Garfield’s big-screen return finally has a release date. Sony announced last fall that it was developing a new movie based on Jim Davis’ long-running newspaper strip. Now, Deadline brings word that the studio will premiere the film on February 16, 2024.
20th Century Fox previously released its own pair of Garfield movies in 2004 and 2006, with Bill Murray voicing the titular feline and Breckin Meyer co-starring as his owner, Jon Arbuckle. But whereas those films combined live-action and CGI, Sony’s film will be a a fully-animated production. Chris Pratt is headlining the project as the voice of Garfield. So far, the only other confirmed cast member is Samuel L. Jackson, who will portray Garfield’s father, Vic.
Although it’s more than a year away, Garfield already faces some stiff competition at the box office. Deadline notes that Marvel still has a film slated for release on the exact same day in 2024. Unfortunately, the studio didn’t reveal the movie’s title during its Comic-Con presentation last month. But unless these plans have changed, the film will be released as part of Phase 5 of the MCU. Universal also has its own mystery film scheduled to arrive that weekend as well.
RELATED: Samuel L. Jackson Joins the Garfield Animated Movie
Mark Dindal, the director behind animated films like The Emperor’s New Groove and Chicken Little, is helming Garfield from a screenplay by David Reynolds, who received an Oscar nomination for co-writing 2003’s Finding Nemo. Sony is distributing the movie with financial assistance from Alcon Entertainment. John Cohen, Steven P. Wegner, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Namit Malhotra, and Tom Jacomb are all onboard as producers. Davis will also serve as an executive producer alongside Bridget McMeel and Craig Sost.
Are you excited to see what Sony has planned for Garfield in 2024? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Garfield: His 9 Lives
We are also a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate advertising program also provides a means to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
