Mar 30, 2021

Animated films and series to appear on Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max in 2021/4

Welcome to our monthly guide to streaming animation.

We've rounded up the shows and films - new and old alike - coming to Netflix, Disney+, and HBO Max in April (in the U.S.). Fully animated and hybrid titles are included, as are documentaries about subjects related to animation.

Check out our five picks of the month, then scroll on down for the full list.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines. The film formerly known as Connected was picked up by Netflix after Covid crushed its plans for a theatrical release. Directed by Gravity Falls alumnus Mike Rianda at Sony Pictures Animation, it tells the story of a dysfunctional family facing a sudden tech uprising. (Apr 30, Netflix)

Infinity Train. Owen Dennis's sweet, smart show has been rerouted from Cartoon Network to HBO Max for its fourth and final season. This time, the passengers aboard the endless magical train are two aspiring rock stars. As ever, they will solve the train's puzzles and learn about themselves in the process. (Apr 15, HBO Max)

New Gods: Nezha Reborn. Netflix expands its fast-growing catalogue of Chinese animation with this, a modern spin on the classical Chinese novel Investiture of the Gods (see also the 2019 breakout hit Ne Zha and its follow-up Jiang Ziya). In New Gods, the young god Nezha is reborn as a daredevil delivery courier in a futuristic city. (Apr 12, Netflix)

Star Wars: Clone Wars. Cartoon Network's Emmy-winning micro-series of 2003–05 comes to Disney+ as part of a package of vintage Star Wars spin-offs. Set between episodes two and three of the Skywalker saga, the show, which was developed by Genndy Tartakovsky, portrays the titular conflict between armies of clone troopers and battle droids. (Apr 2, Disney+)

Space Jam. HBO Max is warming its viewers up for the July release of Space Jam: A New Legacy by dropping the 1996 original this month. Michael Jordan was in it; audiences flocked to see it; Chuck Jones hated it. (HBO Max; Apr 1)

Images at top, left to right: “The Mitchells vs. The Machines,” “New Gods: Nezha Reborn,” “Space Jam”