Barnyard (2026 film)

***Barnyard*** is an upcoming computer-animated comedy film directed by Steve Oedekerk, Mark Dindal, and Conrad Vernon from a screenplay by Oedekerk, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and David Reynolds and a story by Oedekerk, Dindal, Rogen, and Goldberg. It serves as a reboot of the 2006 film of the same name and stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Sam Elliott, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Seth Rogen, Zachary Levi, Cam Clarke, Don Cheadle, David Koechner, Liam Neeson, Courtney Cox, and Chloë Grace Moretz.

It tells the story of Otis, a carefree cow who faces the unexpected responsibility of leading the barnyard after the tragic death of his adoptive father, Ben. Struggling with leadership, Otis confronts a pack of coyotes, discovers the importance of family and friendship, and ultimately redeems himself by protecting the barnyard and embracing his role as the new leader. The story combines humor, heartwarming moments, and action, culminating in Otis' growth and the barnyard's triumph over adversity.

Development on a reboot of the original film began in 2022, with Steve Oedekerk returning to direct and produce it and write its screenplay and story. John Debney also returned to compose the score. Mark Dindal and Conrad Vernon joined the film's production to assist Oedekerk.

Produced by Paramount Animation, Nickelodeon Movies, O Entertainment, and Point Grey Pictures, the film is scheduled to be released on May 22, 2026, by Paramount Pictures.

## Plot

Otis is a carefree cow who lives on a farm where the animals are anthropomorphic when their human farmer is away. Instead of following rules and accepting responsibility, Otis prefers to goof off with his friends, including Pip (a mouse), Pig (a pig), Peck (a rooster), and Freddy (a ferret), to the disapproval of Ben, who is the leader of the barnyard and Otis' adoptive father.

One day, Otis interrupts a barnyard meeting with his wild antics, leading to a conversation with Ben. He tells him that he will never be happy if he just goofs off, and that he should grow up. Otis ignores Ben's advice and leaves to have fun with his friends. After all the barnyard shenanigans, Pig hangs out in his pig pen with Otis and Pip. Pip is jumping back and forth between Pig's and Otis' bellies. As he lands on each animal, he makes the type of meat from the animal he jumps on. That same day, Otis has a conversation with Maddy, a young chick who is Etta's daughter. The next day, Otis meets three new cows who recently arrived at the farm: a pregnant cow named Daisy and her two best friends Abby and Bessy.

That night, the animals throw a massive party in the barn; all the animals are there except Ben, who watches over the fence, which marks their space. Otis is assigned his shift along with him, but he talks himself out of it, saying he is needed for a certain role in the party barn. Ben tells Otis he saw the stars dance the night he found him as a calf shortly after his parents, Owen and Olivia, moved to a new farm and left him behind in the old one. Finishing the conversation, Ben gives Otis the privilege to party out, and the thankful son runs to the barn.

Later on, Ben faces a pack of coyotes led by Dag, defending the barnyard from a chicken coop raid. Despite his efforts, Ben is bitten and falls. The coyotes pile on him, and though he manages to threaten Dag, Ben succumbs to exhaustion and dies. Otis, devastated, is elected as the new leader, a role he reluctantly accepts. Unprepared for leadership because he's a natural party animal, Otis struggles with his newfound duties and neglects responsibilities. The barnyard soon faces scrutiny when the farmer witnesses the animals partying, and Miles, a mule and Ben's old friend, knocks him unconscious.

Otis shirks his duties by leaving Freddy and Peck in charge of the coop and joins three trouble-making cows, the Jersey Cows, consisting of Eddy, Bud, and Igg, in teaching a lesson to Eugene "Snotty Boy" Goldner, a bully who enjoys tipping over cows. Later that night, after narrowly avoiding the police, Otis returns for his night watch and shares a tender moment with Daisy, who reveals her tragic past. Before she arrived at Otis' farm, Daisy's mate and former herd from her old farm were wiped out by a storm. Otis holds Daisy's hand as they stargaze.

The next day, the coyotes are chasing a hare on the prairie. Otis attempts to confront Dag but is outsmarted. Dag notices Otis' weakness as a leader and taunts him over Ben's death. Dag arranges a deal with Otis. The coyotes will periodically steal animals from the farm in exchange for sparing the barnyard. Otherwise, they'll slaughter them all if Otis attempts to get in their way. Ashamed, Otis decides to abandon the farm, realizing that he has no chance.

