Pixar’s Gatto Trailer Drops: Mark Ruffalo Voices a Cat Mobster in Venice

admin · November 12, 2026 · 5 min read

A black cat standing on a Venice canal bridge at dusk in Pixar's Gatto, with the city's rooftops behind him

Disney and Pixar released the first full trailer for Gatto on Thursday, November 12, giving audiences their best look yet at the studio’s original animated adventure set in the cat-run underworld of Venice, Italy. The film stars Mark Ruffalo as Nero, a scrappy black cat in debt to a feline mob boss, and arrives exclusively in theaters on March 5, 2027.

The trailer, released alongside a new poster and the full voice cast, quickly became one of the most searched topics in the United States on Thursday. It follows a short teaser that Pixar released in June.

What the trailer shows

The footage introduces Nero, voiced by Ruffalo, as a street-smart black cat who has spent years running errands for the city’s feline mob. After a mishap involving stolen fish, Nero learns he is down to his last life — and begins to question whether he has lived the right ones.

Indebted to Rocco, the ruthless local mob boss voiced by Laurence Fishburne, Nero is forced to forge an unexpected friendship with Maja, a local street musician played by Bianca Babaşa. Disney describes the film as set in the “feline-run underbelly of Venice, Italy,” a city of canals, superstition, and narrow alleys that Pixar renders in a painterly, storybook style.

The full voice cast

Ruffalo and Fishburne were announced earlier this year. The trailer confirms the rest of the ensemble: John Turturro as Capitano Briganti, Rhys Darby as Focaccia, Isabella Rossellini as Contessa, Jason Schwartzman as Vivaldi, Sherry Cola as Regina, Natasia Demetriou as Charon, Jamie Demetriou as Plague Doctor, Jason Mantzoukas as Rico, Matt Jones as Enzo, and Tracey Ullman as Luisa. Director Enrico Casarosa also voices a character, Saverio.

The team behind Gatto

Gatto is directed by Enrico Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren, the filmmaking team behind Pixar’s Oscar-nominated Luca. Casarosa wrote the film with Tripper Clancy and Andy Siara, and Pixar chief Pete Docter serves as executive producer.

The original score comes from Academy Award winner Dario Marianelli, known for Atonement, and includes violin music from acclaimed violinist Barbora Botošová — a fitting choice for a film whose heroine plays music on the streets of Venice.

Background: from Annecy to the first full trailer

Pixar first announced Gatto at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2025, presenting it as an original feature rather than a sequel. Ruffalo’s casting as Nero was revealed in May 2026, and Fishburne joined the cast with the teaser trailer in June. The rest of the cast was confirmed alongside Thursday’s trailer.

The film arrives in theaters alongside a brand-new short, Loving Dory, which will play before the feature.

Why this matters

Pixar’s original films have long been its most celebrated work, from Ratatouille to Luca, and Gatto is the studio’s next big swing at an original story. The Venice setting, the mob-movie parody, and a cast led by Ruffalo and Fishburne give it a distinctive hook — and the trailer’s instant trending status suggests audiences noticed.

For Disney, the March 5, 2027 release also fills a key slot in its animated calendar, with the film arriving exclusively in theaters before a later Disney+ debut. Recent hits have shown audiences still reward original family entertainment: Godzilla Minus Zero smashed a North American box office record with its $31.6 million debut, and GTA 6 became the most pre-ordered game ever on PlayStation and Xbox.

Latest developments

Thursday’s trailer is the first full-length look at the film, running just over two minutes. Disney released the official poster at the same time, showing Nero against the Venetian skyline. With less than four months until release, expect more footage and character reveals in the weeks ahead. Ebenezer reviews split as the embargo lifted this week, showing how quickly early reactions can shape a film’s opening — though Gatto will not face critics until closer to its March debut.

Frequently asked questions

When does Pixar’s Gatto come out?

Gatto releases exclusively in theaters on March 5, 2027. It will arrive on Disney+ a few months later.

Who voices Nero in Gatto?

Mark Ruffalo voices Nero, a scrappy black cat who works for the feline mob in Venice. Laurence Fishburne voices Rocco, the mob boss Nero owes a debt to.

Who directed Gatto?

Enrico Casarosa, the director of Pixar’s Luca, directed Gatto. Andrea Warren produced it, and the score is by Oscar winner Dario Marianelli.

What is Gatto about?

Set in Venice, Italy, the film follows Nero, a black cat on his last life, who questions whether he has lived the right lives and forms an unexpected friendship with Maja, a street musician, while trying to settle his debt to the cat mob boss Rocco.

What to watch next

The trailer sets the tone, but the film’s reception will depend on whether its gangster-comedy premise lands with families when it opens in March. For now, the full cast, the Venice setting, and the March 5 release date are confirmed — and Pixar’s cat mob has officially announced itself.