🚗 Road Trip, Round Two: Netflix Greenlights ‘Mitchells vs. The Machines’ Sequel

Official Sequel Confirmation

After years of fan speculation and hopeful rumors, Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix have officially greenlit The Mitchells vs. the Machines 2. The announcement, first reported exclusively by Variety on October 21, 2025, confirms that the Mitchell family will return for another adventure that promises to blend the original’s signature humor, heart, and stunning visual style.

The sequel has reportedly been in development since at least 2022, with storyboard work beginning quietly while Sony focused on other major projects including the blockbuster success of KPop Demon Hunters. Multiple industry sources and LinkedIn profiles from Sony animation staff inadvertently revealed the project’s existence earlier this year, but the studios only recently made the official announcement.

Production is scheduled to commence in early 2026, though no specific release date has been announced. Given typical animation production timelines, fans can likely expect the sequel to arrive on Netflix sometime between late 2027 and early 2028, positioning it strategically between other major Sony Animation releases.

New Directors and Writers

While the sequel will maintain creative continuity with the original, there are some significant changes behind the camera. Guillermo Martinez, who served as head of story on the first film, will make his directorial debut helming the sequel alongside JP Sans, co-director of the upcoming The Bad Guys 2. This marks an exciting opportunity for Martinez to graduate from story development to full directorial duties.

Original director and co-writer Mike Rianda will step back from the director’s chair but remain deeply involved as an executive producer, ensuring the sequel maintains the distinctive voice and sensibility that made the first film so special. Rianda has expressed enthusiasm about the project while focusing his directorial attention on other ventures.

The screenplay will be written by Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, the talented sister duo best known for their work on acclaimed animated series Bob’s Burgers and The Great North. Their comedic sensibility and knack for writing quirky, lovable family dynamics make them ideal choices to capture the Mitchell family’s unique energy.

Producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller—the visionary duo behind The LEGO Movie and the Spider-Verse franchise—return to produce through their Lord Miller company, while Kurt Albrecht will also produce for Sony Pictures Animation. This ensures the sequel maintains the same commitment to innovative animation and storytelling that defined the original.

The Original Film’s Success

The Mitchells vs. the Machines debuted on Netflix on April 30, 2021, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced Sony to abandon theatrical plans and sell global distribution rights to the streaming giant for over $100 million. What could have been a disappointing detour turned into a triumph, as the film became one of Netflix’s most-watched and critically acclaimed animated originals.

The story follows the Mitchell family—creative teenager Katie, technophobic dad Rick, perpetually optimistic mom Linda, and dinosaur-obsessed younger brother Aaron—as they embark on a cross-country road trip to drop Katie off at film school. Their already chaotic journey takes an apocalyptic turn when PAL, a rogue AI assistant, launches a robot uprising to enslave humanity. It falls to the dysfunctional-but-determined Mitchells to save the world.

Critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, with the film earning a rare 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praised its inventive animation style—which blended traditional 3D animation with 2D elements, photo collages, and Katie’s own doodles—as well as its genuine emotional core exploring themes of family connection, generational divides, and finding your tribe. The voice cast, featuring Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Olivia Colman, and Eric André, received universal acclaim.

The film’s awards success included an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature (ultimately losing to Disney’s Encanto), along with numerous wins at the Annie Awards and Critics Choice Awards. Within its first month on Netflix, the film reached 53 million households, making it one of the platform’s biggest animated debuts and cementing its status as a modern animated classic.

Netflix and Sony Partnership

The sequel will once again be distributed by Netflix as part of the streaming service’s licensing agreement with Sony Pictures Animation. However, Variety reports that the two companies are planning “a more collaborative partnership” for the sequel, suggesting a more equitable arrangement regarding budget contributions and profit sharing compared to the original film’s acquisition.

This evolving partnership reflects both companies’ recognition of animation as a crucial growth area. Netflix has invested heavily in animated content to attract and retain family subscribers, while Sony Pictures Animation continues to establish itself as a creative powerhouse rivaling Pixar and Disney. The success of their recent collaboration on KPop Demon Hunters—which became Netflix’s most-watched original film of all time with over 325 million views—has only strengthened the relationship.

The collaborative approach for The Mitchells vs. the Machines 2 suggests that both studios see significant franchise potential. Unlike the original, which Netflix acquired after it was already completed, the sequel will be developed with Netflix’s input from the beginning, potentially allowing for more strategic planning around marketing, merchandising, and potential spin-off opportunities.

What to Expect from the Sequel

While Sony and Netflix have kept plot details tightly under wraps, early speculation suggests the sequel might explore new territory for the Mitchell family. Some industry insiders have hinted at the possibility of a title change to The Mitchells vs. The Mitchells, potentially indicating that the family’s greatest challenge might come from within—perhaps facing alternate dimension versions of themselves or confronting how technology has changed family dynamics in unexpected ways.

Director Mike Rianda hinted at sequel possibilities in a 2021 Fandango interview, saying, “We’ve got a lot of good ideas on the board, at least. I’ve been talking to people about it—some folks who are excited about that idea.” He also emphasized the creative freedom the team enjoyed on the original: “Even though we were working with a big studio, we had a ton of freedom. Basically, we all kind of agreed that the audience would be our boss, instead of our bosses being our boss.”

Fans can expect the sequel to maintain the original’s groundbreaking visual style, which seamlessly integrated multiple animation techniques to create something truly unique. The first film’s aesthetic—featuring Katie’s artistic doodles, photo-collage backgrounds, and a vibrant color palette—helped distinguish it from other animated features and will likely be expanded upon in creative new ways.

While no casting announcements have been made, it’s reasonable to expect that much of the original voice cast will return. Abbi Jacobson’s Katie, Danny McBride’s Rick, Maya Rudolph’s Linda, and Mike Rianda’s Aaron became beloved characters, and their family chemistry was central to the film’s success. The possibility of new characters—perhaps Katie’s film school friends or Aaron’s dinosaur-loving peers—could expand the Mitchell universe while maintaining its heart.

The sequel arrives at an interesting moment in animation history, as audiences increasingly appreciate films that blend cutting-edge technology with genuine emotional storytelling. The Mitchells vs. the Machines succeeded precisely because it used its technological innovation in service of very human themes about family, belonging, and connection. If the sequel can recapture that magic while exploring new creative territory, it could cement the Mitchells as an enduring animated franchise for the streaming era.