The Pout-Pout Fish

"Spreading the dreary-wearies since 2008."

2026 1h 31m EN

😐

5.5

MID

🍅

61%

FRESH

⭐

IMDB

★5.5TMDB · 18🍅61%Rotten Tomatoes★5IMDB · 1,140

AnimationFamilyAdventureComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Living on a rundown shipwreck, Mr. Fish one day discovers a hyperactive young sea dragon Pip – who had mistaken his home for a junkyard – pilfering his belongings. The heated argument that ensues leaves both their houses in ruin. But there is hope! Embarking on a seemingly impossible quest in search of the mythical 'Shimmer' to grant them a wish, there’s only one problem: someone else is on the hunt...

“Spreading the dreary-wearies since 2008.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Nick Offerman
Mr. Fish (voice)
Nina Oyama
Pip (voice)
Miranda Otto
Marin (voice)
Amy Sedaris
The Pink Dolphins – Brigitta, Greta and Karina (voice)
Jordin Sparks
Shimmer (voice)
Remy Hii
Benji (voice)
Mark Coles Smith
Hector (voice)
Nazeem Hussain
Archie (voice)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ricard Cussó
Writers: Elie Choufany, Elise Allen, Dominic Morris
Languages: English
Countries: Australia, United States of America, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 48% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Australia, United States of America, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Ack Kinmonth. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Ahmad Halimi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama and Miranda Otto carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Spreading the dreary-wearies since 2008.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12824390 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ricard Cussó directs. Ack Kinmonth scores. Ahmad Halimi cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Australia, United States of America, Germany. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 48% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
2Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
3International production across 3 countries: Australia, United States of America, Germany.
4Original score by Ack Kinmonth. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Ahmad Halimi shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Nick Offerman and Nina Oyama and Miranda Otto carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Spreading the dreary-wearies since 2008.".
8IMDB entry: tt12824390 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 18 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 9 themes, including "fish", "based on novel or book", "dolphin", "based on children's book".

The technical file

Original score: Ack Kinmonth
Editing: Ahmad Halimi
Production design: Nathan Geppert
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $10,000,000
Box office: $4,834,402
Return: 48% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: The Pout-Pout Fish (2026)
Rotten Tomatoes: 61% 🍅 Fresh
IMDB rating: 5/10 · 1,140 votes
MPAA: PG

Also by

Ricard Cussó

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-08-27
★ 6/10
"Mr. Fish" is the aptly named, glass-half-empty, gent who wants nothing more than to be left in peace to practice his daily zen amidst the comfort of his sunken trawler home. One afternoon upon returning from his shopping trip, he encounters an interloper in his living room. "Pip" is a tiny and admittedly quite annoying yellow sea dragon who is collecting junk to help furnish the shell he, his parents and soon to be hundreds of siblings hope to occupy on the reef below. After a little altercation between the pair renders both of them homeless, "Pip" concludes that only the mysterious wish-granting "Shimmer" might provide their solution. "Mr. Fish" has a little history with her so reluctantly agrees and so off on their quest they set. Meantime, "Marin" is having to deal with a problem for her extensive cuttlefish colony. The kelp has out-grown their abyss and is now blocking all the sunlight. They have no choice but to relocate - and guess where they want to go? Her son "Benji" doesn't favour such drastic action, though, and so he too sets off to find "Shimmer". Which, if either, will find her first and can she resolve their problems? Now I'm most definitely not the demographic for this - there is precisely nothing at all for the adults in terms of animated quirkiness or "Pugwash"-esque dialogue witticisms, but it's still an amiably colourful and mischievous adventure film that might work well for youngsters impressed by vibrant colour and a few lively characters whom I thought reminded me a little of Disney's far better funded "Beauty and the Beast" (1991). Though this is songless, there are accents and shapes galore amongst a myriad of sea creatures including some surprisingly hungry pink dolphins. There is no human intervention into the story whatsoever, it's just a cheery story of maritime inter-reliance tempered with a message of nature being left to it's own devices to sort out it's own problems and it's a film you can comfortably leave your younger kids to watch without worrying about anything remotely contentious or upsetting. Harmless fun that might just see you having to go and buy a larger fish tank.

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