Viva Pictures Plans 26 Animated Family Films in Cinemas in 2027
Viva Pictures plans to release 26 animated family films in cinemas in 2027, according to Variety. The company's co-founder and chief executive, Victor Elizalde, outlined the plan ahead of the American Film Market, which runs Nov. 10 to 15 in Century City, California.
The slate opens on Jan. 8, 2027, with "Cloud Girl". The film screened at the 2026 Annecy animation festival in France, and its voice cast includes Hugh Laurie. The company bills the full theatrical lineup as "Animation Celebration."
Other titles scheduled for release include "Flamingo Flamenco," "Pirate Mo," "Unstable," "Zac Power," "The Boonie Bears" and "On the Edge."
The most unusual part of the plan is how the films would fill cinema schedules. Viva Pictures is offering exhibitors flexible booking terms, so its films would run on weekday mornings and afternoons. Evening and weekend slots, the busiest times at most cinemas, would stay open for studio films. That approach asks theatres to give up little of their prime time while adding a steady stream of family titles during the week.
Elizalde's company also wants to work with cinema owners beyond the screen itself. Viva Pictures aims to partner with exhibitors on loyalty programmes and marketing, with the goal of bringing young families back to theatres on a regular basis. A loyalty programme is a rewards scheme that gives repeat customers points or perks, and the idea here is to make a weekday trip to the cinema a habit.
The company has a busy calendar before the new year. It will hold a premiere party for "Space Cadet" on Nov. 11 at the American Film Market, and the film is due in theatres on Nov. 13. Viva Kids, the company's label, had earlier acquired "Space Cadet," "Treasure Trekkers" and "Pirate Mo and the Legend of the Red Ruby" as upcoming releases, Variety reported in June.
Viva Pictures was formed in 2011. It acquires animated projects from around the world and also produces original films, and it distributes family and animated cinema to theatres and streaming services worldwide. In February, Deadline reported that HarperCollins, Viva Pictures and Cantilever Media had entered a co-production deal, with a slate of four original animated features for theatrical release in 2027.
For anyone planning a family trip to the cinema, the practical point is simple. If Viva Pictures' plan goes ahead, the weekday matinee could become the place to find a new animated film most weeks of 2027.
