Netflix Just Dropped a Massive Animation Update: Fans Have a Lot to Be Excited About

Netflix is making one thing very clear: animation fans are going to be eating very well over the next two years.

Fresh off the stage at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Netflix pulled back the curtain on a huge wave of upcoming animated films and series, revealing new release dates, first details, and major updates on some of its most anticipated titles. From a brand new Ghostbusters animated series and a fresh take on One Piece, to emotional original films like In Waves and the long-awaited Ray Gunn from Brad Bird, the streamer’s upcoming slate is stacked with projects for just about every kind of animation fan. Whether you’re here for anime, family films, adult animation, or emotionally devastating coming-of-age stories, Netflix’s latest lineup has something worth circling on the calendar.

In Waves Hits Netflix This December

One of the most emotionally compelling reveals from Netflix’s animation slate is In Waves, arriving globally on December 11, 2026. Directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen and written by Fanny Burdino and Samuel Doux, based on the graphic novel by AJ Dungo, In Waves tells the story of AJ, a shy teenager in Los Angeles who falls in love with Kristen, a surfer whose passion for the ocean changes his life. But as the two build a future together, everything changes when Kristen is faced with a sudden illness.

That emotional core is a big part of what makes In Waves such a standout on paper. The film is based on AJ Dungo’s graphic novel, which drew praise for the way it explored love and loss through autobiographical storytelling, blending romance with the difficult reality of illness and caregiving. Bringing that story to the screen gives Netflix a very different kind of animated film than the broad fantasy adventures or comedy-driven projects elsewhere on its slate. This is the kind of project that feels poised to hit audiences on a much more personal level.

The film is directed by Phuong Mai Nguyen and written by Fanny Burdino and Samuel Doux, with Priscilla Bertinand Judith Nora producing. Netflix also revealed that Will Sharpe and Stephanie Hsu are part of the cast, which only adds to the intrigue around how the film will bring AJ and Kristen’s story to life.

In a slate packed with big genre swings, In Waves feels like the emotional anchor the movie that could easily become the one fans are still talking about long after the credits roll. Between its surfing backdrop, coming of age romance, and deeply human story about illness and enduring love, it already sounds like one of Netflix’s most moving animation releases on the horizon.

Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn Finally Has a Release Date

Another huge highlight from the Annecy presentation, Brad Bird’s Ray Gunn is officially headed to Netflix on December 18, 2026. Set in Metropia, a massive futuristic city imagined through the lens of 1939, the film follows private investigator Raymond Gunn as he gets pulled into a case involving aliens, murder, and a multimedia star named Venus Nova. It’s a wildly stylish premise, and with Brad Bird at the helm, fans already have plenty of reason to be excited. The film features a voice cast that includes Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Waits, with Skydance Animation producing. If the concept alone wasn’t enough to sell you, that cast certainly helps.

Steps Is Giving Cinderella’s “Evil” Stepsisters the Spotlight

Netflix is also taking a very different kind of fairy tale swing with Steps, arriving November 20, 2026. If you think you know Cinderella’s stepsisters, Netflix would like you to think again. In this reimagining, Lilith and Margot step out of Cinderella’s shadow and into a chaotic fantasy adventure after stealing the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand and accidentally throwing the kingdom into total disarray. Add in biker trolls, evil henchmen, the Screaming Woods, and a villain ready to seize the throne, and Steps already sounds like a blast.

The cast is stacked with Ali Wong, Amanda Seyfried, Stephanie Hsu, Nikki Glaser, and Bette Midler, with Amy Poehler, Jane Hartwell, and Kim Lessing producing for Paper Kite Productions. Between the cast and the playful premise, this one feels like it has the potential to become a standout family comedy.

The Ribbon Hero Brings a New Vision to Tezuka-Inspired Animation

Anime fans also got a major title to keep an eye on: The Ribbon Hero, which is set to release on August 8, 2026.

Inspired by Osamu Tezuka’s Princess Knight, the film is directed by Yuki Igarashi, who has already made a name for himself as one of the industry’s most exciting animation talents. After gaining attention for his work on Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1 and earning praise for Star Wars: Visions Lop & Ochō,

 The Ribbon Hero marks Igarashi’s first feature-length film as director. The film follows a lone hero who defies a cruel destiny, and Netflix is clearly positioning it as a visually rich, action driven fantasy brought to life by an impressive creative team. For anime fans, this is absolutely one to watch.

Ricky Gervais Is Bringing Alley Cats to Netflix This Summer

Netflix’s adult animation lineup is also getting a new addition with Alley Cats, premiering August 7, 2026. Created by and starring Ricky Gervais, the series is described as a sitcom following a group of feral British cats from all corners of society as they search for companionship and reflect on everyday life. It sounds exactly like the kind of setup that could balance absurd comedy with the sharp social commentary Gervais is known for The voice cast includes Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, Diane Morgan, Natalie Cassidy, and Tony Way, with animation by Blink Industries.

