While 2025 was full of exciting animated fare, including the return of franchises like The Bad Guys and Zootopia, 2026 is packed with even more animated sequel fun at the theaters.
In fact, with no entries into A-list series including Toy Story, Angry Birds, and Minions, 2026 has the potential to be the biggest year in animated history from a box office perspective. This comes despite heavy-hitters like Shrek 5 notably moving out of the year entirely.
Pair this explosion of animation with the epic live-action sequels set to arrive alongside these films, and next year is shaping up to be one that moviegoers will not want to miss.
Every Animated Movie Sequel Releasing in 2026
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Kicking off the year on the animated sequel front in 2026 will be The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Due out in theaters on April 3, 2026, the new film from Nintendo and Illumination Entertainment will take characters like Mario, Luigi, and Peach to the stars, as they embark on yet another animated adventure set in the beloved world of the Mario games.
Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy will return to reprise their characters from the first movie; however, they will be joined by several newcomers to the hit franchise, including Brie Larson as the star-faring princess Princess Rosalina and Benny Safdie as snaggle-toothed big bad Bowser Jr (read more about Bowser Jr.'s Mario Movie voice actor here).
Toy Story 5
Pixar has two movies coming out in 2026: the first is the long-awaited Hoppers, and the second is a fifth entry into the long-running Toy Story franchise. Toy Story 5 will delve into the complicated relationship between kids and technology as the central band of toys grapples with their child owner getting her own tablet.
Mainstays of the franchise, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks, will be back to play their character Buzz and Woody. Meanwhile, Greta Lee joins the Toy Story 5 voice cast as the villainous Lilypad.
Toy Story 5 will help Disney kick off its summer blockbuster season, along with The Mandalorian & Grogu, on June 19, 2026.
Minions 3
Coming a mere two weeks after Toy Story 5 is another potential $1 billion earner in Minions 3. The third Minions movie comes to theaters on July 1, 2026 (just in time for the Fourth of July long weekend).
The film marks the third Minions-based spin-off and seventh overall movie in the greater Despicable Me franchise. It will also be Illumination's second movie of the year, with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie coming to theaters just a few months earlier.
No plot specifics for Minions 3 have been announced as of yet, but recent reports suggest the film could follow Illumination's central band of lovable henchmen as they venture into the world of fantasy and magic in the 1920s.
Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
"Paw Patrol is on a roll" yet again in 2026 with the release of the franchise's third-ever theatrical movie. The new film will be titled Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, with a release from Paramount Pictures planned for August 14, 2026.
The typical Paw Patrol voice cast will be present for this dino-themed adventure, with Regretting You star McKenna Grace, Carter Young, and Hayden Chemberlen reprising their roles from the past film(s).
After a devastating storm leaves the Paw Patrol stranded on a mysterious island, the 2026 animated sequel will see the team come to discover their new surroundings are inhabited by a contingent of dinosaurs—some friend and others foe.
The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender
While not technically a sequel to another animated movie, The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender marks the return of one of the most beloved animated TV shows of all time.
The new animated flick from the Airbender team will pick up the epic fantasy story decades after the events of the original series, following the original cast of characters as adults.
Paramount recently changed its release plan for The Legend of Aang, opting to release the movie on streaming instead of in theaters. Even so, this will likely be the start of a big return to The Last Airbender universe, which will continue with more series and movies.
Set for release on October 9, 2026, the upcoming movie will feature new voice actors portraying characters like Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Katara, as well as former Marvel star Dave Bautista in a yet-to-be-named villain role.
The Angry Birds Movie 3
And rounding out the year, when it comes to animated movie sequels, will be the long-awaited The Angry Birds Movie 3. The third film in the Angry Birds Movie franchise (based on Rovio's series of hit mobile games of the same name) will be the first in over seven years, with the last coming in August 2019.
The new Angry Birds film comes to theaters on December 23, 2026, once again telling the tale of Jason Sudeikis' Red, a bright red flightless outcast who yearns to one day fly.
Sudeikis leads the movie's star-studded cast with the likes of Josh Gad, Rachel Bloom, Danny McBride, Anthony Padilla, Keke Palmer, and many more slated to appear as well.
