Illumination Studio announced the production of the animated film “Not Alone” — a story about friendship between humans and aliens. The main roles will be voiced by Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez, which already makes the project one of the most anticipated releases of 2027. Illumination Studio, known for the Despicable Me and Minions franchises, has announced the launch of a new animated project called Not Alone. Variety reports this, clarifies xrust. The main roles in the film will be voiced by Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez — two artists who in recent years have become one of the most recognizable faces of world pop culture. Their participation automatically places the project among the key animation releases in the coming years.
According to Variety, the plot of “Not Alone” is built around a meeting between people and aliens, but is presented not as a science-fiction action film, but as an emotional story about trust, fears and acceptance. Illumination focuses on a family format where adventure is combined with humor and touching moments. The plot centers on a teenager, voiced by Timothée Chalamet, and an alien visitor, voiced by Selena Gomez. Their unusual friendship becomes the starting point for events that change the life of an entire city.
For the Russian reader, it is important to note that Illumination is one of the most successful animation studios in the world. Her films consistently collect huge box office receipts: “Minions: Gruvitation” earned more than $940 million, and “Despicable Me 3” earned over $1 billion. In ruble terms, this is tens of billions, which explains why each new studio project arouses increased interest among viewers and distributors.
The participation of Timothée Chalamet is a separate news story. The actor, who became famous for his roles in Dune, La Dolce Vita and Wonka, is participating in a feature-length animation for a major studio for the first time. His distinctive voice and emotional delivery promise to give the character depth, which is especially important for family cartoons where voice acting plays a key role.
Selena Gomez, in turn, already has experience in voice acting — she participated in the “Monsters on Vacation” franchise. But in Not Alone she will have a more dramatic role: her heroine is an alien who is trying to understand the human world and find her place among people. Variety notes that Gomez is heavily involved in the creative process and helps shape the emotional tone of the character.
The film is directed by Chris Renaud, one of the key authors of Illumination, creator of Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets. His style is dynamic animation, vibrant characters and a balance between comedy and emotional scenes. It was Renaud, according to Variety, who came up with the idea of making the story not about an invasion, but about mutual understanding between species.
The script is written by Jennifer Lee, known for her work on “Frozen.” Her involvement heightens expectations: Lee has a knack for crafting stories that simultaneously touch adults and captivate children. Variety notes that the script for Not Alone emphasizes themes of loneliness and the search for connection—universal emotions that audiences of all ages can relate to.
The visual style of the film is of particular interest. Illumination traditionally uses a bright palette, expressive facial models and dynamic animation. But with Not Alone, the studio is promising a softer, more atmospheric visual approach inspired by 1980s science fiction. This could become a new stage in the development of the studio’s corporate identity.
The plot of the film takes place in a small American town, where an alien guest unexpectedly arrives. Instead of panic, residents are faced with the need to understand who she is and what she wants. Chalamet's hero is a teenager who is the first to make contact with the alien. Their friendship becomes the central line of the story: through it, the viewer is shown how fear of the unknown can turn into trust, and loneliness into connection.
