Disney and Pixar are charting a fresh course through Italy’s famed Canal Grande with its upcoming animated feature, Gatto, centered on a cunning black cat named Nero. Unveiled at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival in early June, Gatto is scheduled for release in summer 2027.

The film is directed by Enrico Casarosa, best known for the 2021 hit Luca, and produced by Andrea Warren, both returning with an authentic Italian vision. The story follows Nero as he traverses the labyrinthine Venetian canals and alleyways to forge a friendship with a street musician, only to find himself ensnared in Venice’s secretive feline underworld.

Visuals crafted in a hand‑painted aesthetic aim to reflect Venice like a living painting, combining painterly textures with Pixar’s trademark three‑dimensional depth. It marks the directo's second film set in Italy, this time offering a more atmospheric, mysterious tone.