Italy is once again taking center stage in a major Disney and Pixar production. After the international success of Luca, Italian director Enrico Casarosa is returning with Gatto, a new animated feature set in Venice and scheduled to reach theaters on March 5, 2027.
The Genoa-born filmmaker previously brought his homeland to global audiences with Luca, released in 2021 and inspired by the landscapes, villages and culture of Liguria.
Set in the fictional seaside town of Portorosso, the movie transformed Casarosa’s childhood memories and affection for the Italian Riviera into a universal story of friendship and discovery. Luca became one of Pixar’s most recognizable recent original films and earned a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Now Casarosa is taking Pixar from Liguria to Veneto.
Gatto follows Nero, a black cat navigating the canals, narrow streets and superstitions of Venice. Indebted to Rocco, a powerful feline mob boss, Nero is forced into an unexpected friendship that could change his life. Mark Ruffalo voices Nero, while Laurence Fishburne plays Rocco.
The project is produced by Andrea Warren, who also worked with Casarosa on Luca. Pixar has developed a distinctive visual language for Gatto, combining the depth of computer animation with painterly, handmade textures designed to evoke Venice itself.
For Italy, the significance goes beyond another animated movie using a famous Italian city as scenery. An Italian director is bringing Italian places, atmosphere, language and cultural references into the creative universe of Disney and Pixar – one of the most powerful entertainment platforms in the world.
Even the title makes a statement: Gatto remains an Italian word for international audiences.
After introducing millions of viewers to a colorful, affectionate vision of Liguria through Luca, Casarosa is now turning toward Venice. With Disney and Pixar behind him, an Italian filmmaker is once again making Italy part of a global animated story.
