The Miraculous Universe Expands: Annecy Panel Celebrates 10 Years and a Global Future

At the 2025 Annecy Festival, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir celebrated its 10th anniversary with a forward-looking panel hosted by Miraculous Corp. While the team reflected on a decade of success, the biggest headlines were firmly focused on the future—especially the expansion of the franchise through new international specials and a full-length spinoff series based on Miraculous Chibies. Currently in the midst of airing its sixth season on Disney Channel, Miraculous continues to grow its world, audience, and artistic ambitions.

Two major spinoffs were previewed during the panel. Miraculous Tokyo: Starforce will begin with a special titled Miraculous World: Tokyo – Stellar Force, set to premiere in late 2025. The special introduces a new team of zodiac-themed heroes mentored by Kagami, who invites Marinette to Tokyo to help unite the group. This will be followed by a full 52-episode animated series titled Miraculous Stellar Force, slated to launch in 2027. The production blends 2D character animation with 3D environments and draws heavily on anime influences in both design and storytelling. Annecy attendees got to see a few short scenes from the special, one in full color and the other in rough animation, as well as some designs, including Super Sentai-style suits. Fans will get to see the perspective of the characters from behind the visors.

Miraculous Rio is currently planned as a standalone special. Introduced through events in Miraculous Season 6, the special will feature a new hero based in Brazil and explore a visually distinct environment inspired by the region’s lush and organic settings. Unlike Tokyo, no full series has been announced for Rio at this time, though it remains canon within the Miraculous universe and may lead to future developments. Rio is also being made in the same CG style as the main show. At Annecy, we saw a clip where Marinette has a video call with a boy named Luca on a beach, who has a secret he’s nervous to tell her. Luca has a friend with him, and in private, we saw her Miraculous, which appeared to be inspired by a peacock. We also saw her transformed suit from the back, featuring colorful wings under each arm.

Originally launched as a YouTube short-form experiment, Miraculous Chibies is now being developed into a 52-episode, 3-minute-per-episode series. The chibi-style spinoff leans into broad, visual comedy and slapstick humor while staying grounded in the personalities and lore of the core Miraculous universe. Writers from the main series are involved in the new production, which is being crafted in the same collaborative writing-room model as the flagship show. Visually, it features simplified, cartoonish animation with an emphasis on fast-paced gags, exaggerated expressions, and playful mischief, while still including Easter eggs and character details longtime fans will recognize.

The panel also highlighted how Season 6 represents a major leap forward both narratively and technically. The season marks a new school year for the characters, providing a natural opportunity to evolve their designs and deepen their emotional journeys.

Behind the scenes, the series now uses Unreal Engine for real-time rendering, replacing a traditional 3D pipeline and dramatically improving production speed and visual fidelity. This transition allows the team to achieve more cinematic lighting, realistic environments, and expressive visuals with shorter iteration times. The result is a season that looks and feels more like a feature film than ever before.

Season 6 is also the starting point for a planned narrative arc that stretches through Season 8. Writers described this chapter of the series as more mature and layered, but still grounded in themes of friendship, identity, and personal growth.

As part of the anniversary celebration, the Miraculous Corp team emphasized how production has now been fully brought home to France, specifically Paris. The studio operates near iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Musée Grévin, many of which appear regularly in the series itself. This move not only streamlines production but also strengthens the show’s cultural identity and connection to its setting.

The panel underscored how the show's growth is rooted in a collective creative spirit, with long-term writers, directors, and designers working closely to ensure continuity while embracing innovation. New talent has joined the writing staff for Season 6 and beyond, with a continued focus on inclusion, authenticity, and emotional storytelling.

With multiple new projects in active development and a renewed visual style in its flagship series, Miraculous is entering its second decade with more momentum than ever. The Tokyo and Rio expansions promise to introduce new characters and cultures while maintaining a cohesive universe. The upcoming Chibies series provides a comedic counterbalance, appealing to younger viewers while deepening the franchise’s flexibility.

The Annecy presentation made it clear: Miraculous is no longer just a French animated series—it’s a global brand, a creative platform, and a storytelling powerhouse with no signs of slowing down.

Seasons 1-5 of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir are streaming on Disney+, along with several specials.