Gatto Marks Pixar’s Artistic Turn With Brushstrokes, Cats, and One Black Cat’s Fresh Start

A wiry black cat and a hulking grey one lean in on a smaller suspect. The topic is missing tuna. The setting feels like a back room somewhere in Venice. Mark Ruffalo gives the smaller cat, Nero, a scrappy edge. Laurence Fishburne supplies the larger one, Rocco, with a voice that fills the space. Then a lightbulb on a cord begins to swing overhead. Both interrogators forget the tuna. Their eyes lock onto the movement. The scene dissolves into swats, leaps, and a final crunch as Rocco bites the bulb clean off its cord.

That brief trailer is the first public look at Gatto, Pixar’s upcoming original feature, which will hit theaters on March 5, 2027. What it showcases is the comedic potential that this film will pull from the everyday eccentricities of cats lounging around, all tied up in a larger story about making decisions and finding your place in the world.

According to the official synopsis, Nero has spent years floating in a water-world Venice where superstitions abound. He begins to wonder if he has been living a fulfilling life. Meanwhile, he continues to face difficulties as a result of a hefty debt owed to Rocco, the local feline crime lord. Just when it appears that all hope is lost, a new friendship comes up, and it may just be the key to finding his purpose…as long as the city doesn’t get in the way.

Director Enrico Casarosa and producer Andrea Warren previously worked together on Luca; this time, the setting is further south in Italy, and the whole tone is more edgy. Cats control the streets, and the human world has its own mythology surrounding black cats to contend with. Nero adores music but cannot swim, which is vital while living in a city built on water.

The visuals, on the other hand, stand out because they deviate from the polished look that Pixar has perfected over decades. Gatto’s style is more relaxed, with visible brushstrokes and softer lines, as well as flat and textured lighting. It’s as if they merged hand-painted textures with computer animation, creating a living painting. Pete Docter described the film’s Venice as a living artwork, and for the most part, it seems like that. However, for Nero, it is more of a trap.

Changing the visual style has a tremendous impact on how emotions and environments appear onscreen. Canals and alleyways take on a mysterious quality while retaining the passionate performances that Pixar fans know and love. Even the questioning phase still makes us laugh since the character animation is as excellent as it always has been. They merely use the same tools in a different way.

Gatto arrives during a time of year when sequels are traditionally given priority, sandwiched between Hoppers and Toy Story 5 on the release calendar and preceding The Incredibles 3. This is actually a positive in disguise because it allows the film to breathe while simultaneously utilizing Pixar’s marketing power.