Animated films inspired by the Franco-Belgian comic book tradition are about to flood cinemas with Astérix – The Nubian Kingdom. But the band of indomitable Gauls isn’t the only one making a comeback, as the famous cowboy Lucky Luke is back in action.
2026 marked a strong resurgence of Franco-Belgian comics on the big and small screens. Between the box-office flop Marsupilami by Philippe Lacheau (with more than 6 million admissions in France) and the French Disney+ series Lucky Luke, fans have had their share of live-action adaptations. So it’s animation’s turn to return to theaters.
And the most famous cowboy doesn’t seem ready to retire. The Pan Animation studio (Les Légendaires) announced the launch of a new animated project after four films (including the iconic La Ballade des Dalton from 1978), and five series (including derivative series Rantanplan and Les Dalton) that have kept Lucky Luke shining in the animation world. The young studio (founded in 2022) just revealed a first glimpse of Lucky Luke in Welcome to Fanga Town, and they already have another childhood character in their sights.
Lucky Luke in the Grip of Capitalism
In this new adventure, Lucky Luke and his faithful steed Jolly Jumper are hoping for a vacation when they end up in Fanga Town, where Jeff McDium’s factory is a booming sensation. While everyone is clamoring for the jeans and sodas it churns out, only a young rebel has spotted the hidden side of this operation: the access to drinking water is at risk. Will she manage to convince Lucky Luke to join her cause?
Lucky Luke in Welcome to Fanga Town will be co-directed by Bernard Campan (Les Trois Frères and its follow-up) and Célestine Jacquel-Plays (Les Marsupilamis, Grizzy and the Lemmings) from a script Cowritten by Campan with Antoine Schoumsky (Les Légendaires, Les Schtroumpfs). The announcement is also accompanied by artwork where Jolly Jumper appears more anthropomorphized than ever.
Pan Animation has also announced the theatrical release of Yakari: Brave Heart, the follow-up to Yakari: The Great Adventure, which hit theaters in 2020. This second installment will again be guided by Xavier Giacometti, the co-writer and co-director who worked on the two previous series. The announcement comes with a first visual, kept in the same visual style as the previous opus.
This time around, Yakari must save his friend Buffalo Seed, teetering on the edge of the dream world. Barely kept alive by Rainbow’s medicine, the young Sioux must embark on a quest to find his guardian animal, the mighty bison Tathanka. Fortunately, he can rely on the fiery mustang Little Thunder to give him a helping hoof.
For now, Yakari: Brave Heart is slated for a 2027 return, while audiences will have to be more patient for Lucky Luke in Welcome to Fanga Town, scheduled no earlier than 2029. Luckily for comic-book fans, Astérix – The Nubian Kingdom will hit theaters on December 2 this year.
