The animated film as we know it has existed for nearly a century as an art form that, like live-action filmmaking, rose from shorts to becoming a dominant medium in its own right. The animated film industry has flourished and evolved, creating brand new cutting-edge technologies, new narrative opportunities, visual styles and so much more.

The animated film industry in today's time is limitless as there is no set definition of what the right form of animation is. Animated films are a big part of the cinematic universe not only because they provide an escape but also because they give boundless storytelling possibilities at their finest. From traditional hand-drawn 2D features to Japan's particular anime style, from lavish computer-generated confections to painstakingly produced stop-motion, the animation genre is a chest full of unique treasure pieces.

While Disney Animation Studios is the top contender in the animation world, the SVOD market is set to enter the field and broaden its portfolio. Based on that, here is a list which is a potpourri of tastes and tones. From traditional family adventures to coming-of-age movies, special superhero stories to imaginative fantasy adventures, there is a lot to look forward to.

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Image via Universal

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Minions: The Rise of Gru

Release Date: July 1, 2022

Universal Pictures' Minions: The Rise of Gru, a computer-animated action comedy film produced by Illumination is the sequel to the spin-off prequel Minions (2015) and the fifth film in the Despicable Me franchise. After the events of the first film, which takes place in the 1970s, Gru, now a 12-year-old living in the suburbs, is a fan of a team of super villains known as the Vicious 6 and devises a plan to join them. After Wild Knuckles, the Vicious 6's former leader and a famed fighter, gets deposed from his role as leader, Gru applies to join the organization.

Things don't go well, rather get much worse when Gru, with the assistance of Kevin, Bob, Stuart, Otto, and the other Minions, steals an expensive stone from them. He subsequently finds himself in the unexpected scenario of being the mortal enemy of the world's most evil beings. When Gru and the Minions are on the run, they seek advice from the most unlikely of people: Wild Knuckles himself, and they realize that even villains need help from their allies when the need arises.

The Sea Beast

Release Date: July 8, 2022

The most recent Netflix animated film is an epic naval adventure. The Sea Beast, directed by Chris Williams, who gave us Moana and Big Hero 6, is set in a world where the terrifying monsters depicted on the borders of antique maps are real and terrorize sailors. It's up to courageous monster-hunting crews to clean the seas, ensuring the safety of those on shore.

In the trailer, Jacob (Karl Urban), a fearless monster hunter, faces his toughest struggle yet: caring for Maisie Brumble (voiced by Zaris-Angel Hator), a young girl who has stowed away on the ship and has made an odd friend in a fearsome sea monster. Together they set out on an adventurous expedition into uncharted waters, making history in the process. In addition to Urban and Hator, the voice cast includes Jared Harris from Morbius as the terrifying Captain Crow, as well as Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dan Stevens, and Kathy Burke.

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank

Release Date: July 15, 2022

Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank is an animated comedy that boasts countless renowned names on the cast list. The film, which was previously titled Blazing Samurai, began production in 2014 and is partially inspired by Richard Pryor and Mel Brooks' classic film Blazing Saddles. It was originally intended to depict a Black samurai who discovers his destiny in safeguarding an East Asian town. The story took a shift due to the possibility of backlash if the racial allegory was too obvious, to a wandering dog becoming a samurai in a village filled with cats.

Instead of making a racially charged film for adults, the creators decided to focus on the continuous rivalry between cats and dogs to make the narrative more child-friendly. The story of the wandering dog with a big dream persists and as seen in the trailer, we see Hank's main desire to become a great samurai, but all he needs is the perfect teacher. In a town full of cats that is soon to be destroyed, he finds what he is looking for in a grouchy old cat. Together with the cat community and their mutual hate for the dog village, we see them working together to save the day, with the help of his grudging trainer.

DC League Of Super-Pets

Release Date: July 29, 2022

DC League of Super-Pets is a 3D animated film that follows the comedic adventures of an all-animal group led by Krypto the Superdog and Ace the Bat-Hound. The movie is based on DC's original Legion of Super-Pets. Krypto the Super-Dog hails from the planet Krypton, just like his best friend Superman. Whether they're hanging out or battling crime, they're inseparable and always together. When Superman and the rest of the Justice League are kidnaped, Krypto plans to mount a rescue mission, but he'll need some help. Luckily, there is hope in the form of a group of shelter animals who have developed extraordinary superpowers. Merton the turtle acquires super speed, while Ace the dog gains super strength. Then there's PB the pig, who can grow to any size, and Chip the squirrel, who has electric talents. As a result, we now have a formidable and hysterically humorous team eager to save the superheroes: the Justice League.

DC League of Super-Pets has all the makings of a family-friendly, audience winner. Super-Pets looks to incorporate the celebrity-voiced animal antics with a comic book style of self-awareness that will contribute to making for a fun family night at the movies.

Luck

Release Date: August 5, 2022

The Annecy International Animation Festival's Work in Progress section featured Skydance Animation's first feature-length film, Luck, which is a computer-animated fantasy comedy film directed by Peggy Holmes and written by Kiel Murray. Luck narrates the story of Sam Greenfield, arguably the world's unluckiest girl, who happens to come across Bob, a lucky black cat, who leads her to the Land of Luck by accident.

The physicality of Sam's bad luck provides for a lot of the film's humorous appeal and although not much is revealed in the trailer apart from the distinct land of luck that Sam stumbles upon that is quite literally divided into two halves: a utopian good luck side and a devastating bad luck side. Sam’s entry into the land of luck brings about the disturbance of the perfect harmonious working environment, and we see chaos ensue, right from the start.

