AfterThe Super Mario Bros. MovietookIlluminationto new heights, the studio behind theMinionsfranchise is hoping to continue their winning streak with latest offeringMigration. Taking to the skies this Christmas, the upcoming animated film promises to have the whole family flocking to theaters, with a new trailer having now been released. Written byThe White LotuscreatorMike White,Migrationtells the story of a family of ducks who find their winter trip to the South derailed, as they find themselves lost in New York City.
By this point, Illumination have theiranimated featuresdown to an art, earning good will with audiences following a slew of hits includingDespicable Me,Sing, andThe Secret Life of Pets. The latest of the studio’s offerings to center on a group of quirky animal characters,Migrationfollows the Mallards, a duck family who find themselves in a rut; while dad Mack is happy to keep the family safe in their New England pond, mom Pam is restless. With some convincing, Mack and Pam embark on a journey South for the winter with their children Dax and Gwen, as the family sets their sights on tropical Jamaica. Their plans soon go awry however, as they must overcome several obstacles standing between them and their idyllic destination.
The film’s screenplay comes from White, who recently found great success with HBO’sThe White Lotus, bagging him Emmys for both writing and directing. White also wrote and starred in the 2003 classicSchool of Rock.Migration’s cast includes Oscar and Emmy nomineeKumail Nanjiani(Eternals) as Mack, alongside Emmy nomineeElizabeth Banks(The Hunger Games) as Pam.Caspar JenningsandTresi Gazallend their voices as Dax and Gwen respectively, the latter of which in her feature film debut.Awkwafina(The Little Mermaid) also joins the cast as a New York pigeon gang leader, whileCarol Kane(The Princess Bride) stars as Erin the heron.Keegan-Michael Key,David Mitchell, andDanny DeVitoalso star.
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Who Is BehindMigration?
Migrationwas directed byBenjamin Renner, the filmmaker behindThe Big Bad Fox and Other Tales, andErnest & Celestine, which received a nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 2014 Academy Awards.Guylo Homsyis credited as co-director, best known for their work as Head of Layout and Cinematography forSingandSing 2. Illumination founder and CEOChris Meledandriis credited as the film’s producer.Christian Gazalserves as the film’s editor, while production design comes fromColin Stimpson. Combining Illumination’s trademark brand of subversive humor with striking, expressionist animation, the film promises to be a heartfelt visual treat unlike that of any in the studio’s acclaimed catalog.
Migrationflies into theaters on July 28, 2025. Check out the new trailer below:
