Universal Pictures has announced that a previously “Untitled DreamWorks Animation Film” slot on its release calendar has been filled by Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie. The debut cinematic feature film from the popular preschool series will hit theaters on Friday, September 26, 2025.
Created by Blue’s Clues veterans Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, Gabby’s Dollhouse is a mixed media preschool series that unboxes a surprise before jumping into a fantastical animated world full of adorable cat characters that live inside Gabby’s dollhouse. The series launched in 2021, with nines seasons now streaming on Netflix.
Synopsis: In the new film, Gabby (Laila Lockhart Kraner, reprising her role from the series) heads out on a road trip with her Grandma Gigi to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco. But when Gabby’s dollhouse, her most prized possession, ends up in the hands of an eccentric cat lady named Vera, Gabby sets off on an adventure through the real world to get the Gabby Cats back together and save the dollhouse before it’s too late.
Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie is directed by Ryan Crego (executive producer of Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh, I Heart Arlo), who earned a Children’s and Family Emmy nomination for his television feature Arlo the Alligator Boy. The film is produced by Steven Schweickart, who has served as a production supervisor or co-producer on some of DreamWorks Animation’s biggest blockbusters including How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods and most recently, Kung Fu Panda 4, which has earned almost $500 million worldwide. The film is executive produced by Twomey and Paige Johnson.
In 2023, according to Nielsen, the Gabby’s Dollhouse series was the sixth-most-viewed streaming original series. Netflix recently upped its order to 100 total episodes, with the 10th season set to debut later this year.
Rooted in a growth mindset, Gabby’s activity-based episodes encourage flexible thinking and learning from your mistakes. The Gabby’s Dollhouse series has been in the Top 10 in TV in 57 countries on Netflix, and has become a Top 3 preschool brand in the U.S., inspiring an award-winning toy line, publishing, home, apparel and more, as well as original music, a top-rated app and a growing YouTube channel visited by millions of fans weekly. Additionally, Gabby’s Dollhouse continues to expand through Universal Destinations & Experiences theme parks, global fan experiences, live events and more.