As per director Peggy Holmes, the goal was for the movie to depict genuine bad luck with entirely random incidents that couldn't be pinned on anyone but the universe, and avoid making the main character seem clumsy. Yuriko Senoo, the film's director of animation said the film was highly influenced by traditional deadpan comedy, with excellent comical timing for sequences in which Sam is just struck by terrible luck. Luck is set to premiere on Apple TV+.

Suzume Locking Up The Doors

Release Date: November 11, 2022 (Japan); 2023 (US)

Makoto Shinkai, the director of the immensely popular films Your Name (Kimi no Na wa) and Weathering with You (Tenki no Ko), is returning with another captivating story through Suzume Locking Up The Doors (Suzume no Tojimari). Shinkai has been a prominent figure in Japanese animation for decades, and his film Your Name, which grossed $358 million worldwide, propelled him to international prominence. Based on the popularity of Your Name, Weathering With You, his follow-up, was also received with much love in 2019, and thus, the excitement for Suzume Locking Up The Doors is expected.

Suzume is a 17-year-old girl from Kyushu, a secluded Island in Japan, who meets a young boy who is on a quest to find a door. Suzume, who pursues him, discovers an old rusty door standing alone in the mountains as if it had been abandoned in the ruins. Suzume extends her arm to the door, as though dragged in by some undefined power, and one by one, the doors begin to open to numerous locations throughout Japan. However, due to the disasters that have befallen individuals on the opposite side, this door must now be shut.

The characters are designed by Masayoshi Tanaka, who previously worked with Shinkai on Your Name and Weathering with You. The film's animation director is Kenichi Tsuchiya, and the art director is Takumi Tanji who had previously collaborated on Your Name. Suzume Locking Up The Doors will premiere in Japan on November 11th, 2022, and will be released in other major territories in early 2023 with Crunchyroll being the exclusive distributor in North America.

Strange World

Release Date: November 23, 2022

Just when you believe the Disney model has reached its limit, along comes a picture that convinces you that this is the company that has previously broken the mold and redefined animation as we know it today. Strange World, Disney's latest animated picture after Lightyear looks like a pulp paperback book cover coming to life in the first trailer. While it remains to be seen whether the studio's newest picture, Strange World lives up to the standards of its previous works, there are plenty of reasons to be thrilled about this new journey.

With sticky creatures, walking mountains, and a slew of other sci-fi curiosities, it's as gorgeous as it is weird. As per Disney, Strange World journeys deep into an unexplored and dangerous area where magical animals await the famous Clades, a family of explorers whose disputes threaten to derail their latest, and by far their most critical quest. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal voicing Searcher Clade, the main character, with the acclaimed Don Hall directing the movie.

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Release Date: December 21, 2022

Puss in Boots is back and better than ever. It's been nearly two decades since we first met Antonio Banderas' Puss in Boots in the modern classic Shrek 2, and more than a decade since the character got his spin-off film, but the movie is back with a bang.

The film starts with Puss in Boots effortlessly killing a giant and pleasing the entire town, but is then unintentionally killed by a large bell that falls on him, and realizes that he's actually run out of lives - shown in a humorous compilation of death sequences that are maintained remarkably graphic while still being clean enough for the kids to enjoy.

In Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Puss will embark on his most ambitious adventure ever with an epic quest into the Black Forest in search of the legendary Wishing Star, which will allow him to reclaim his lost lives. With only one life available, Puss will need help and will have to seek assistance from his old partner and foe, the alluring Kitty Soft Paws. Puss and Kitty will be aided in their quest against their better judgment by Perro, a scruffy, talkative, persistently joyful dog. The trio of heroes will have to work together to keep ahead of the notorious Goldilocks and the Three Bears, "Big" Jack Horner, and the scary bounty hunter The Big Bad Wolf.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Release Date: June 2, 2023

If Toy Story was the most significant advancement in mainstream film animation since Snow White, it took almost another 20 years for the needle to make that momentous move again, and it happened with the brilliant Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Boasting a jaw-droppingly imaginative visual identity that feels completely unique – blending 2D and 3D textures with comic book paper styling, and leaning into the cartoonish, exaggerated qualities that only animation allows. The success of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is no surprise and the eager anticipation and the patient waiting of the fans were rewarded when a trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was released in December 2021, much to the surprise of many.

Although not much is known about the plot of Across the Spider-Verse, the title, and teaser all provide some form of hints. For starters, it's evident that Miles Morales voiced by Shameik Moore will be embarking on an adventure to other realities, six realities, to be exact, rather than dealing with the problem in his own world. The teaser footage supports this, with the second part featuring a highly stylized interpretation of interdimensional travel. The excitement of seeing Miles in the wider Spider-Verse is mainly due to the different approaches to the Spider-Man concept and setting. The picture is thought to be greatly influenced by the premise that each of the six realities will have its own distinct appearance.

Elemental

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Image via Pixar

Release Date: June 16, 2023

Pixar has been making animated pictures since the 1990s, posing themes like: ''What if inanimate objects had feelings'' and with that, we got Toy Story and Cars. Then they went a step ahead and questioned ''What if feelings had sentiments of their own?'' and we got Inside Out as a brilliant answer to that. This is what makes Pixar stand out because it does a brilliant job of humanizing things that you can’t imagine being humanized and with that, now it's time to think about "What if Elements Had Feelings?"

Elemental is directed by Peter Sohn and produced by Denise Ream, with both of them having worked together on The Good Dinosaur, and is about an odd pair, Ember and Wade, who dwell in a metropolis where fire, water, land, and air coexist. The fiery young lady and the laid-back guy are about to learn that despite their core elemental differences, they have a lot in common. Although no trailer has yet been released, Pixar has revealed the concept art for Elemental, which in itself is enough to have the fans buzzing in anticipation of its release.