The Last Whale Singer(2026)

The director spent 15 years developing it after a whale documentary. Reza Memari first got the idea while watching a documentary about humpback whales and their "singers." He spent roughly 15 years on the concept, pitching it to producer Maite Woköck (his collaborator on Richard the Stork) after years of marine research and story development. Preproduction with beat boards began in 2020, and full production launched in 2023.

Icelandic folk singer Ásgeir wrote the mystical whale songs. The Whale Singer's magical songs — central to the plot's fantasy element — were written and performed by Icelandic singer-songwriter Ásgeir, adding an ethereal, Nordic texture to the underwater mythology.

It features a deaf orca as a lead character. Among Vincent's companions is Darya, a brave deaf orca voiced by Jenna Wheeler-Hughes. The character's disability is woven into the narrative rather than treated as a token trait, making it a notable example of disability representation in European family animation.