The same studio behind KPop Demon Hunters (2025) and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) is behind this one. It's Sony Pictures and they use the same animation style as in those two hit films. Those aforementioned projects had different producing teams. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse notably had Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, aka Lord and Miller, as its producers. Lord and Miller have somewhat of a distinct style when telling cinematic stories, particularly animated ones. That style includes pacing and editing that can be manic and rapid-fire, constantly moving, almost feeling like you're running from scene to scene. This can be good for maintaining an energy to keep certain audiences engaged and certainly not bored. For others, it can be overwhelming. This film, directed by Tyree Dillihay and Adam Rosette, in both of their feature debuts, leans toward that Lord and Miller energy, but it doesn't feel like it totally overwhelms. It's moving at an almost break-neck speed, but it doesn't actually break your neck.
Caleb McLaughlin just wrapped up a very successful stint on the hit Netflix series Stranger Things (2016). He's been doing a lot of voice-over work in various programs. He was even the co-lead, opposite Idris Elba in Netflix's Concrete Cowboy (2020). However, McLaughlin was notably in Peacock's Shooting Stars (2023), a feature about the high school basketball career of LeBron James, a man who has spent the past 20 years solidifying himself as a NBA legend. Yet, there are some people who consider James to be the G.O.A.T., or the "Greatest Of All Time." GOAT is an acronym that Black people have thrown around in regards to certain iconic individuals. A lot of young basketball players aspire to be the GOAT, to be like James or Michael Jordan. Here, McLaughlin voices the character of Will Harris, one such player who aspires for that level of greatness. A goat is also the name of a small, horned, farm animal. It's a bit on the nose to have Will Harris literally be a goat in this film, but the screenwriters at least make a good joke out of it.
Gabrielle Union has been in many hit films, such as Bad Boys II (2003) and Think Like a Man (2012). Early in her career, Bring It On (2000) was probably the film that put her on the map. Yet, that same year, Union was in the film Love & Basketball (2000), which remains a classic in Black cinema. Union is also famously married to NBA star, Dwayne Wade who reportedly patterned his career after Jordan, a previous GOAT in his sport. Wade has a small role in this film, but Union stars as the voice of Jett Fillmore, an anthropomorphized, black panther who is considered the GOAT of "roarball," which is basically an animal version of basketball. Like Dwayne Wade, Jett Fillmore is getting to a point where she should probably retire. However, she doesn't want to step down from playing, even though she might not be performing as well as she used to do.
When Will is recruited and added to Jett's team called the Thorns, she's upset because she doesn't think that small animals like literal goats can compete in roarball against the bigger animals that dominate the sport and all the teams. She's also worried that Will's presence and success are going to supplant her role and position on the team. Therefore, she's very antagonistic or just dismissive of him. Some might compare this film to Zootopia (2016) or even Zootopia 2 (2025), which dealt with the issue of racism or bigotry in an all-animal world. In Zootopia, the bigotry or discrimination was represented in the conflict between carnivores versus herbivores. Here, the discrimination is represented in large animals versus small animals.
Also, similarly to Zootopia, it's about two unlikely creatures, a predator and prey, having to work together. What's interesting is that if roarball is meant to be a metaphor for the NBA, roarball is better. The NBA is a male-only league. Here, roarball doesn't segregate by gender. There's no issue with Jett being female and playing against male players. In fact, her main competitor is a large horse named Mane Attraction, voiced by Aaron Pierre (Mufasa: The Lion King and Rebel Ridge). Yes, there is still discrimination, but this film is about overcoming them and allowing anybody to play. There's also pride from where one originates in this highly entertaining film, which so far is an early contender for Best Animated Feature at the 99th Academy Awards in 2027.
Rated PG for some rude humor and brief, mild language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 40 mins.
In theaters.