Not Alone (film)
Upcoming animated film
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Not Alone is an upcoming American animated science fiction romantic comedy film directed by longtime character designer Eric Guillon with Claire Dodgson (in her feature directorial debut) and Jonathan Del Val. Produced by Illumination and distributed by Universal Pictures, the film will star Timothée Chalamet, Selena Gomez, Brett Goldstein, Rob Brydon, Jamie Demetriou, Diane Morgan, Allison Janney, and Lamorne Morris. The story follows two clueless romantics making the world's first plant-powered rocket, only to find three aliens hiding from an intergalactic officer and wanting to go home.[1]
- Eric Guillon
- Claire Dodgson
- Jonathan Del Val
company
| Not Alone | |
|---|---|
Teaser poster | |
| Directed by |
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| Produced by | Chris Meledandri |
| Starring | |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film was revealed in January 2025. Delays and updates would follow from then to June 2026, when it was formally announced at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, with the cast and crew attached, and the title and plotline shared. It will be Illumination's first original film since Migration (2023), as Chris Meledandri describes the original film made by "a homegrown directing team" from Guillon, Dodgson, and De Val.[2]
Not Alone will be theatrically released in the United States on April 16, 2027.
Premise
An introverted mechanic, Joe, and an astrobotanist, Fran, are tasked with creating the first-ever plant-fueled rocket. They develop immediate chemistry, though both lack romantic competence. Joe, who lives a secluded, solitary lifestyle, finds himself sheltering three aliens: Dunk, Welly, and Shirm. The trio is on an interstellar escape from the overzealous Officer Zandro, and deduce that Fran's rocket will safely get them home.[1]
Voice cast
- Timothée Chalamet as Joe[1]
- Selena Gomez as Fran[1]
- Brett Goldstein as Officer Zandro[1]
- Rob Brydon as Dunk[3][4]
- Jamie Demetriou as Sherm[3][4]
- Diane Morgan as Welly[3][4]
Additionally, Allison Janney and Lamorne Morris have been cast in undisclosed roles.[1]
Production
Development
Not Alone is the first in a planned slate of features scheduled between 2027 and 2031, all produced by Illumination. In contrast to the studio's prior release, Minions & Monsters (2026) of the Despicable Me franchise, it is their first original film since Migration (2023),[2] in an effort to expand into original properties beyond a catalogue of mostly established ones.[5]
On June 21, 2026, Timothée Chalamet was reported to be voicing the main character of the then-untitled production. Described as a "high-brow" romantic comedy with emotional depth, the tone was compared to Pixar's Up, and that Illumination would explore "prestige-driven" storytelling while still maintaining a family audience. Chalamet had teased a film announcement that day on his Instagram story, hinting at it with a rocket emoji, and that the news would drop the following day, June 22.[6][7]
On June 22, 2026, the film's title, synopsis, and teaser poster were officially unveiled at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and Chalamet's involvement and role were officially confirmed, making this his first animated debut as a voice actor. Illumination veteran Eric Guillon, editor Claire Dodgson, and co-director Jonathan Del Val were announced as directors as Chris Meledandri, founder and CEO of Illumination, who also will produce the original film, described the trio as "a homegrown directing team"[2], while Joy Poirel, co-president of production at Illumination Studios Paris and executive producer on Migration (2023),[8] Richard Curtis, writer and director of Love Actually (2003), and David Distenfeld serve as executive producers.[1] This marks Curtis' second animated feature since working on Locksmith Animation's That Christmas, which in tone was based on his series of books of the same name.
As alumni of the studio, each director spent years working in their respective fields of design, editing, and animation.[9][10][11] Additionally, Guillon co-directed Despicable Me 3 (2017). Del Val co-directed The Secret Life of Pets 2 (2019) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), and directed the short film Mooned (2023).[12][1]
Casting
Along with the film's unveiling at Annecy, Selena Gomez, Brett Goldstein, Rob Brydon, Jamie Demetriou, and Diane Morgan were also announced in their respective roles, with the additions of Allison Janney and Lamorne Morris.[1][3][4] Gomez previously voiced Helga in Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! (2008),[7] which Meledandri executive-produced.[13][14] He and Janney had also become friends while attending the Hotchkiss School. Not Alone marks her fourth collaboration with the studio, having already voiced Madge Nelson in Minions and the short film Binky Nelson Unpacified (both 2015), as well as Olivia in the previous Illumination film, Minions & Monsters.[15][16][17][18]
Marketing
The first teaser trailer was released on June 30, 2026.[19]
Release
On January 10, 2025, Universal Pictures first disclosed the project's then-nameless existence while announcing its delay from March 19, 2027, to avoid competition with Paramount Pictures's Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (film), then to June 30, 2027. The slot was initially filled by Minions & Monsters, which was subsequently moved to July 1, 2026.[20][21][a] On August 11, 2025, Not Alone was pushed forward to its current release, April 16, 2027, which Universal originally scheduled for another Illumination film.[22] DreamWorks Animation's Shrek 5 would take over the June 30 slot to further capitalize on the traditional summer window of the studio's Shrek franchise.[23]
As part of Universal's long-term deal with Netflix for its animated films, Not Alone will stream in the United States on Peacock for the first four months of its pay-TV window. It will then move to Netflix for the next ten months, before returning to Peacock for an additional four months.[24]
Notes
- Following the release of Despicable Me 4 (2024), the series surpassed $5 billion worldwide to become the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time. Universal subsequently pushed up Minions & Monsters from its original summer slot to July 1, 2026, swapping positions with DreamWorks Animation's Shrek 5 to capitalize on the franchise's traditional holiday and anniversary windows.[21]