Viva Pictures Pledges 26 Animated Family Films for 2027

Viva Pictures will release 26 animated family films in theaters next year, the company announced ahead of the American Film Market, which runs Nov. 10-15 in Century City. The distributor is pitching the slate, branded "Animation Celebration," as a way for exhibitors to fill the gaps between major studio releases.

The plan targets weekday mornings and afternoons. Victor Elizalde, co-founder and CEO of Viva Pictures, said the company will offer flexible booking terms, leaving the more lucrative evening and weekend slots to big-draw studio films. In plain terms: Viva wants the showtimes studios do not want.

"Habits are formed in childhood, and Animation Celebration gives families a reason to come back to the theater every two weeks," Elizalde said. "The studios deliver the big event films, but families need a reason to return in between. Our exhibitor partners understand the value of family audiences, and this program gives them a reason to fill those seats regularly."

What is on the slate?

Founded in 2011, Viva Pictures acquires animation projects from around the world and produces original fare. The 2027 slate opens Jan. 8 with "Cloud Girl," which screened at this year's Annecy animation festival and features Hugh Laurie in its voice cast.

Other scheduled titles include:

• "Flamingo Flamenco"
• "Pirate Mo"
• "Unstable"
• "Zac Power"
• "The Boonie Bears"
• "On the Edge"

At 26 releases across the year, the program averages one new family film roughly every two weeks — the cadence Elizalde cites as the core of the loyalty argument.

How will Viva market it?

Viva aims to partner with exhibitors on loyalty programs and other marketing efforts designed to bring young families to theaters on a regular basis. The company frames the slate not as competition with studio event films but as a complement that keeps family attendance steady between tentpoles.

The rollout begins with a showcase at AFM. Viva will host a Nov. 11 premiere party for "Space Cadet," which arrives in theaters Nov. 13. The film is directed by scratch DJ Kid Koala, who has released five solo albums and toured with Radiohead, the Beastie Boys and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band — and currently with Gorillaz.

The takeaway: a 14-year-old acquisition-and-production outfit is betting that predictable, low-pressure weekday programming can rebuild the family moviegoing habit that studios' quarterly tentpoles no longer sustain on their own.