New Animated Film “The Last Whale Singer” Sets Global Release for 2026, Using Unreal Engine to Present an Epic Deep-Sea Tale

The animated feature “The Last Whale Singer,” a co-production between Germany, the Czech Republic, and Canada, is set for a global release in 2026. Directed by German-Iranian filmmaker Reza Memari and spearheaded by Telescope Animation, this project has garnered industry attention with its unique oceanic worldbuilding and technological innovation.

A Deep-Sea Allegory About Finding One’s Voice
The film follows Vincent, a teenage humpback whale and orphaned son of the last Whale Singer, who grapples with deep self-doubt after losing his parents. When the ancient Leviathan, trapped in ice, awakens due to melting glaciers and threatens all marine life with its deadly ink, Vincent must embark on a perilous journey across the ocean. Accompanied by his finicky remora fish nanny, Walter, and a brave deaf orca, Darya, Vincent must confront his fears, find his own song, and save the seas.

“This is a story about finding your own voice in a world where it’s often hard to be heard,” said director Memari. “Today, it’s easy to feel intimidated, to retreat, to stay silent. Instead, I hope the audience draws strength from this film, finds their own voice, and ‘sings’ for freedom and peace.”

A Decade-Long Creative Journey
The film’s conception dates back to 2011, when Memari was captivated by the mysterious songs of humpback whales in a documentary. “The image of a humpback without a song came to me immediately,” he recalled. After years of marine research and script development, the project officially launched in 2015, entered pre-production in 2020, and moved into full production in 2023, with completion expected by June 2025.

“It has been a long, intense, yet deeply fulfilling journey,” Memari reflected. The film brings together around a hundred artists from three countries, using Maya for animation and innovatively combining Unreal Engine (about 75%) and Houdini (25%) for rendering.

Technical Challenges and Artistic Balance
The production team faced multiple technical hurdles. Depicting the marine environment was particularly complex, requiring the handling of moving particles in water, caustics on characters and sets, god rays, and water surface interactions. “Balancing so many dynamic elements while maintaining shot continuity and believability was a formidable challenge,” Memari admitted.

Scale was another issue. The film features 16-meter-long humpback whales alongside tiny seahorse characters. Finding ways to compose shots and structure the narrative to accommodate these vast differences, while preserving emotional subtlety, became an ongoing exploration for the team. Additionally, since many marine creatures have eyes on the sides of their heads, animators had to convey all emotions through a single eye, posing unique challenges for storyboarding and animation performance.

Budget Constraints Lead to Creative Focus
As a European animated film, the limited budget led the team to make numerous streamlining decisions. “I had to shorten the script, reduce runtime, simplify sets, cut back on visual effects… but this actually helped us focus more on the core of Vincent’s journey,” Memari noted, believing these constraints made the story tighter and more powerful. “The limitations forced us to concentrate on what truly mattered, ultimately resulting in a more focused and emotionally resonant film.”

A New Voice for European Animation
Memari remains optimistic about the future of European animation. “We are in a time of change. Technology, society, costs, and audiences are all evolving,” he said, citing the Latvian film Flow, which won an Oscar this year, as an example. “As long as a work has sincere intent, a distinct voice, and meaningful depth, it can gain recognition worldwide.”

The Last Whale Singer is not just a standalone film; its prequel, Leviathan’s Wake, is already in development and scheduled for release in 2026, together building a unique marine fantasy universe.

The film will premiere in Germany in February 2026, followed by releases in over thirty countries and regions worldwide.

Film Information

Title: The Last Whale Singer

Director: Reza Memari

Production: Telescope Animation (Germany), PFX (Czech Republic), La Boîte à Fanny (Canada)

Technology: Animation in Maya, rendered with Unreal Engine and Houdini

Release Date: 2026

Genre: Fantasy / Animation / Adventure