Teaser Trailer For KINDRED SPIRITS Reveals Cartoon Saloon’s Next Beautiful Animated Adventure
Animation fans have something special to keep an eye on. The first teaser trailer has arrived for Kindred Spirits, the next animated feature from Tomm Moore, the co-founder of Cartoon Saloon and the filmmaker behind some of the most beloved modern animated movies.
While the film is still years away from completion, this early glimpse offers a look at another visually stunning story coming from the Irish studio.
Moore hasn’t directed a feature since Wolfwalkers in 2020, and this new project marks his return to the director’s chair. Like the studio’s previous films, the project is being crafted with hand-drawn animation, which means the process takes time.
With a smaller independent studio like Cartoon Saloon putting in that level of care, the movie likely won’t be finished until around 2028 or 2029.
The story behind Kindred Spirits centers on two young characters facing difficult circumstances in the mid-1800s.
Kindred Spirits tells the tale of two children dealt a very bad hand. Mara, an Irish refugee child alone in New York in 1847, meets Tushka, a Choctaw Nation son far from the warmth of his family.
When their paths align, the two journey across America through epic adventures and magical encounters, watched over by Mara’s brother Dan, who cannot accept his own passing into the spirit realm. Together, they will search for people to call family and a place to call home.
The film explores the historical connection between the Irish and the Choctaw Nation, weaving that real world bond into a story filled with heart, magic, and adventure. If Moore’s previous work is any indication, audiences can expect something emotionally powerful paired with gorgeous, storybook-style animation.
Moore’s filmography already includes some of the most celebrated animated features of the last couple decades. He previously directed The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, and Wolfwalkers, all of which helped establish Cartoon Saloon as one of the most exciting animation studios working today.
The screenplay for Kindred Spirits is written by Shelley Dennis and Will Collins. The film is produced by Cartoon Saloon in Ireland and co-produced by the French studio Folivari.
There’s still a long road ahead before the film reaches theaters and no voice cast has been announced yet. For now, the teaser offers a small preview of the tone, the artistry, and the emotional journey that Moore and his team are building.
If the final film delivers the same magic as Cartoon Saloon’s past projects, Kindred Spirits could easily become another standout animated story worth the wait.