Warrior Cats Animation Reveals First Footage and Rusty Model

Tencent Video gave Warrior Cats fans their first substantial look at the upcoming animated adaptation during a fan meeting in Shenzhen on August 10, 2026. The presentation included early animation, character artwork, a work-in-progress screening and a 3D model of Rusty, the story’s central character. The series is currently in production and is scheduled for 2028 on Tencent Video platforms in China and Southeast Asia. 28

Because the footage was presented as an early production preview rather than a finished trailer, it reveals the project’s direction more clearly than its final visual polish. The event also helped clarify who is making the series, which books it will adapt first and how it relates to the separately announced Warrior Cats video game.

What Tencent Video showed in Shenzhen

The event marked the first public presentation of creative material from the series. Fans saw animation samples, character designs and a work-in-progress presentation, with Rusty’s 3D character model serving as a centerpiece. Director Rodrigo Blaas presented the model alongside Tencent Video executive Zhou Wang. 138

The preview should be read as a production snapshot, not a final trailer. Reports describe the series as still in production, so the designs, animation and editing may change before the planned 2028 release. 12

The story starts with The Prophecies Begin

The first planned story arc is Warrior Cats: The Prophecies Begin, the opening sequence in Erin Hunter’s long-running fantasy franchise. It follows Rusty, a house cat who leaves domestic life and enters the forest, where he joins the wild cat Clans. His new life brings training, rivalries, prophecy and conflict between the Clans as he grows into a significant leader. 7914

Starting with the first arc gives the adaptation a clear entry point for viewers who have never read the books while retaining the origin story familiar to longtime fans. The available reports confirm the source arc, but do not yet provide a full episode count, detailed casting information or a firm premiere date.

Rodrigo Blaas’s creative approach

Blaas’s presentation emphasized an adaptation that respects the books and the creativity of the established fan community while using animation to define its own visual language. The intended focus includes the cats’ physicality, their environments, emotional expression and action rather than simply illustrating the novels. 15

That distinction matters for Warrior Cats: the series’ drama depends on animal behavior, territorial movement and relationships within and between Clans. The early Rusty model offers the clearest public indication so far of how the production is translating the characters into CG animation.

Who is making the animated series?

The confirmed creative and production roles are:

• Rodrigo Blaas: Series director, responsible for the project’s visual and directorial approach. 811
• A.C. Bradley: Showrunner, overseeing the series’ broader storytelling and production direction. 1114
• Original Force: Animation studio producing the series for Tencent Video. 1113
• Tencent Video: Commissioning and platform partner for the announced China and Southeast Asia rollout. 213
• Coolabi Group: The rights holder associated with the franchise and the adaptation’s broader licensing arrangements. 1013

The project has also been publicly associated with Disney+ and Disney Channel. Disney’s announcement says the series is in production and planned for 2028, while other reporting identifies Original Force as working on the show on behalf of Tencent Video. 1213 The available information does not fully explain how regional rights and platform distribution will be divided, so the safest confirmed takeaway is that Tencent Video has announced availability across China and Southeast Asia—not that one service will necessarily carry the series worldwide.

The video game is a separate project

The animated series should not be confused with Warrior Cats: Clans of the Forest. That is a distinct licensed, turn-based RPG from Trailmark Games and Coolabi Group. Players can create or customize a cat and lead one of the four Clans through separate story campaigns. 171827

The game is planned for fall 2026 on PC and consoles, including Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. 62023 Tencent Video and Original Force are not identified as the game’s developers or publishers in the available announcements.

Why Tencent Video is part of the story

Tencent Video is a major Chinese streaming platform, while WeTV serves as its international-facing service. WeTV distributes Chinese and other Asian drama, variety, animation, film and documentary content outside mainland China, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia and additional availability in regions including East Asia, North America and Europe. 13236

That makes Warrior Cats notable as more than a local adaptation announcement. The project connects a globally recognized English-language book franchise to Tencent Video’s domestic platform and its broader international distribution network. Still, the event did not establish a single worldwide release plan, so regional availability should be treated as the clearest confirmed information for now.

What is confirmed—and what is still unknown

Confirmed:

• First-look animation, character artwork, a work-in-progress screening and a 3D Rusty model were shown in Shenzhen on August 10, 2026. 128
• The story begins with The Prophecies Begin. 714
• Rodrigo Blaas directs, A.C. Bradley is showrunner and Original Force produces the animation. 1113
• The series is targeting 2028 on Tencent Video platforms in China and Southeast Asia. 28
• Clans of the Forest is a separate Trailmark Games RPG planned for fall 2026. 61727

Still unknown:

• The exact premiere date.
• The final episode count and season structure.
• The complete voice cast.
• Whether the Tencent Video and Disney announcements describe separate regional windows, shared distribution or another rights arrangement.

For now, the Shenzhen preview establishes the adaptation’s foundation: a CG series beginning with Rusty’s entry into the Clans, led by an experienced animation team and aimed at a 2028 release. The footage is promising as a statement of direction, but it is too early to judge the finished show from the work-in-progress material alone.