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Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie

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Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRyan Crego
Screenplay by
  • Mike Lew
  • Rehana Lew Mirza
  • Adam Wilson[1]
  • Melanie Wilson LaBracio
Story byRyan Crego
Based on
Produced bySteven Schweickart
Starring
CinematographyTony Elyzen
Edited byMarcus Taylor
Music byStephanie Economou
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
  • September 13, 2025 (2025-09-13) (Melbourne)
  • September 26, 2025 (2025-09-26) (United States)
Running time
98 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$32 million[3]
Box office$80.3 million[4][5]

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie is a 2025 American live-action animated musical fantasy comedy film based on the Netflix series Gabby's Dollhouse, which was created by Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, both of whom serve as executive producers. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, the film was directed by Ryan Crego from a screenplay by the writing teams of Mike Lew and Rehana Lew Mirza, and Adam Wilson and Melanie Wilson LaBracio, based on a story conceived by Crego. Combining live-action and animation, it stars Laila Lockhart Kraner, who reprises her role from the series with Jason Mantzoukas, Gloria Estefan, and Kristen Wiig joining the cast. The plot follows Gabby as she goes on a road trip with her grandmother to the urban wonderland of Cat Francisco and embarks on an adventure to save her dollhouse and the Gabby Cats from a cat lady.

DreamWorks Animation announced a feature-length film based on Gabby's Dollhouse in April 2024, with Crego and Steven Schweickart attached as director and producer, respectively. It was also announced that same month that Kraner set to reprise her role as Gabby. Filming began in July 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, with further casting running from February to May 2025. It is the second live-action DreamWorks Animation film, following the 2025 remake of How to Train Your Dragon (2010), as well as DreamWorks Animation's first live-action film that is not a remake.

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie premiered in Melbourne on September 13, 2025, and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on September 26, 2025. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $80.3 million worldwide.

Plot

Gabby, Pandy Paws, her Gabby cats, and her dollhouse go on a road trip with her grandmother Gigi to visit her home for a special project. In Cat Francisco, CatRat accidentally unlatches the dollhouse from the van, causing it to roll into a store where Vera, a cat lady, buys it and drives home. Vera then splits the Gabby cats up. CatRat finds a plush cat named Chumsley in a drawer.

Gabby, determined to save her dollhouse, shrinks along with Pandy and is taken to Vera's home, where the dollhouse is. Gabby learns the Gabby cats are missing but meets Chumsley at Cakey's kitchen, while ordering CatRat to stay. Chumsley offers to help. Gabby and Pandy find MerCat in Vera's aquarium and jump in, turning into mermaids. They free MerCat, traveling in a bubble, and find the Gabby cats in a bag. Vera opens the door, causing them to fly outside and fall into a bush. They meet kitty gnomes who take them to the Kitty Fairy, their queen.

At the kitty gnomes' hideout, they trick the gnomes into playing hide and seek while building a bird-like vehicle to escape. The Kitty Fairy gives up her queen title and returns to the dollhouse with MerCat. Meanwhile, Gabby and Pandy try to free the Gabby cats as Vera is distracted by Kitty Rangers. Gabby rescues the cats and they return to the dollhouse, where Chumsley shares how Vera once played with him but grew up and left him in her drawer. Gabby, Pandy, and the Gabby cats are cast out, and Chumsley seals the windows, claiming ownership of the dollhouse. Pandy goes to get Gigi.

CatRat unlocks the door and the team enters the dollhouse to stop Chumsley. Gabby nearly pinches her cat ears, but Chumsley steals them, corrupting the dollhouse. Gabby tearfully tells Baby Box she's scared of growing up, and Baby Box comforts her, giving her back her cat ears. Carlita returns with a smaller Gigi. Gabby reunites with Gigi and shares what happened.

Chumsley makes a cake with a bunch of magic, accidentally creating a portal. Gabby becomes big again to get Vera, then they both turn small and meet Gigi and the Gabby cats. They find the portal in Cakey's kitchen, which sucks Gabby, Vera, Cakey, and Chumsley into a world of sweets.

Gabby, Vera, and Cakey see Chumsley's paw prints and ride animal-shaped cookies to catch up. Gummy worms erupt from the candy grounds, carrying them away, and Chumsley escapes. The ground collapses, and they fall into a river, floating on a donut. As Vera talks about growing up, Cookie Bobby, a friendly cookie monster, throws them to safety, while Chumsley crosses a sweets-made rickety bridge. Before Vera can reconcile with Chumsley, he destroys the bridge.

