Not Alone: Timothée Chalamet takes on lead role in new Illumination sci-fi film

The animation studio Illumination is working on a new film: "Not Alone." It has now been announced that Timothée Chalamet will take on a leading role. In this science-fiction adventure, he will lend his voice to Joe, an introverted rocket mechanic. "Not Alone" marks Chalamet's animated film debut, as reported by Variety. Selena Gomez has also been announced as another voice actor. The successful singer and actress will voice the protagonist Fran, a brilliant astro-botanist.

Illumination has been responsible for several animated hits since the 2010s. The studio is known, among other things, for the "Despicable Me" films, which also gave rise to the "Minions." With "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," Illumination successfully brought the eponymous video game franchises to the big screen. With "Not Alone," we can now look forward to a mix of sci-fi and romantic comedy.

New animated film from Illumination: What Not Alone is about

Details about the plot have already been revealed. The story centers on the characters played by Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez – and a groundbreaking rocket. The official synopsis reads:

"When Joe and Fran are brought together to prepare for the inaugural launch of this revolutionary rocket, there are immediate sparks, but neither is particularly adept at romance. Life becomes more complicated when three aliens – tiny, unruly and adorable – take refuge in Joe's home. Dunk, Welly and Shirm are on the interplanetary run from a zealous-yet-inept officer of the law named Zandro. The aliens determine that Fran's rocket could provide their means of getting back home to safety."

In addition to Chalamet and Gomez, several other voice actors have reportedly been cast. Rob Brydon, Diane Morgan, and Jamie Demetriou will voice the three aliens. Zandro will be voiced by Brett Goldstein. The film will be directed by a trio who have previously worked on different Illumination films: Eric Guillon, Claire Dodgson, and Jonathan Del Val. "Not Alone" is being produced by Illumination founder Chris Meledandri. A release date has already been set: The film is scheduled to hit theaters on April 16, 2027. It will likely be a while before the first trailer for "Not Alone" is released. However, there's at least a small preview in the form of the movie poster, which Illumination has already shared on social media:

Timothée Chalamet and Selena Gomez: Renowned stars

With Timothée Chalamet, "Not Alone" has a top-tier lead actor on board. He has caused quite a stir with his most recent film roles. In the 2024 biopic "A Complete Unknown," he shone as the legendary musician Bob Dylan. In "Marty Supreme" (2025) , he portrayed an ambitious table tennis player. These two roles earned him widespread praise and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in each – even though he didn't ultimately win the Academy Award in either case. He is also best known for the acclaimed "Dune" trilogy directed by Denis Villeneuve. Having already delivered compelling performances in the first two films of the sci-fi saga, we'll see him once again in the role of protagonist Paul Atreides in "Dune: Part Three" at the end of the year.

Selena Gomez has also emerged as a sought-after actress in recent years. The actress, who has also enjoyed success as a singer, made a name for herself with her role in Jacques Audiard's musical film "Emilia Pérez," among other projects. The film entered the Oscar race last year with a total of 13 nominations and ultimately took home two awards: for Zoe Saldaña as Best Supporting Actress and for Best Original Song. Although Gomez wasn't nominated, she also delivered a compelling performance on screen. Her best-known role, however, is on TV: as the lead character Mabel Mora in "Only Murders in the Building." In the hit mystery-comedy series, she has been investigating crimes alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short for five seasons now. And there's no end in sight: Season 6 has already been greenlit.