Illumination, the Universal-backed studio behind the Despicable Me franchise, has unveiled its next original film: Not Alone, a sci-fi animated adventure starring the voices of Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez. The casting was announced at the Annecy International Animation Festival, and the project marks Chalamet's debut in a feature-length animated film.
Chalamet voices Joe, described as "an introverted rocket mechanic who lives a quiet life alone." Gomez plays Fran, "a brilliant astro-botanist who is developing the world's first-ever plant-fueled rocket." The two are pulled into an unlikely partnership when three small aliens, named Dunk, Welly, and Shirm, take refuge in Joe's home while evading a bumbling intergalactic officer named Zandro, voiced by Brett Goldstein. A romantic tension runs alongside the chaos, with neither Joe nor Fran particularly fluent in that department.
Eric Guillon, who co-directed Despicable Me 3 and designed the original Minions character, leads the directing team alongside Claire Dodgson and Jonathan Del Val. Chris Meledandri, Illumination's founder and CEO, produces. The supporting voice cast includes Allison Janney, Lamorne Morris, Rob Brydon, Diane Morgan, and Jamie Demetriou.
Not Alone opens in theaters on April 16, 2027. The spring date is consistent with how Illumination has historically positioned original properties outside its established franchises. Chalamet arrives fresh from a string of acclaimed live-action work, while Gomez brings a fan base spanning music, film, and streaming. The pairing reflects Illumination's strategy of anchoring new intellectual property with talent whose appeal crosses demographic lines.