At the Bubble Comics Con festival, Anna Moryakova, the production director at Soyuzmultfilm, shared exciting news about the Water Formula project. She confirmed that the animated feature was planned for a November 2023 theatrical release, a timeline that has generated buzz among fans and industry watchers alike. Her remarks highlighted the film’s momentum and the studio’s commitment to delivering a visually distinctive tale that blends classic storytelling with modern animation techniques, drawing attention to the project as a standout in the contemporary Russian animation scene.
Water Formula is being developed using the Unreal engine, a choice that underscores a shift toward high-fidelity real-time rendering within feature animation. This approach allows for dynamic lighting, immersive environments, and detailed world-building that supports the story’s post-apocalyptic setting. In a candid reflection, Moryakova noted that Soyuzmultfilm has already experimented with similar production methods on a recent project, the Tail Detective Chink, making Water Formula the second feature to be created with this technology. The emphasis on this technique signals the studio’s interest in pushing the boundaries of traditional animation and adopting tools that can streamline production while enhancing visual impact.
The collaboration behind Water Formula brings together the expertise of Soyuzmultfilm, the Magic Factory studio, and the creative input of artists associated with major studios. Disney and DreamWorks art contributors are mentioned as part of the creative ecosystem supporting the project, illustrating a level of collaboration that sits at the intersection of classic animation heritage and contemporary film production. The film’s narrative centers on a protagonist who challenges a criminal kingpin who controls the planet’s drinking water supply. The action unfolds on a world largely covered by ocean, set in a post-apocalyptic era that intensifies the stakes and themes of survival, power, and resource control. Through this premise, the film aims to deliver a story with both adventurous thrills and meaningful commentary on water security and governance in a mined-out future, while maintaining the accessibility and charm that animated cinema offers to audiences of all ages.