Cartoon Brew | A Guide To 24 Animated Features Releasing In 2023

The lists are never definitive and are subject to regular changes and additions. In fact, several of the distributors on the list below told us they have other films planned for 2023 but aren’t ready to announce them just yet. Several of the films on this year’s list appeared on last year’s but were later delayed for a variety of reasons.

Before the pandemic, Cartoon Brew only included theatrical features on our annual list but that no longer seems prudent, even though U.S. theaters are now mostly back to “normal.” That being said, we haven’t included every straight-to-streaming feature on the list either, but instead opted to highlight some of the biggest.

Considering the upheaval happening at many of the U.S.’s largest animation companies, there is a bit of guesswork that goes into creating a list like this. At this time last year, who’d have thought that Warner Bros., so much in favor of a straight-to-streaming release model under previous leadership, would pull a complete 180-degree turn under new boss David Zaslav and cancel nearly every production that isn’t seen as theatrical-worthy?

And what might Disney’s distribution plans look like now that streaming-fan CEO Bob Chapek is out and former boss Bob Iger is back in? Netflix hosted limited releases for several of its big animation feature titles in 2022, but who knows if its future releases will received wider theatrical debuts in the next year.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

Director: Cal Brunker

Production Companies: Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Animation, Mikros Animation

U.S.: Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: October 13, 2023

PAW Patrol: The Movie writers Bob Barlen and Cal Brunker return for this animated sequel to the 2021 film that grossed $144.3 at the global box office, despite releasing during the pandemic. In this film, a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The Mighty Pups.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

Director: Jeff Rowe Co-director: Kyler Spears

Production Companies: Nickelodeon Animation Studios, Mikros Animation, Cinesite Vancouver, Image Comics, Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures, Point Grey Pictures

U.S.: Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: August 4, 2023

Featuring animation done by Mikros Animation and Cinesite Vancouver, the latest TMNT movie is being produced by Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Little is known about the film’s plot, but according to Mikros Animation head of production Adrianna Cohen, it will stay true to the 1990s nostalgia that the franchise holds. It’s worth noting that this is not part of the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated universe.