The Pout-Pout Fish (film)
2026 film
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The Pout-Pout Fish is a 2026 animated fantasy comedy film, written by Elise Allen, Elie Choufany, and Dominic Morris, based on the children's book by Deborah Diesen. It is an international co-production between Australia and United States and features the voices of Nick Offerman, Nina Oyama, Miranda Otto, Remy Hii, Mark Coles Smith, Nazeem Hussain, Jordin Sparks, and Amy Sedaris.
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- Ricard Cussó
- Elise Allen
- Elie Choufany
- Dominic Morris
by Deborah Diesen
- Nadine Bates
- Madeira Ginley
- Kristen Souvlis
- Cyma Zarghami
| The Pout-Pout Fish | |
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Australian theatrical release poster | |
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| Based on | The Pout-Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen |
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| Edited by | Ahmad Halimi |
| Music by | Ack Kinmonth |
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Running time | 92 minutes[1] |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | <$10 million[2] |
| Box office | $5 million[3] |
Plot
Mr. Fish lives in a coral reef society. Described as glum and gloomy, he meets baby sea dragon Pip at his shipwreck home. Pip needs help expanding her home to accommodate for her hundreds of siblings. At first, Mr. Fish declines, but changes his mind after both his and Pip's homes are destroyed. Instead of rebuilding, Pip suggests they visit Shimmer, a mysterious, wish-granting fish.
Underneath the reef is an abyss home to a pod of cuttlefish, led by their leader Marin, who is in danger of being cut off from the sun due to kelp growth and will soon be forced to relocate. Benji, her son, does not wish to leave, deciding to seek out Shimmer as well. This puts both Benji and Mr. Fish in a race to find Shimmer, as it is rumored that she can only fulfill one wish every few years.
Mr. Fish and Pip make their way to Shimmer, by rescuing two jellyfish, helping three dolphins, and helping a mother whale find her child, with the assistance of an eel. They eventually reach Shimmer, but are interrupted when Benji kidnaps her. Benji arrives at the abyss with Shimmer with others trailing behind, when she reveals that she can't actually fulfill wishes. Because of this, the cuttlefish relocate to the reef above, with Marin disowning Benji. They hypnotize its residents into exile. In an attempt to save the reef, Mr. Fish and Pip call upon the animals they helped. They manage to remove all of the kelp, allowing the cuttlefish to return to their homes.
After they return, Mr. Fish has his home rebuilt, and Pip's family moves to a cruise shipwreck fitting all of her siblings. Pip reveals to Mr. Fish that she wrote a story named "The Pout-Pout Fish", of which the film is depicting. As Pip leaves, Mr. Fish is greeted by Shimmer, who the former tries asking out, unaware that the eel accidentally caused his home to be destroyed again.
Voice cast
- Nick Offerman as Mr. Fish, a short-tempered sky blue and purple ocean pout
- Nina Oyama as Pip, a hyperactive baby yellow leafy seadragon
- Miranda Otto as Marin, a female red cuttlefish
- Remy Hii as Benji, an orange cuttlefish
- Jordin Sparks as Shimmer, a mystical pink Siamese fighting fish
- Amy Sedaris as Brigitta, Greta and Karina, three pink Dolphins
- Nazeem Hussain as Archie, a blue cuttlefish with glasses
- Mark Coles Smith as Hector, an orange octopus shop owner
- Grant Denyer as Mike
- Lloyd Langford as a bioluminescent eel
- Mel Buttle as Shaz, a purple box jellyfish
Release
The Pout-Pout Fish was released theatrically on January 1, 2026 in Australia and was released on March 20 in the United States, by Viva Pictures.[4]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 63% of 30 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "Appealing and colorful without being particularly distinctive, this animated adventure is a small fish in the big pond of family entertainment but can be relied upon to turn a frown upside down."[5]