Here's a quick (and far-from authoritative) list of what animated films will be released in 2009, based on studio websites and this site's files. This is all subject to change without notice, since release dates may be changed (or even dropped) and independent studios release product with little or no warning.
Reviews, of course, will follow.
Coraline (Laika Entertainment/Universal)
February 6
Based on the bestselling children's novel by Neil Gaiman, it follows a young girl (Dakota Fanning) who walks through a secret door in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life – a better version. But when this wondrously off-kilter, fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her Other parents try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to get her back home.
Monsters vs. Aliens (DreamWorks Animation)
March 27
When Susan Murphy (Reese Witherspoon) is unwittingly clobbered by a meteor on her wedding day, she mysteriously grows to 49-feet-11-inches tall. The military captures Susan and steals her to a covert government compound. There, she's renamed Ginormica and placed in confinement with a ragtag group of Monsters: the brilliant but insect-headed Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D.; the macho fish/ape hybrid The Missing Link; the gelatinous and indestructible B.O.B.; and the 350-foot grub called Insectosaurus.
Their confinement is cut short, however, when a mysterious robot lands on Earth and begins wreaking havoc. In desperation, the President is persuaded to enlist the motley crew of Monsters to combat the alien robot and save the world from imminent destruction. Monsters vs. Aliens is DreamWorks Animation's first "Tru 3D" movie.
Gatchaman (Imagi/Warner Bros.)
April 3
This film is based on the 1970's television series produced by Japan's Tatsunoko Productions. Set in a future world grappling with environmental and technological issues, Gatchaman follows 5 reluctant heroes whose remarkable genetic code makes them Earth's only hope of defeating extra-terrestrial invaders.
Up (Disney/Pixar)
May 29
From the Academy Award-nominated team of Pete Docter Bob Peterson (Monsters, Inc.) comes Up, a comedic adventure taking off in summer 2009. Carl Fredricksen (Ed Asner) spent his entire life dreaming of exploring the globe and experiencing life to its fullest. But at age 78, life seems to have passed him by, until a twist of fate – and a persistent 8-year old Junior Wilderness Explorer named Russell (Jordan Nagai) – gives him a new lease on life. When seeking adventure next summer – look Up.
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (Sony Pictures Animation)
September 18th
Based on the 1982 children's book by Judi and Ron Barret, the film follows the events in the little town of Chewsandswallow, where the weather comes three times a day, at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and is always food and beverages. The rain is juice and soup, the snow is mashed potatoes, and the wind brings hamburgers.
Toy Story 3-D (Disney/Pixar)
October 2
Originally released by Walt Disney Pictures in 1995, Toy Story was the first feature film from Pixar Animation Studios and director John Lasseter. The film went on to receive Oscar® nominations for Best Original Score, Best Original Song, and Best Original Screenplay, and earned Lasseter a Special Achievement Award (Oscar®) “for the development and inspired application of techniques that have made possible the first feature-length computer-animated film.” The 3-D version of this landmark film is being personally overseen by Lasseter with his acclaimed team of technical wizards handling all the necessary steps in the conversion process.
Astro Boy (Imagi/Summit Entertainment)
October 23
Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy follows an incredibly powerful robot (Freddie Highmore) created by a brilliant scientist (Nicolas Cage) in the image of the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving man's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him.
Disney's A Christmas Carol (Imagemovers Digital/Disney)
November 6
Disney's A Christmas Carol, a multi-sensory thrill ride re-envisioned by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis, captures the fantastical essence of the classic Dickens tale in a groundbreaking 3-D motion picture event.
Ebenezer Scrooge (Jim Carrey) begins the Christmas holiday with his usual miserly contempt, barking at his faithful clerk (Gary Oldman) and his cheery nephew (Colin Firth). But when the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come take him on an eye-opening journey revealing truths Old Scrooge is reluctant to face, he must open his heart to undo years of ill will before it's too late.
Planet 51 (Ilion Animation/Sony)
November 20
The inhabitants of Planet 51 live in fear of alien invasion. Their paranoia is realized when an astronaut (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) arrives from Earth. Befriended by a young resident (Justin Long), he has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship and try to return home.
The Princess and the Frog (Disney)
December 25
A musical set in the greatest city of them all, New Orleans, The Princess and the Frog marks Disney’s return to the timeless art form of traditional animation. From the creators of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin comes a modern twist on a classic tale, featuring a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to be human again, and a fateful kiss that leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana.
Films That Don't Yet Have Release Dates
Ponyo on a Cliff (Studio Ghibli/Disney)
The latest film by Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) follows a 'fish girl' who runs away from her home in the sea. She ends up stranded on the shore and is rescued by Sosuke, a five year old boy who lives on a cliff. After taking a great liking to her, Sosuke names her Ponyo and vows to protect her forever. Meanwhile, her father Fujimoto hunts for his daughter, upset that she ran away. He calls upon his wave demons to return Ponyo to him.
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