The next day, before leaving, Otis is informed that Dag and his coyote henchmen have taken several hens during the day behind his back. Encouraged by Miles, Otis sets out to rescue the hens and defeat the coyotes. On his way to the junkyard, where Dag and his coyote henchmen live, Otis finds his parents at the new farm and reunites with them. They are overjoyed that he is still alive. They introduce their new child to him. Her name is Ellema, and she is Otis' younger sister. Owen, Olivia, and Ellema invite Otis to dinner. After staying the night, Otis tells his family he must leave. They bid him farewell as he continues his journey alone.

Eventually, Otis arrives at the junkyard and confronts Dag and his coyote henchmen. They overpower him, but Owen, Olivia, Ellema, Pip, Pig, Freddy, Peck, Daisy, Abby, Bessy, Miles, the gophers, the Jersey Cows, and Wild Mike arrive to fight alongside him. Dag attempts to attack Otis from behind, but Otis is alerted when Peck successfully manages to crow a warning. Otis catches Dag and warns him to never threaten the farm again. He then swings him out of the junkyard with his golf skills.

With teamwork and determination, Otis and the gang rescue the hens and drive off the coyotes. Otis proves himself as a leader. They use motorcycles from the diner to drive back to the barnyard. There, Daisy goes into labor. She gives birth to a calf named Ben in honor of Otis' adoptive father. Duke, the farmer's sheepdog, asks Otis to stay as their leader and protect the farm as Ben did. Otis agrees, and everyone celebrates their victory. The film ends with a heartwarming moment as Otis watches the stars dance alongside his family.

## Cast

* Chris Pratt as Otis, a carefree and fun-loving Holstein cow. Initially resistant to responsibility, he undergoes significant character development after the death of his adoptive father, Ben. Otis becomes the reluctant leader of the barnyard and faces challenges that test his leadership skills. He serves as the film's main protagonist.
* Sam Elliott as Ben, a stern and uptight cow who is Otis' adoptive father and the former leader of the barnyard. Ben is a wise and strong presence who imparts valuable advice to Otis. His death early in the film sets the stage for Otis' journey of growth and responsibility.
* Kristen Bell as Daisy, a kind-hearted pregnant cow who arrives at the farm with her two friends, Abby and Bessy. She serves as Otis' love interest.
* Josh Gad as Pip, an energetic, fun-loving mouse who is Otis' best friend.
* Seth Rogen as Pig, a pig who is part of Otis' friend group. Pig loves food and enjoys hanging out with Otis.
* Zachary Levi as Peck, a rooster who is part of Otis' friend group. Peck is known for his courage and sense of responsibility. He provides a balanced and level-headed perspective, especially during challenging situations.
* Cam Clarke as Freddy, a panicky and neurotic ferret with an appetite for adventure who is part of Otis' friend group. Freddy is characterized by his playful and mischievous nature. He, along with the other friends, supports Otis in his leadership role.
* Don Cheadle as Miles, an elderly mule and an old friend of Ben. Miles plays a mentor-like role, offering guidance to Otis and encouraging him to take on the responsibilities of leadership.
* The Jersey Cows are a trio of trouble-making cows who join forces with Otis in teaching a lesson to the bully, Snotty Boy. Their mischief adds a comedic element to the story. The three cows are voiced by the following actors:
	+ S. Scott Bullock as Eddy, the first member of the Jersey Cows.
	+ John DiMaggio as Bud, the second member of the Jersey Cows.
	+ Maurice LaMarche as Igg, the third member of the Jersey Cows.
* David Koechner as Dag, the sadistic leader of the pack of coyotes that pose a threat to the barnyard. His actions lead to a conflict that tests Otis' leadership and determination. He serves as the film's main antagonist.
* Liam Neeson as Owen, Otis' biological father.
* Courteney Cox as Olivia, Otis' biological mother.
* Chloë Grace Moretz as Ellema, Otis' younger sister.
* Leigh-Allyn Baker as Abby, a friendly and athletic cow and one of Daisy's best friends. She's allergic to petunias, has an obsessive-compulsive addiction to organizing, and loves cats.
* Wanda Sykes as Bessy, a sassy cow and one of Daisy's best friends.
* Andie MacDowell as Etta, a caring hen who is Maddy's mother.
* Piper Rubio as Maddy, Etta's spirited young daughter who looks up to Otis.
* John Ratzenberger as Duke, the farm's sheepdog.
* Fred Tatasciore as Farmer Buyer, the human farmer who, along with Otis and his other farm animals, lives on the farm.
* Maria Bamford as Noreen "Nora" Beady, an eccentric and nosy woman who correctly suspects that the animals are anthropomorphic. She is the farmer's neighbor, Nathan's wife, and Snotty Boy's aunt.
* Steve Oedekerk as Nathaniel Randall "Nathan" Beady III, the farmer's neighbor, Nora's husband, and the reluctant uncle of Snotty Boy.
	+ Oedekerk also voices Sal, a tired and overworked human who works for the Siren Pizza as a pizza deliverer.
* Carlos Alazraqui as Eugene "Snotty Boy" Goldner, the Beadys' nephew who is cruel to animals.
	+ Alazraqui also voices Humphrey, a horse who is the lead singer for the Barn Boys band.
* Meera Syal as Serena Goldner, Snotty Boy's mother.
* Sanjeev Bhaskar as Reginald Goldner, Snotty Boy's father.
* Tom Kenny and Eric Bauza as Snotty Boy's friends.
* Steve Oedekerk and Rob Paulsen as Tom and Chad Pizza, twin brothers who work for the Siren Pizza as pizza deliverers.
* Jill Talley as Pepper Pizza, the Pizza Twins' mother.
* John DiMaggio as Frederick O'Hanlon, a local police officer.
* Jonah Hill as Root, a handsome rooster.
* Dee Bradley Baker as Wild Mike, a crazy mutated hairy dwarf human who loves to dance. His shenanigans add eccentricity to the barnyard community.

