GKIDS Takes U.S. Rights to Animated Feature "Julián," Opening March 2027
GKIDS has acquired all U.S. rights to "Julián," an animated feature that will open in American cinemas on March 26, 2027, Variety reported on 12 November 2026.
The film is produced by Cartoon Saloon, Melusine Studios, Aircraft Pictures and Sun Creature. Louise Bagnall directs, with Guillaume Lorin and Mark Mullery as co-directors. Juliany Taveras wrote the script, and it is based on the picture book "Julián Is a Mermaid" by Jessica Love. Zoe Saldaña is among the executive producers.
The story follows Julián, a seven-year-old voiced by Knyght Darius Jack. Milcania Diaz-Rojas voices Abuela, his grandmother.
The animation is hand-drawn in 2D, shot at 12 frames per second, the rate at which the drawings flip past to create motion. Over 150 artists in Ireland, Luxembourg, Denmark and Canada worked on the film, according to Variety.
Outside the United States, Elevation Pictures will release the film in Canada on the same day as the American opening. Anime Ltd. will handle the United Kingdom, and Wildcard Distribution will release it in Ireland.
New Europe Film Sales is the sales agent. Its new deals cover Spain, where Rita & Luca Films will distribute, and Italy, where Wanted Cinema is the buyer. Eksystent Films takes Germany, Films4You covers Portugal, RTS handles Switzerland, and MCF Films takes Serbia and Croatia.
CAA Media Finance worked on the GKIDS deal. GKIDS is led by president David Jesteadt.
The release date gives American families a clear target. A March opening puts the film in the spring stretch of the calendar, a few months after the year's winter releases have settled. Canada's same-day launch means audiences on both sides of the border can see it at the same time.
For a film still more than four months from its U.S. opening, the coming months will bring trailers, festival slots and marketing decisions. Those are still to come, and no dates for them have been announced.
