Where I live, Arco is a string of gas stations. That doesn’t appear to have caused any trademark conflict, however, with the animated film coming to US theaters this weekend. Originally produced and released in France, the English dub of Arco opened on a limited number of screens last week and will expand nationwide starting tomorrow.
In the far future of 2075, robots run everything, humans are overworked and children are abandoned. But in the even FARTHER future 3000 years beyond, Earth is a utopia again and humans live Jetsons-like lives in dish-shaped homes on stilts. Our title character Arco lives in this world, a world where people can also fly — but he’s not allowed to try out the magic flying rainbow cape until he’s older.
Arco doesn’t listen and leaps off his dish house wearing the cape. He gets tangled in it and, instead of flying, shoots through time — landing on the ground in 2075, next to a girl his age named Iris. You might guess that they will become friends. You might also guess Iris will be the only hope of getting Arco home…but her world is so dismal, is there room in that cape for two to make the trip?
Neon was able to nab a wild list of celebrity voices for the English dub of Arco: it stars Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Andy Samberg and Flea — yes, FLEA can be heard in this. None of these names play the title characters however; real kids play them. Juliano Krue Valdi voices Arco and Romy Fay plays Iris.
The film was also executive produced by Natalie Portman, but it’s the brainchild of Ugo Bienvenu who founded the studio that made it. Bienvenu directed Arco and co-wrote its script with Félix de Givry.
Critics are raving about Arco, some calling it the best animated film of the year (and 2026 just started; this is a bold claim). Could it be a lock for the Best Animated Feature Oscar next year? We don’t have to wait that long — it’s already on the list of nominees THIS year. Since it came out in 2025 in France, it’s eligible. Arco has some heavy and loud competition, but let’s not forget last year’s Oscar went to Flow, another foreign film.
Arco sounds pretty neat, looks pretty great, and hopefully will be playing somewhere near you tomorrow, January 30.
