France.
- Season 4 of Smiling Friends will premiere on Adult Swim.
- Season 29 of South Park will premiere on Comedy Central.
- The thirteenth season of Gabby's Dollhouse will premiere on Netflix.
Awards
[edit]- Academy Award for Best Animated Feature: TBA
- Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film: TBA
- American Cinema Editors Award for Best Edited Animated Feature Film: TBA
- Annecy International Animation Film Festival Cristal du long métrage: TBA
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature: TBA
- Annie Award for Best Animated Feature – Independent: TBA
- Annie Award for Best Animated Television Production: TBA
- Astra Film Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- BAFTA Award for Best Animated Film: TBA
- BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation: TBA
- Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Animated Film: Endless Cookie
- Central Ohio Film Critics Association Awards for Best Animated Feature: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- César Award for Best Animated Film: TBA
- Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
- Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Animated Series: South Park
- Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- European Film Award for Best Animated Feature Film: Arco
- Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR for Animated Feature Film: TBA
- Goya Award for Best Animated Film: TBA
- Japan Academy Film Prize for Animation of the Year: TBA
- Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Animated Movie: TBA
- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
- Mainichi Film Award for Best Animation Film: TBA
- Minnesa Film Critics Alliance Award for Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
- National Board of Review Award for Best Animated Film: Arco
- New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- Producers Guild of America Award for Best Animated Mion Picture: TBA
- San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Film: KPop Demon Hunters
- San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
- Saturn Award for Best Animated Film: TBA
- Seattle Film Critics Society Award for Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
- St. Louis Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Feature: Zootopia 2
- Tokyo Anime Award: TBA
- Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Film: Endless Cookie
- Visual Effects Society Award for Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature: TBA
- Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Animated Feature: KPop Demon Hunters
Films released
[edit]Television series debuts
[edit]| Date | Title | Channel, Streaming |
|---|---|---|
| January 13 | Hey A.J.! | Disney Jr., Disney+ |
| January 24 | CoComelon Playdates with Sanrio Friends | YouTube |
| February 2 | Phoebe & Jay | PBS Kids |
| February 20 | Strip Law | Netflix |
| March | Breaking Bear | Tubi |
| May | Gameoverse | YouTube |
| TBA | Rooster Fighter | Adult Swim, HBO Max |
| SuperMutant Magic Academy | ||
| Adventure Time: Side Quests | Cartoon Network, HBO Max | |
| Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord | Disney+ | |
| The Sunnyridge 3 | ||
| BeddyByes | Disney Jr. | |
| Sofia the First: Royal Magic | ||
| Alley Cats | Netflix | |
| Mating Season | ||
| Stranger Things: Tales from '85 | ||
| HexVets and Magic Pets | Nickelodeon, Nick Jr. | |
| Super Why's Comic Book Adventures | PBS Kids |
Television series endings
[edit]| Date | Title | Channel, Streaming | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | Beastars | Netflix | 2019–2026 | Ending |
| TBA | The Amazing Digital Circus | YouTube | 2023–2026 | |
| Dora | Paramount+, Nickelodeon | 2024–2026 | Canceled | |
| Molly of Denali | PBS Kids | 2019–2026 | Ending |
Television season premieres
[edit]| Date | Title | Season | Channel, Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 11 | Primal | 3 | Adult Swim, HBO Max |
| February 22 | American Dad! | 22 | Fox[a] |
Television season finales
[edit]| Date | Title | Season | Channel, Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 16 | Phineas and Ferb | 5 | Disney Channel, Disney XD |
| February 15 | The Simpsons | 37 | Fox |
Deaths
[edit]January
[edit]- January 8: Guy Moon, American composer (Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue, Hanna-Barbera, Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Grim & Evil, The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Johnny Test), dies at age 63.[13][14][15][16]
- January 9:
- Bill Millar, English visual effect artist and animator (The Transformers: The Movie, G.I. Joe: The Movie), dies at age 79.[17]
- T. K. Carter, American actor (voice of Alex in Turbo Teen, Sledgehammer O'Possum in the What a Cartoon! episode "Sledgehammer O'Possum: What's Going on Back There?", Monstar Nawt in Space Jam, Anthony Julian in Jem, Rocksteady in The Transformers episode "Auto-Bop"), dies at age 69.[18][19]
- January 13: Scott Adams, American cartoonist and producer (Dilbert) dies at age 68.[20][21][22]
- January 14: Gloria Rocha, Mexican voice actress (Latin American dub voice of Olive Oyl in Popeye, Sorceress in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and She-Ra: Princess of Power, Tweety in Looney Tunes, Melody in Josie and the Pussycats, Velma Dinkley in Scooby-Doo), and voice director (Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon), dies at age 94.[23][24][25]
- January 16:
