Netflix made a significant splash at the Annecy Film Festival on Thursday, June 12, 2025, showcasing a dazzling array of upcoming animated projects. While feature films and series dominated the announcements, the sheer breadth of creative talent and diverse animation styles offer the short film community inspiration and insight. The event featured exclusive sneak peeks, global first looks, and appearances by acclaimed filmmakers, painting a vibrant picture of Netflix’s commitment to animation.
The festival was excited as showrunner Eric Robles provided a world-exclusive, behind-closed-doors look at the highly anticipated animated series, Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85. Set in the winter of 1985, this new installment will see the beloved Hawkins crew battling new monsters and unraveling a fresh paranormal mystery. Robles highlighted the cutting-edge animation style by Flying Bark, stating, “The animated series will present a captivating new mystery, deeply rooted in the Stranger Things universe. It will propel beloved characters into an adventure that will stretch the limits of action, suspense, and horror, perfectly suited for animation.”
First-time feature director and Emmy® Award-winner Alex Woo, alongside production designer Steven Pilcher and VFX supervisor Nicola Lavender, captivated the Annecy audience with extensive footage from their upcoming film, In Your Dreams. Woo also debuted the teaser trailer for the film, which is slated for a Netflix release on November 14. Reflecting on his Annecy experience, Woo remarked, “Being at Annecy and serving up a little amuse-bouche of In Your Dreams has been such a joy—and I can’t wait to share the full meal with you all soon!”
Hannah Minghella, Head of Netflix Animation Studios, further fueled anticipation by unveiling never-before-seen clips from a slate of upcoming features. This included KPop Demon Hunters (releasing June 20), Phil Johnston’s Roald Dahl-inspired animated film The Twits (expected this Fall), and Skydance Animation’s Pookoo (set for a 2026 release).
The adult animated film Fixed, directed by the visionary Genndy Tartakovsky, celebrated its World Premiere at Annecy, garnering “paw-tastic” reviews. The film is set for a global Netflix release on August 13. Tartakovsky shared his enthusiasm: “What an incredible reception! This is one of the reasons I became an animator: to sit in a theater and watch people laugh and love hand-crafted animation!”
Writer and producer Raphael Bob-Waksberg, known for BoJack Horseman and Undone, delivered a masterclass focusing on his career and offered a preview of his new adult comedy series, Long Story Short, which arrives on Netflix on August 22. Bob-Waksberg commented on the unique atmosphere of Annecy, saying, “There’s nothing like Annecy when it comes to celebrating the vast, beautiful universe of animation.”
Netflix also held its inaugural studio focus, “Netflix Series Animation: Get Ready for What’s Next!” led by John Derderian, Vice President of Animation Series. This session provided exclusive looks at a diverse range of upcoming shows, including the preschool series Dr. Seuss’s Horton!, adult animation like Blue Eye Samurai Season 2 and Magic: The Gathering, family-oriented titles such as Ghostbusters and Minecraft, and adult comedies Mating Season and Haunted Hotel.
A significant announcement for fans of international animation was that the celebrated French animated series Samuel will soon be available on Netflix in the US, Canada, Australia, Spain, India, and France. The series, created by Émilie Tronche, follows a 10-year-old boy’s diary entries and is co-produced by Les Valseurs, Arte, and Pikkukala.
Further highlights included a pre-recorded video from Ben Hibon, showrunner and executive producer of the upcoming Ghostbusters animated series, who shared concept art. Additionally, Astérix & Obélix: Le Combat des Chef and Devil May Cry compete in Annecy’s Official TV Films Competition. Mononoke The Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage was screened as part of the festival’s Midnight Specials. The festival also featured a Work-in-Progress session for Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell: Deathwatch, a “Making of” session for Folivari International’s French preschool series 7 Bears, and a demo session with DNEG Animation for That Christmas. Exhibitions for popular French titles, Arcane and Samuel, also drew crowds.
While the focus was mainly on longer formats, Netflix’s continued investment in diverse animation styles and storytelling voices is noteworthy. The platform highlighted its success in animation over the past six years, including 11 Oscar® nominations with two wins – one for the animated feature Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio and significantly for the animated short If Anything Happens I Love You. This, along with seven BAFTA nominations (including for Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl) and seven Annie Awards for Arcane, underscores a commitment to the animated craft across various lengths and styles, offering a positive outlook for creators in the animation space, including those focused on short films.
