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Stellaluna
Directed by Jill Culton
Produced by Kelly Cooney Cilella
Written by Brian Lynch
Jill Culton
Brian C. Brown
Based on Stellaluna
by Janell Cannon
Starring Miley Cyrus
Christine Baranski
Ginnifer Goodwin
Narrated by Queen Latifah
Music by Rupert Gregson-Williams
Edited by Michelle Mendenhall
Production
company
DreamWorks Animation
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date September 26, 2025
Running time 92 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $75 million
Box office $392 million


Stellaluna is a 2025 American animated musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and directed by Jill Culton from a screenplay by Brian Lynch, Culton, and Brian C. Brown. Based on the 1993 book of the same name by Janell Cannon, Stellaluna stars Miley Cyrus, Christine Baranski, and Ginnifer Goodwin, with narration by Queen Latifah. It tells the story of the titular fruit bat who ends up in a nest and befriends and is adopted by three baby birds and their mother and learns to behave like a bird after being separated from her mother in an attack by an owl.

Stellaluna was released theatrically in the United States on September 26, 2025 by Universal Pictures to near-universal acclaim for its animation, Cyrus' performance, and faithfulness to the source material. It was also a success at the box office, earning $392 million worldwide on a $75 million budget. The film received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

Plot[]

The film begins with a friendly spotted eagle-owl named Eddie Van Eager who tells an incredible story that takes place in a warm and sultry forest far, far, away, where a mother fruit bat had a new baby, Stellaluna. One night, a large eagle-owl attacks the bats, knocking Stellaluna out of her mother's embrace, and she falls into the forest below, before finally ending up in a sparrow's nest filled with three baby birds named Pip, Flitter, and Flap. The mother bird will let Stellaluna be part of the family only if she eats bugs, does not hang by her feet, and sleeps at night.

When the babies grow, they learn to fly. Later on, when Stellaluna, Pip, Flitter, and Flap are out playing, it gets dark and the birds go without her because they will not be able to see in the dark. Stellaluna keeps flying, but when her wings hurt, she stops to rest. When she does, she hangs by her thumbs, fearing she will break her promise with Mother Bird. Soon another bat comes to tell her why she is hanging by her thumbs. As she tells the other bats her story, Mother Bat reunites with her, and Stellaluna finally understands why she is so different.

Excited about learning how to be a bat, Stellaluna decides to find Pip, Flitter, and Flap in order to share her new experiences. After being unable to find them in a cave, Stellaluna sinks into despair, but Mother Bat sings a song that proves that bats don't give up, restoring her daugther's confidence. A grizzly bear chases them, but Pip, Flitter, and Flap help Stellaluna and Mother Bat defeat the bear.

They agree to join Stellaluna and the bats at night, but find that they are unsuited to flying at night and nearly crash. The owl attacks them for the final time. Stellaluna rescues Pip, Flitter, and Flap, and, with courage, defeats the owl once and for all. The bats and birds safely reach Mother Bird's nest, and they decide that while they may be different, they are still friends and family.

Cast[]

  • Miley Cyrus as Stellaluna, a young fruit bat who was adopted by birds.
  • Christine Baranski as Mother Bird, a sparrow and the mother of Pip, Flitter, and Flap who adopts Stellaluna.
  • Ginnifer Goodwin as Mother Bat, a fruit bat and the mother of Stellaluna.
  • Pirece Gagnon as Pip
  • Brooklynn Prince as Flitter
  • Abby Ryder Fortson as Flap

Box office[]

Stellaluna was released on September 26, 2025, and grossed $121 million in its opening weekend. It grossed $156 million in the United States and Canada, and $236 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $392 million by the end of the theatrical run on February 15, 2026. Produced on a $75 million budget, it was a box office success.

Critical response[]

Stellaluna has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 135 reviews. The consensus reads, "Led by winning voice performances and amazing animation, Stellaluna raises proof of a heartwarming take on the Janell Cannon book about the lovable titular bat". Metacritic signed the film to a score of 81 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim", making it the first Illumination film to receive that honor on the site. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.

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