As the weekend kicks off, you might be in the mood to relax with a great movie, maybe even a classic “Netflix and chill” moment. If you’re watching with family, animated films are always a safe bet. Here are five of the best animated movies released this year, so you can enjoy something fresh and up to date. Hoppers Directed by Daniel Chong and written by Jesse Andrews, Hoppers follows Mabel, an animal-loving college student who transfers her mind into a lifelike robotic beaver to communicate with animals and save their habitat from destruction, inadvertently sparking an uprising in the process. The film is Pixar's 30th animated feature and has grossed $375 million worldwide since its March release. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, the duo behind the 2023 original, the film is the sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Mario, Luigi, and their friends venture into outer space, where they meet Princess Rosalina and must contend with Bowser Jr.'s ambitions to restore the Bowser family name by threatening the universe. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film has grossed $835 million worldwide against a $110 million budget, making it the highest-grossing film of 2026 so far. Invincible—Season 4 While the world recovers from the global catastrophe of the previous season, a changed Mark Grayson struggles with guilt as he fights to protect his home and the people he loves, setting him on a collision course with a powerful new threat that could alter the fate of humanity forever. The season adapts the Viltrumite War storyline from the comic books and introduces major new antagonists including Thragg, voiced by Lee Pace, and Dinosaurus, voiced by Matthew Rhys. The eight-episode fourth season premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 18, 2026, with the finale airing on April 22. Primal — Season 3 Created by Genndy Tartakovsky, Primal returns for a third season following the stone-age saga's seemingly conclusive second run. The series, known for its brutal action and wordless storytelling, premiered on Adult Swim on January 11, 2026. Tartakovsky's signature style, minimal dialogue, visceral animation, and emotionally charged visuals—makes it one of the most distinct animated series currently on television, and an ideal binge for a long weekend. KPop Demon Hunters Directed by Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhan, the film follows K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira, and Zoey who lead double lives as demon hunters trained to protect their fans from supernatural threats. Their biggest challenge arrives in the form of a rival boy band of demons in disguise. The film won Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards and the Golden Globes, while its breakout track Golden took home both Best Original Song at the Oscars and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammys, making it the first K-pop song to win either award. The film has since surpassed 500 million views on Netflix, becoming the platform's most-watched animated original of all time.
