The Pout-Pout Fish

Deborah Diesen's rhyming picture book about a fish with a permanent frown, illustrated by Dan Hanna, came out in 2008. Its hero was sure his job was to spread gloom all over the reef, and the series that followed has sold more than 10 million copies. 'The Pout-Pout Fish' turns it into an animated comedy.

Mr. Fish lives alone in a shipwreck and has no interest in making friends. That ends when Pip turns up: a baby leafy sea dragon with hundreds of brothers and sisters, who needs a bigger home and wants his help with it. He says no, of course. Then disaster wrecks both their homes, and he's out of excuses.

Pip's plan is to find Shimmer, a legendary fish said to grant wishes. That means a long trip across the ocean for the grumpiest fish on the reef, alongside the most tireless companion he could have picked. Or rather, the one who picked him.

Ricard Cussó, who made 'Scarygirl' and 'Combat Wombat: Back 2 Back', directs with Rio Harrington, from a script by Elise Allen, Elie Choufany and Dominic Morris. Nick Offerman, Ron Swanson in 'Parks and Recreation', voices Mr. Fish and Nina Oyama plays Pip. The cast also includes Miranda Otto, Amy Sedaris as a trio of pink dolphins, Mark Coles Smith and Jordin Sparks, who voices Shimmer and sings the original song 'Coming Back to Me'.

The Australian and American co-production was animated in Brisbane at Like A Photon Creative, with the US company MIMO Studios as partner. It opened in Australia on New Year's Day 2026 and in the US on 20 March, entering the box office chart at number nine with $1.3 million, before reaching UK cinemas on 14 August.

• Animation
• Adventure
• Comedy