Behind the scenes, Alley Cats is directed by Ricky Gervais with Elliot Dear serving as co-director. The series is executive produced by Gervais for Derek Productions, alongside Steven Hamilton Shaw of Shush Creative, with James Stevenson Bretton and Ben Lole producing for Blink Industries. Animation comes from Blink Industries, a studio known for striking visual work, which makes it even more interesting to imagine what tone and style Alley Catsmight land on when it finally hits Netflix.

In a lineup full of massive genre projects and big franchise plays, Alley Cats feels like one of Netflix’s more unpredictable additions and that may be exactly what makes it stand out. A Ricky Gervais adult animated comedy about feral cats trying to survive modern life already sounds chaotic in the best possible way, but if the show really leans into the mix of satire, emotional honesty, and offbeat humor that Gervais is known for, this could end up being one of the sleeper hits of Netflix’s 2026 animation slate.

Ghostbusters: Night Shift Is Bringing a New Team to New York in 2027

Apparently, a brand-new crew of under qualified young New Yorkers. Netflix confirmed that Ghostbusters: Night Shift will debut globally in 2027, and the premise sounds like exactly the kind of supernatural chaos fans want from an animated expansion of the franchise. Set in 1994, five years after the Ghostbusters walked the Statue of Liberty through New York City, the series follows a scrappy group of young New Yorkers who are forced to suit up and bust ghosts when a new wave of paranormal terror hits the city.

The team behind the series includes Ben Hibon, Elliott Kalan, Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, Amie Karp, and Dan Aykroyd as executive producers, which gives the project some serious franchise credibility right out of the gate. What makes Ghostbusters: Night Shift especially exciting is how it blends legacy with reinvention. Rather than simply continuing the story of the original team, it opens the door to a new generation of ghostbusters who have to learn everything the hard way from handling paranormal disasters to dealing with the consequences of a city that never quite stops being haunted.

With its 2027 release window, Netflix is clearly positioning Ghostbusters: Night Shift as a major franchise event in its animation lineup. It’s a series built on chaos, humor, and supernatural stakes, but also on the idea that heroism doesn’t always come from experience sometimes it comes from being the only ones left willing to try.

The One Piece Sets Sail in February 2027

And for anime fans, one of the biggest updates of all is that The One Piece is officially set to release in February 2027.

Produced by WIT Studio, The One Piece is a completely new anime adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s legendary manga, beginning from the very start with the East Blue saga. Importantly, this isn’t replacing the long running anime series it’s a fresh retelling built with modern animation tools and a new visual approach, giving both longtime fans and newcomers a chance to experience Luffy’s journey from the beginning. With Masashi Koizuka directing and Taku Kishimoto handling series composition, the project already has the kind of creative pedigree that makes it feel like one of Netflix’s biggest animation swings on the horizon.

What makes The One Piece such a major title is that it isn’t simply a continuation of the anime fans have known for decades. Instead, it’s a reimagining of the story from the ground up, separate from the long-running television anime that has been going strong for more than 25 years. For longtime fans, that opens the door to seeing the emotional beats, action sequences, and world of One Piece reinterpreted with a new visual style and updated production techniques. And for newcomers, it offers what may be the most accessible entry point yet into one of the biggest manga and anime franchises in the world.

The creative team behind the series only adds to the anticipation. Masashi Koizuka serves as director, with Hideaki Abeas assistant director and Taku Kishimoto handling series composition. Character design and chief animation duties come from Kyoji Asano and Takatoshi Honda, while Yasuhiro Kajino is handling creature design and image boards. With WIT Studio behind projects like Attack on Titan’s early seasons, Spy x Family, and Vinland Saga leading the animation, expectations are already sky-high for what this new version of One Piece could look and feel like.

Netflix’s Animation Future Looks Bigger Than Ever

From fantasy comedy and adult animation to emotional original films, anime reimaginings, and franchise expansions, Netflix’s Annecy presentation made one thing very clear: the platform is going all in on animation across every genre and audience.

The project has been a fascinating one to watch because it marks Bird’s first animated feature since Incredibles 2 and gives him the chance to dive into an original sci-fi world rather than an existing franchise. That alone makes Ray Gunnfeel like one of the most exciting titles in Netflix’s upcoming slate. Brad Bird has a long history of building animated stories that feel both wildly entertaining and emotionally grounded, and Ray Gunn seems poised to continue that tradition in a much more mysterious, retro-futuristic direction.

The voice cast is another major reason this film is already generating buzz. Sam Rockwell leads the project as Raymond Gunn, with Scarlett Johansson and Tom Waits rounding out a cast that already feels tailor-made for a stylish noir mystery. Between Rockwell’s charisma, Johansson’s screen presence, and Waits’ unmistakable voice, the casting alone gives Ray Gunn a lot of personality before audiences have even seen a frame of animation. For fans, that means a packed release calendar with plenty to look forward to whether that’s crying your eyes out over In Waves, diving into Brad Bird’s retro-futuristic mystery in Ray Gunn, or counting down the days until The One Piece sets sail. If this slate is any indication, Netflix animation is gearing up for a very big 2026 and 2027.