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Disney and Pixar Reveal New Lilo and Stitch and Finding Nemo Theatrical Shorts
Big news out of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival! On June 26, Disney treated attendees to a surprise premier of a brand-new Lilo and Stitch animated short, while also dropping the exciting announcement that a Finding Nemo short film is officially on the way.
Related – Watch the Teaser Trailer for Pixar’s ‘Gatto’ Coming to Theaters in 2027
Titled Lilo & Scratch, this new short is set shortly after the events of the original movie and follows Stitch, Lilo, and a mischievous new rescue cat named Scratch, who has his sights set on eating Pudge the fish! Fans will be thrilled to hear that Chris Sanders is back to voice Stitch, while Maia Kealoha—the breakout star of the 2025 live-action adaptation—lends her voice to Lilo.
According to Nexus Point News, the short features a brilliant blend of animation styles: Lilo and Stitch are brought to life as CG models, while the chaotic new kitty, Scratch, is entirely hand-drawn. The project is directed by Fawn Veerasunthorn and features a heavy dose of nostalgia, with several artists from the original film, including veteran animator Alex Kupershmidt, returning to bring the magic back to the screen.
“The original film had a massive impact on our artistic journeys, and that was true for so many artists at the studio who reached out the second they heard we were pitching a Stitch short,” Veerasunthorn shared. She noted that they didn’t just assemble a team of passionate Lilo & Stitch fans; they actually got to collaborate directly with the legendary artists behind the 2002 classic.
Among those returning creators is Stitch’s original supervising animator, Alex Kupershmidt. “We have the incredible good fortune to work alongside Mr. Alex Kupershmidt,” Veerasunthorn told Deadline. “He’s always reminding us, ‘This is a cartoon. Push it very, very far. What are you afraid of?’”
The short film is set to debut exclusively in theaters on November 25, 2026, playing right before Disney’s upcoming feature, Hexed.
Just keep swimming… and falling in love? Pixar also revealed Loving Dory, a brand-new Finding Nemo short directed by Lou Hamou-Lhadj and produced by Mary Alice Drumm. The hilarious premise features Dory falling for a plastic bag she mistakes for a jellyfish. An exact release date hasn’t been set, but Pixar confirmed it will debut exclusively in theaters ahead of an unannounced future feature.
Are you looking forward to these new shorts?
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