With less than two weeks to go before the start of this year’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival, more high-profile screenings have just been announced for the French event running from June 8 to 14.

The organizers have scheduled a 7 p.m. screening of Universal’s summer tentpole How to Train Your Dragon (pictured) at the Pathé Annecy theater on Tuesday (June 10), shortly before the film hits the big screen in the US on June 13. It’s an interesting choice given that the adaptation is primarily billed as live-action, though the film does feature CG-animated dragons. The festival notes in a release that it has occasionally “[opened] its program to techniques other than animation”. 

Taking place on the same day from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. is a “The Smurfs x SpongeBob x Ninja Turtles” presentation from Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon. This panel will provide a first look at two big-franchise kids movies that are due out later this year—The Smurfs Movie (July 16) and The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie: The Search for the Lost Sponge (December 24). And as an added bonus, two animated shorts will also be screened on this stage: SpongeBob: Order Up and TMNT: Chrome Alone 2 – Lost in New Jersey.

On the last day of the festival (June 14), attendees will get a first look at the star-studded upcoming feature High in the Clouds (2027), produced by Gaumont Animation. This 11 a.m. screening will take place at the Petite Salle Bonlieu, where Gaumont president of global animation and family Terry Kalagian and project supervisor Christian De Vita will talk about the film’s development process. 

In a more action-packed late-night vein, older-skewing animated pic Predator: Killer of Killers will follow How to Train Your Dragon in a 10:00 p.m. screening at the Pathé Annecy venue. This movie is launching in the US on Hulu a few days prior (June 6). 

And in a freshly inked distribution deal, Dandelooo Cinema has scooped up global rights (excluding France, Italy, Germany and the UK) to the upcoming 2D-animated kids feature film My Life in Versailles – The Movie, which will premiere at Annecy. French prodcos Films Grand Huit and Mélusine Productions are behind this pic, which follows a young girl named Violet as she navigates life after the tragic loss of her parents with help from her Uncle Regis.

These latest Annecy additions join a stacked lineup of titles in competition, young audiences shorts and more at this year’s festival. Among them are the premiere of CG-animated family comedy Animal Farm (Aniventure), a first look at Zootopia 2 (Disney) and a Pixar screening featuring exclusive footage from Elio plus the first images from Hoppers and Toy Story 5. (And don’t miss Pixar CCO Pete Docter teasing rare behind-the-scenes footage from the Toy Story sequel in honor of the franchise’s 30th anniversary this year.)

Updated on May 28: And in another last-minute addition to the lineup that’s sure to attract eyeballs, DreamWorks Animation has announced a special presentation of The Bad Guys 2 to take place on June 11 at the Bonlieu, Petite Salle. 

This event will include exclusive preview footage along with behind-the-scenes material of the sequel feature more than a month before it hits the big screen on August 1. Director Pierre Perifel, co-director JP Sans, producer Damon Ross and composer Daniel Pemberton will be making the presentation.