Disney to showcase "Hexed" at the Annecy International Film Festival

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is one of the most prestigious events on the animation calendar — founded in 1960, it remains the world's largest gathering dedicated to animated film. This June, Walt Disney Animation Studios will make its presence felt there in a significant way, with a dedicated showcase built around its upcoming original feature film, Hexed.

What Disney has planned for Annecy 2026

The festival runs across a full week in Annecy, France, and Disney has secured several slots throughout the program. Rather than a single appearance, the studio is spreading its presence across multiple days, covering both its animation and television divisions. For anyone tracking what's coming to streaming platforms, this is exactly the kind of event that shapes release pipelines months in advance.

Here's a quick overview of the confirmed Disney-related panels at the festival :

• Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — Disney Television Animation live-drawing panel for Dragon Striker
• Wednesday, June 24, 2026 — Second general panel for Dragon Striker
• Thursday, June 25, 2026 — Pixar panel on the rendering of Toy Story 5
• Friday, June 26, 2026 — Walt Disney Animation Studios hour-long showcase for Hexed, held at the Bonlieu Grand Théâtre

Pixar's slot on June 25 focuses specifically on the technical rendering process behind Toy Story 5, a more niche but genuinely fascinating deep-dive for industry professionals and animation enthusiasts alike. On top of that, Pixar plans to share updates on its upcoming film Gatto, along with a new short film — though details remain tight for now.

One practical note worth flagging : none of these panels will be livestreamed. The only way to access these presentations is to attend in person. That's a real limitation for most fans, but it also means the details that filter out afterward tend to feel more exclusive and newsworthy.

Hexed : the coming-of-age magical saga taking center stage

The one-hour showcase on June 26 is clearly the centerpiece of Disney's Annecy strategy this year. Filmmakers from Walt Disney Animation Studios will take the stage at the Bonlieu Grand Théâtre to reveal never-before-seen footage from Hexed. Attendees can also expect a behind-the-scenes look at the production, plus — as the official teasing goes — "a few surprises."

So what is Hexed actually about ? The film follows an unconventional teenage girl who stumbles upon secret magical abilities. Once those powers are unleashed, she's pulled into a spectacular journey through a hidden realm of witches. It's a coming-of-age story with a clear fantasy edge — think self-discovery wrapped in spectacle, which tracks well with what Disney Animation has been building toward creatively in recent years.

The release plan is also worth paying attention to. Hexed will open exclusively in theaters in November 2026, before making its way to Disney+ original productions premiering at major festivals have followed a similar theatrical-first window. This is consistent with Disney's current strategy of treating its animation titles as theatrical events before they land on the platform. We'll be watching that streaming release closely once the theatrical window closes.

One contextual detail that's easy to overlook : the festival is happening slightly later than usual this year due to a G7 summit, which has shifted the typical schedule. That timing shift could mean the Hexed teaser trailer — likely attached to Toy Story 5 — may already be public by the time the Annecy showcase takes place. If that's the case, the June 26 presentation would serve more as an expanded look rather than a first reveal.

What this means beyond Annecy

Annecy has historically been a place where Disney drops significant announcements — new series headed to Disney+, sneak peeks at features still years away. That said, not everything revealed on stage makes it into the public conversation. Some of the most interesting details shared at previous editions stayed within the industry bubble, never officially communicated outside the festival walls.

Disney Television Animation's presence this year, with two panels dedicated to Dragon Striker, suggests the series is being positioned as a priority title. We don't have a confirmed streaming date yet, but the level of promotion at an event of this scale is a reliable indicator of internal confidence in the project. Keep it on your radar if you follow Disney+ originals closely.

For Gatto, the Annecy appearance is likely more of a teaser moment — early enough in production that a full trailer would be premature. A short clip or a brief behind-the-scenes window feels more realistic at this stage. We'll update our coverage as information comes out of the festival in late June.

The broader takeaway is that Disney is using Annecy not just to generate buzz, but to lay out a clear roadmap for its animation slate heading into late 2026 and beyond. For anyone who wants to plan their streaming watchlist in advance, this week of panels is one of the best early signals available — even if you're watching from a distance.