Super Bowl LXI Gets Star Wars Animated Telecast

The Super Bowl is heading to a galaxy far, far away. Disney and ESPN will air a live animated version of Super Bowl LXI called “Star Wars Funday Football,” set entirely in the Star Wars universe, Variety.

The cartoon game airs on Sunday, February 14, 2027. It will be shown across Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD and the ESPN App at the same time as the main game.

It is an alternacast, meaning a separate presentation that runs alongside the standard coverage. Every play will be recreated as it happens. Players will appear as animated avatars inside the Star Wars setting.

C-3PO will play a significant role in the broadcast. Disney has not yet detailed the full cast of characters around him.

The animation is built from live movement on the field. Disney combines the NFL’s Next Gen Stats player tracking data with optical tracking from Sony’s Hawk-Eye Innovations to place every run, pass and tackle in the animated world within moments.

The regular game has its own expanded home. ESPN and ABC will produce and broadcast Super Bowl LXI, with Disney+ livestreaming the match as well, ESPN Pressroom. Disney announced that stream in collaboration with the NFL, Disney. Viewers will also be able to watch through the Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited bundle.

The timing links to a bigger birthday. Lucasfilm will return a restored version of the original 1977 Star Wars film to theatres from Friday, February 19 to mark 50 years of the franchise.

What makes this stand out is choice. Football fans can stay with the main broadcast. Families and younger viewers can flip to a version that speaks their language. No extra rules to learn.

Kick-off details, commentary teams and exact start times for both broadcasts are still to be announced.