Ahead of its mandatory participation in the Work in Progress session at the Annecy Animation Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated French animation giant Xilam Films has released a major update on its upcoming adult psychological thriller The Wolf, confirming that it has been greenlit to begin production soon with an April 2027 release date.
The animated feature-length adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name by best-selling author Jean-Marc Rochette (Snowpiercer) is co-written and directed by Benjamin Masoubre and Farcy Tessier, who collaborated on the 2020 Academy Award-nominated film I Lost My Body, with Sabine Dabadie also co-writing the screenplay.
Produced by French animation veteran Marc du Pontavis and co-produced by Lilian Esch of Vidible Productions (Luxembourg), The Wolf has been picked up by Goodfellas for international sales and ARP for theatrical distribution in France. In addition, international platform Crunchyroll has pre-purchased worldwide SVOD rights (excluding China and Japan), an important step towards European author-driven animation for the streamer, beyond French-produced anime and international co-productions.
“The Wolf” was one of Crunchyroll’s first non-anime pickups. Courtesy of Shiram
“The Wolf” WIP is one of the highlights of Annecy 2026. Courtesy of Shiram
Ahead of Annecy, Chiram also announced the film’s voice cast, led by César Award winner Rochedy Zem (Days of Glory, Chocolat) and 2026 Cannes Film Festival Best Actress winner Virginie Efira (All of a Sudden, Elle).
Set in the heart of the Alps, The Wolf follows Gaspard (Roshid Zem), a hard-tempered shepherd who lives a lonely life with his flock, haunted by the loss of his son. When a wandering wolf threatens his fragile peace and slaughters his pack, Gaspard, blinded by rage, embarks on a dangerous journey of revenge. It leads him to the edge of sadness and guilt.
“Jean-Marc Rochette’s The Wolf is a rare work that combines dramatic power with surprising thematic depth,” said Marc du Pontavis, founder and CEO of Xyram. The veteran producer says the complexity makes it a perfect fit for the co-directing duo. “Ever since we worked together on ‘I Lost My Body,’ I have always been impressed by the masterful storytelling and bold creative vision of Benjamin Musable and Farcy Tessier. Now, with ‘The Wolf,’ they have created a compelling cinematic experience while using groundbreaking technology that blurs the line between animation and live-action.”
“Lucy Lost” was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and then in official competition at Annecy. Courtesy of Shiram
Beyond this announcement, 2026 marks a decisive turning point for Xilam Films. Founded in 1999, the studio heads to Annecy with a wave of activity beyond its production and series schedule, including the French premiere of the Cannes sweetheart title “Lucy Lost” (part of Annecy’s official competition), the Disney+ series “The Doomies” and the original 2D animated series “Submarine Jim.”
“Annecy 2026 will be a historic milestone for Chiram, as we will introduce an unprecedentedly diverse and ambitious mix of projects in Annecy,” emphasizes du Pontavis. “We are excited to showcase our work across all areas of the festival’s program and highlight our creativity and resilience as industry-wide challenges continue. This progress across both our film and television pipelines is a testament to our commitment to creating and supporting impressive, original content.”
Lucy Lost is co-written and directed by Olivier Clair (Klaus, The Little Prince) and co-written with Helen Blakeman (The Dustbin Baby, Hetty Feather). The feature film was produced at Xyram Animation Studio and international sales were handled by Goodfellas. French broadcasters Canal+ and Ciné+ OCS previously acquired pay-TV rights, and Le Pacte plans to release the film in French theaters on October 28th.
“The Doomies”. Courtesy of Shiram
Following the success of the ongoing sessions in 2024, the supernatural horror comedy series “The Doomies” will be screened in the TV movie category. Produced by Xilam in association with Disney Television Animation, the series is produced by Remi Zalour, Andres Fernandez and Henry Gifford, and directed by Andres Fernandez. Disney+ will premiere the show in 22 half-hour episodes and a new short-form four-episode spinoff series during the Annecy Festival on June 26th.
Rounding out Silam’s television efforts, the original 2D series “Submarine Gym” will premiere in France on June 24th, with the first 26 episodes launching on Okoo, France Television’s children’s platform. The series launched this year on CBBC and iPlayer in the UK and Ireland, RTS in Switzerland, and Cartoon Network in Latin America and Southeast Asia. Future launches also include Germany’s Super RTL, which has commissioned series from France Television, RTBF and VRT (Belgium), NPO (Netherlands), YLE (Finland), NRK (Norway) and others.
“Submarine Gym” Provided by: Xilam
A major player in the French animation industry, Xilam employs more than 400 people across its studios in Paris, Angoulême, France, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. According to the company, Xilam was ranked France’s leading animation studio from 2018 to 2023 in a report by the French National Center for Cinematography and Animation (CNC).
