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Netflix greenlights The Mitchells vs. The Mitchells
Netflix has officially approved a sequel to the acclaimed animated comedy The Mitchells vs. the Machines. The follow-up will carry the playful title The Mitchells vs. the Mitchells and, like the original, will be produced by Sony Pictures Animation with Netflix handling global distribution. Production is reported to begin in early 2026.
The first Mitchells film, released during the pandemic, became a surprise cultural touchstone: a wildly inventive family comedy that mixed kinetic animation with sharp social commentary and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. Its temporary title, Connected, was dropped before release, and what audiences received was a film that married heartfelt family drama to outlandish sci-fi spectacle — a combination that helped it find fans across ages and platforms.
Who’s behind the sequel?
The Mitchells vs. the Mitchells will be directed by Guillermo Martinez, who served as head of story on the original, alongside JP Sanz, noted for his work directing The Bad Guys 2. For Martinez, this marks his first feature directing credit after contributions to stop-motion and genre-bending projects like Kubo and the Two Strings, Missing Link, and visual collaborations on Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The screenplay is penned by Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin, the sibling duo known for their sharp, character-driven comedy.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller will produce under their Lord Miller banner, with Kurt Albrecht co-producing through Sony Pictures Animation. Mike Rianda — writer-director of the original — returns in an executive producer role, helping maintain the original’s irreverent tone and emotional core.
What to expect from the story and tone
Where the first film pitched a regular family against a robot apocalypse, the new premise promises an even stranger antagonist: themselves. Expect a stronger emphasis on identity, family dynamics, and meta-humor — the kind of self-referential jokes audiences remember from the original — but dialed up into a more surreal, reflexive comedy.
Fans of dynamic, visually adventurous animation should feel encouraged. The Mitchells franchise sits stylistically and thematically next to Gen-Z-conscious animated hits like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and the fast-paced, comedic heist vibes of The Bad Guys — but it remains distinct for its domestic heart and political edge.
Industry context and franchise strategy
This sequel is part of a broader, expanding partnership between Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix. Other announced projects in this collaboration include an animated Ghostbusters series and a new entry in the Hotel Transylvania universe titled Motel Transylvania. The deal highlights how streaming platforms and legacy animation studios are building hybrid release strategies that mix cinematic-quality animation with global streaming reach.
Behind the scenes trivia: the original’s visual burst came from blending hand-drawn textures and 3D models, and the creative team has said they want the sequel to push that experimental spirit further. Online fan communities still circulate memes and edit-heavy tributes to the first film, giving the sequel strong viral momentum before it even begins production.
Film critic Anna Kovacs offers a quick take: "The Mitchells' original hit because it married spectacle with sincerity. If the sequel keeps that balance while leaning into more daring visual ideas, it could be both a crowd-pleaser and a creative leap for mainstream animation."
This announcement is a reminder that bold, original animated comedies can become franchises without losing identity. As production ramps up toward 2026, expect more casting news, teases of the animation style, and occasional behind-the-scenes glimpses that will tell us whether the Mitchells' next family crisis will be personal, political, or gloriously absurd.
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