Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez are officially boarding Not Alone, Illumination’s new animated alien romantic comedy, with Universal setting the film for a U.S. theatrical release on April 16, 2027. The announcement, tied to the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, gives the studio behind Despicable Me, Minions and The Super Mario Bros. Movie a fresh original title with two very recognizable voices at its center.
What Is Illumination’s New Alien Romance About?
Chalamet will voice Joe, an introverted rocket mechanic who appears to prefer a quiet life, which is traditionally a poor starting point for anyone in an animated comedy involving extraterrestrials.
Gomez will play Fran, a gifted astro-botanist working on what is described as the world’s first plant-fueled rocket. Their story begins around the rocket’s first launch, where Joe and Fran’s connection starts to develop under circumstances that are not exactly low-pressure.
The complication arrives in the form of three small aliens named Dunk, Welly and Shirm. They take refuge in Joe’s home while fleeing Zandro, an interplanetary law officer. The trio soon decides that Fran’s experimental rocket may be their best chance of getting home.
So, yes, the film has romance, space travel, alien fugitives and botany. Efficient, if nothing else.
Who Is in the Voice Cast?
The supporting cast puts a strong comedy bench around Chalamet and Gomez.
- Rob Brydon, Diane Morgan and Jamie Demetriou voice the alien trio Dunk, Welly and Shirm.
- Brett Goldstein voices Zandro, the interplanetary law officer pursuing them.
- Allison Janney and Lamorne Morris are also part of the voice cast.
The pairing of Chalamet and Gomez gives the project a clear cross-generational hook. Chalamet has built much of his recent screen profile through major live-action films and prestige dramas, while Gomez already has family-animation experience from voicing Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania franchise.
That combination is not accidental. The studio is clearly aiming Not Alone at younger audiences and families, without losing adult fans who may not normally track every animated release about small aliens hiding in a mechanic’s house.
Who Is Making Not Alone?
Not Alone will be directed by Illumination veterans Eric Guillon, Claire Dodgson and Jonathan Del Val.
Guillon has deep roots at the studio, including work as co-director of Despicable Me 3 and as a major designer behind the visual worlds of Despicable Me and Minions. Del Val has also worked across Illumination features, including Minions: The Rise of Gru and The Secret Life of Pets 2.
Illumination founder Chris Meledandri is leading production, according to reports on the announcement. That places the film firmly inside the studio’s established creative machinery, even as the premise itself is not a sequel, spin-off or franchise extension.
For viewers, that means Not Alone is being built with the familiar Illumination mix: big expressions, clear character dynamics and jokes engineered to survive both children’s attention spans and adults checking whether the popcorn line has calmed down.
Why This Matters for Illumination
For Illumination, Not Alone adds an original science-fiction romance to a brand best known for unusually durable family franchises. Since releasing Despicable Me in 2010, the studio has become one of the most consistent theatrical animation producers in Hollywood.
The commercial record explains why any new Illumination project draws attention. The Associated Press reported this month that the studio’s films have generated more than $11 billion at the global box office.
Its core franchises remain a major part of that strength. NBCUniversal previously said the Despicable Me and Minions films crossed $5 billion worldwide, becoming the only animated franchise to reach that milestone at the time. Guinness World Records has also listed the combined Despicable Me and Minions series as the highest-grossing animated film series worldwide.
Illumination’s exclusive financing and distribution partnership with Universal Pictures has helped support global releases for titles including The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing and the Despicable Me franchise.
When Will Not Alone Be Released?
Universal has scheduled Not Alone to open in U.S. theaters on April 16, 2027.
That spring date gives the film room to build before the crowded summer movie season, a slot that can be useful for family films when the marketing lands well. Full promotional rollout has not started yet, but Universal and Illumination have already shared an early poster-style image on social media, signaling that they see the movie as a major original animated release for 2027.
More casting details, footage and international release plans should follow as the film gets closer to theaters.
With Chalamet and Gomez leading the voice cast, Not Alone arrives with star power, a sweetly strange sci-fi premise and the backing of one of the most commercially dependable animation studios in the business. Not bad for a story that begins with a rocket mechanic just trying to keep his house alien-free.