- Yoichiro Yoshikawa, Japanese composer (ViVid Strike), dies at age 68.[26]
- Mark Jones, American director, screenwriter (Super Friends, Saturday Supercade, Skysurfer Strike Force, Mister T, Heathcliff, Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, James Bond Jr., Rubik, the Amazing Cube, The Puppy's Further Adventures) and producer (Rubik, the Amazing Cube, The Puppy's Further Adventures), dies at age 72.[27][28]
- Kianna Underwood, American actress (voice of Fuchsia Glover in Little Bill), dies at age 33.[29]
- January 18: Roger Allers, American director (The Lion King, Open Season, The Prophet), screenwriter (The Emperor's New Groove, Brother Bear, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King 1½) and animator (Rock & Rule, Open Season, The Little Mermaid, Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland, Brother Bear 2), dies at age 76.[30][31][32][33]
- January 19: Stefan Gossler, German actor (German dub voice of Master Monkey in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, King Julien in the Madagascar franchise, Splinter in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Cell in Dragon Ball Z), dies at age 70.[34][35][36]
- January 20: Kōzō Shioya, Japanese voice actor (voice of Majin Buu in Dragon Ball Z), dies at age 70.[37]
- January 22: Hudson Talbott, American author and animator (We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story), dies at age 76.[38]
- January 25: Gabe Lopez, American composer (Dora, Trolls: TrollsTopia), dies at an unspecified age.[39]
- January 28: Bryan Loren, American songwriter (wrote "Do the Bartman" for The Simpsons), dies at age 59.[40]
- January 30: Catherine O'Hara, Canadian-American actress (voice of Sally and Shock in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ludmilla in Bartok the Magnificent, Tina in Chicken Little, Kaossandra in Skylanders Academy, Skaelka in The Last Kids on Earth, Aunt Tennelli in The Magic School Bus Rides Again, Susan Frankenstein, Gym Teacher and Weird Girl in Frankenweenie, Judith in Where the Wild Things Are, Kata in Brother Bear 2, Penny in Over the Hedge, Miss Malone in The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley, Aunt Edith in Rock & Rule, Brooke Ripple in Elemental, Malicious in Witch's Night Out, Mom in Monster House, Pinktail in The Wild Robot, Morgana in the Sofia the First episode "Gone With the Wand", Gwendolyn Swish in the Central Park episode "The PAIGE-riarchy!"), dies at age 71.[41] [42]
February
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "copyright". LII / Legal Information Institute. Archived from the original on October 10, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
- ^ Petski, Denise (January 15, 2026). "New 'Phineas And Ferb' Movie Gets Disney Greenlight". Variety. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Disney Television Animation News (December 4, 2025). "Disney Networks Highlights - January, 2026". Tumblr. Retrieved December 4, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Betti, Tony (January 18, 2026). ""Agent P Under C" Arrives, Launching New Short Form Series Featuring "Phineas and Ferb" Favorite". Laughing Place.com. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Reif, Alex (October 12, 2025). ""Phineas and Ferb" Lead a Music-Packed NYCC Panel with an Episode Debut - "Bend It Like Doof"". Laughing Place.com. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (June 25, 2025). "Moonbug & Sanrio Ink New Content Collab Deal". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (January 22, 2026). "Popular Kids' Characters Collide in New 'CoComelon Playdates with Sanrio Friends' Series". Animation Magazine. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
- ^ a b Barnes, Mike (January 26, 2026). "TCM Becomes "Ongoing Home" of the Looney Tunes Library (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Don’t make any weekend plans next Saturday because Helluva Boss Shorts are back in business! 😈 Subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to watch. 💼🔥. (2026, January 31). X/Twitter. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
- ^ GLITCH (January 23, 2026). "GAMEOVERSE [TRAILER]". YouTube. Retrieved January 23, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 23, 2025). "'The Legend Of Aang: The Last Airbender' Won't Play Theaters, Will Debut On Paramount+ Instead". Deadline. Retrieved December 31, 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Zahed, Ramin (June 23, 2025). "PBS Kids to Pounce on Eighth Season of 'Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood' in '26". Animation Magazine. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (January 12, 2026). "Guy Moon, Emmy-nominated composer of beloved Nickelodeon animated shows, dies at 63". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Oganesyan, Natalie (January 10, 2026). "Guy Moon Dies: Emmy-Nominated 'Fairly OddParents' Composer Was 63". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
- ^ Staff, TMZ (January 11, 2026). "Emmy-Nominated Composer Guy Moon Dies In Tragic Auto Accident". TMZ. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
- ^ Clarendon, Dan (January 11, 2026). "Guy Moon, 'The Fairly OddParents' & 'Danny Phantom' Composer, Dies at 63 After Accident". TV Insider. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
- ^ Bill Millar
- ^ "T.K. Carter - Filmbug". www.filmbug.com. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ "'The Thing' Actor T.K. Carter Dead at 69". TMZ. January 10, 2026. Retrieved January 10, 2026.
- ^ Scott Adams, Creator of the ‘Dilbert’ Comic Strip, Dies at 68
- ^ Smith, Harrison (January 13, 2026). "Scott Adams, Dilbert creator who poked fun at bad bosses, dies at 68". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ Sandomir, Richard (January 13, 2026). "Scott Adams, Audacious Creator of the 'Dilbert' Comic Strip, Dies at 68". The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2026.
- ^ "¿Quién era Gloria Rocha, "La Madrina" en el doblaje de Dragon Ball en México?". El Universal (in Spanish). Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Luto en el doblaje: Fallece Gloria Rocha, la arquitecta de Sailor Moon y Dragon Ball". Kudasai (in Spanish). January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ "Gloria Rocha: falleció "la madrina" de tu anime favorito". Animal Politico (in Spanish). January 14, 2026. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
- ^ 吉川洋一郎さん死去 (in Japanese)
- ^ Dunn, Jack (January 17, 2026). "Mark Jones, 'Leprechaun' and 'Rumpelstiltskin' Director, Dies at 72". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Korngut, Josh (January 17, 2026). "Mark Jones, Writer-Director Behind Leprechaun and Rumpelstiltskin, Dies at 76". Dread Central. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Saperstein, Pat (January 16, 2026). "Kianna Underwood, Who Appeared on Nickelodeon's 'All That,' Killed in Brooklyn Hit-and-Run". Variety. Retrieved January 17, 2026.
- ^ Thomas, Carly (January 18, 2026). "Roger Allers, 'The Lion King' Co-Director, Dies at 76". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Garner, Glenn (January 18, 2026). "Roger Allers Dies: 'The Lion King' Co-Director Was 76; Bob Iger Pays Tribute To "Creative Visionary"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Dunn, Jack (January 18, 2026). "Roger Allers, 'The Lion King' Director, Dies at 76". Variety. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ Zahed, Ramin (January 18, 2026). "Disney Veteran, 'The Lion King' Director Roger Allers Dies at Age 76". Animation Magazine. Retrieved January 19, 2026.
- ^ "Stefan Gossler". synchronkartei.de (in German). Retrieved 20 January 2026.
- ^ "Fox and the Crew - Inside Synchrons Beitrag". Facebook. January 20, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ^ Nadine Buderath (January 17, 2026). "Er lieh Jackie Chan seine Stimme: Siegener Schauspieler Stefan Gossler gestorben". Siegener Zeitung (in German). Retrieved January 21, 2026.
- ^ Dragon Ball's Majin Buu Voice Actor Kōzō Shioya Dies at 71
- ^ Hudson Talbott, famed Catskill author and illustrator, dies at 76
- ^ Emmy-nominated RuPaul's Drag Race crew member, songwriter Gabe Lopez dies as queens pay tribute: 'Devastating to hear'
- ^ Bryan Loren, Michael Jackson Collaborator and New Jack Swing Pioneer, Dies at 58
- ^ Shanfeld, Ethan (January 30, 2026). "Catherine O'Hara, 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone' Star, Dies at 71". Variety. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
- ^ "Looking Back at Catherine O'Hara's 'Intimidating' Performance as Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas". People. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
External links
[edit]- Animated works of the year, listed in the IMDb.