DC, Warner bring animation to Annecy

Animation festivals can feel niche from the outside. Annecy is not niche. It is the place where studios show the world what they think matters next in animation, and this year Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios are treating it like a major stage. They’re bringing a full showcase to the 2026 festival in Annecy, France, with Peter Safran and Sam Register fronting a slate built around DC, but not limited to DC. ### Why is Annecy a big deal? Annecy is basically the Cannes of animation — a global festival and market that draws thousands of industry people and has become one of the main places to launch films, series, and talent. The official festival site calls it a major international event for around 12,000 professionals, which is why a studio doesn’t show up with a splashy package unless it wants to send a signal. (annecyfestival.com) ### What did Warner actually announce? Warner’s plan is a week of premieres, panels, and first-look presentations under a joint DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation banner. Safran, who co-runs DC Studios, will appear with Register, who oversees Warner Bros. Animation as well as Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. That pairing matters — it says this is not just a random festival stop but a coordinated studio push. (annecyfestival.com) ### What’s the headline attraction? The clearest attention-grabber is the world premiere screening of *Batman: Knightfall Part 1*. That gives the showcase a real event centerpiece, not just concept art and promises. Batman travels well internationally, and Annecy audiences tend to reward polished, filmmaker-driven animation, so Warner is putting one of its safest global brands right in the middle of the festival conversation. (variety.com) ### Is this only about superheroes? No — and that’s the more interesting part. Warner is also using Annecy to preview creator-led and adult-skewing originals, including *SuperMutant Magic Academy*, *Keeping Up With the Joneses*, and *Living the Dream*. In other words, DC is the magnet, but the company is trying to pull attention toward a broader animation pipeline across Adult Swim, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. (awn.com) ### Why put Safran onstage? Because this is partly a branding exercise for DC Studios itself. Safran’s presence makes the animation slate feel connected to the larger DC strategy instead of sitting off to the side as licensing product. Warner has spent the last few years trying to make DC feel more unified across film, TV, and animation, and Annecy gives it a room full of global buyers, press, and creators to reinforce that message. That last part is an inference from who is appearing and how the showcase is framed. (thefutoncritic.com) ### Why lean on DC now? Because DC is one of the few pieces of Warner that is instantly legible worldwide. Superheroes are exportable. Batman especially is exportable. But the catch is that Warner is not only selling familiarity here — it’s also trying to show that its animation group still has creative range beyond capes, which is why the lineup mixes franchise material with newer originals. (variety.com) ### What should readers watch for next? The festival runs June 21 to June 27, 2026, so the real test is what comes out of the room — footage, reactions, and whether any one project breaks through as the must-watch title. Annecy buzz can travel fast. A strong showing there won’t decide Warner’s future by itself, but it can tell you which parts of the company think they still have momentum. (cartoonbrew.com) ### Bottom line This is Warner using Annecy the way big studios use Comic-Con — as a signal flare. DC gets people in the door. The rest of the slate is the real audition. (cartoonbrew.com)