Additional animal voices are provided by Steve Oedekerk, Chris Hardwick, Eric Bauza, Rob Paulsen, Grey DeLisle, Kath Soucie, Tara Strong, Dee Bradley Baker, Cree Summer, Kevin Michael Richardson, Jessica DiCicco, Kiff VandenHeuvel, and Tress MacNeille.

Additional human voices are provided by Steve Oedekerk, George Takei, Chris Hardwick, Paul Scheer, Kath Soucie, Tara Strong, and Ruth Zalduondo.

## Production

### Development

On July 6, 2022, Paramount Animation announced the reboot of the 2006 film, *Barnyard*, which will be directed by Steve Oedekerk, Mark Dindal, and Conrad Vernon. Oedekerk will write the film's screenplay with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and David Reynolds. Oedekerk, Dindal, Rogen, and Goldberg will also write the film's story.

### Casting

On February 14, 2023, it was announced that Chris Pratt would voice Otis, the main character of the film. On March 8, 2023, it was announced that Sam Elliott would reprise his role as Ben, Otis' adoptive father. On April 12, 2023, it was announced that Kristen Bell would voice Daisy, a pregnant cow who arrives at the farm with her two friends. On May 10, 2023, it was announced that Josh Gad would voice Pip, Otis' best friend. On June 14, 2023, it was announced that Seth Rogen would voice Pig, a pig who is part of Otis' friend group. On July 12, 2023, it was announced that Zachary Levi would voice Peck, a rooster who is part of Otis' friend group. On August 9, 2023, it was announced that Cam Clarke would reprise his role as Freddy, a ferret who is part of Otis' friend group.

On September 13, 2023, it was announced that Don Cheadle would voice Miles, an elderly mule and an old friend of Ben. On October 11, 2023, it was announced that David Koechner would reprise his role as Dag, the leader of the pack of coyotes that pose a threat to the barnyard. On November 15, 2023, it was announced that Liam Neeson would voice Owen, Otis' biological father. On December 13, 2023, it was announced that Courteney Cox would voice Olivia, Otis' biological mother. On January 10, 2024, it was announced that Chloë Grace Moretz would voice Ellema, Otis' younger sister.

### Animation

The film will be animated using computer-generated imagery (CGI). The film's animation services will be provided by Reel FX Animation.

### Music

John Debney, who scored the original film, will return to compose the score for the reboot.

## Release

The film is scheduled to be released on May 22, 2026, by Paramount Pictures.

## Television series

*Main article: Barnyard Chronicles: New Beginnings*
On January 22, 2024, it was announced that a sequel television series, *Barnyard Chronicles: New Beginnings*, was in development. It will be released in 2027 on Nickelodeon.