The magic from the dollhouse begins to fade, causing the world to start collapsing. Vera and Chumsley save each other and reconcile, while everyone manages to return to the dollhouse. Its magic is restored, and a balloon shaped like a cat inflates from the dollhouse, lifting it as it flies over Cat Francisco. Back at Gigi's home, Gabby helps build the special project Gigi has been working on: a dog-themed dollhouse for Gabby's sister.

Cast

Live-action

  • Laila Lockhart Kraner as Gabby,[6] a young girl who is a kitty enthusiast. Kraner also voices her animated counterpart.
    • Tina Ukwu as young Gabby
  • Gloria Estefan as Grandma Gigi, the grandmother of Gabby. Estefan also voices her animated counterpart.
  • Kristen Wiig as Vera, an eccentric cat lady. Wiig also voices her animated counterpart.
    • Gweneth Everlee as young Vera
    • Cassidy Nugent as teenage Vera
  • Kate Widdington as Kitty Ranger #1
  • Sophia Biling as Kitty Ranger #2
  • Lauren Chan as Kitty Ranger #3

Voices

  • Jason Mantzoukas as Chumsley,[7] a neglected plush cat owned by Vera
  • Logan Bailey as Pandy Paws, a kitty/giant panda Gabby Cat who is Gabby's sidekick and is mostly in plush form when Gabby is normal size
  • Juliet Donenfeld as Cakey, a kitty/cupcake Gabby Cat
  • Secunda Wood as MerCat, a kitty/mermaid Gabby Cat who can swim through the air
  • Donovan Patton as CatRat, a kitty/rat Gabby Cat
  • Eduardo Franco as DJ Catnip, a Gabby Cat with extendable legs
  • Maggie Lowe as Baby Box, a cardboard Gabby Cat
  • Carla Tassara as Carlita, a kitty/car Gabby Cat
  • Sainty Nelsen as Pillow Cat, a kitty/pillow Gabby Cat
  • Tara Strong as Kitty Fairy, a kitty/fairy Gabby Cat
  • Fortune Feimster as Kitty Fridge, the cat-themed refrigerator in the kitchen part of the Dollhouse
  • Thomas Lennon as Matthew,[7] a Kitty Gnome
  • Melissa Villaseñor as Sunflower, a Kitty Gnome
  • Ego Nwodim as Twiggy, a Kitty Gnome
  • Kyle Mooney as an existential Kitty Gnome
  • Matty Matheson as Cookie Bobby,[7] a cat creature made of candy.

Production

In April 2024, DreamWorks Animation announced a feature-length film based on the Netflix series Gabby's Dollhouse, titled Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie, with Ryan Crego attached to direct and Steven Schweickart producing, while series creators Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey would serve as executive producers. Laila Lockhart Kraner would also reprise her role as Gabby.[6] In February 2025, it was revealed that Maria Bamford and Mimi Webb had joined the cast of the film.[8] In April 2025, during CinemaCon, Kristen Wiig and Gloria Estefan were announced to have joined the film. Logan Bailey, Eduardo Franco, Juliet Donenfeld, Donovan Patton, Sainty Nelsen, Maggie Lowe, Carla Tassara, Tara Strong and Secunda Wood were also announced to reprise their roles from the show.[9] In May 2025, with the release of the trailer, it was announced that Ego Nwodim, Kyle Mooney, Melissa Villaseñor, Thomas Lennon, Jason Mantzoukas, and Fortune Feimster had joined the cast.[10] Stephanie Economou composed the score.[11]

Principal photography began on July 10, 2024, in Vancouver, British Columbia.[12]

Animation and visual effects

CGCG, Image Engine, and Assemblage Entertainment provided the animation for the film, while FX3X provided the visual effects.

Music

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedSeptember 26, 2025 (2025-09-26)
GenrePop
Length31:38
LabelRepublic
Producer

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album for the film. Stephanie Economou composed the film's score, and the album includes original songs performed by Kraner, along with new tracks by Aespa and Lu Kala.[13] The soundtrack was released by Republic Records on September 26, 2025, coinciding with the film's theatrical release.

Other songs featured in the film include: "Apt.", by Rosé and Bruno Mars; "Makeba", by Jain; "I Swear", by All-4-One; "Ice Cream", by Blackpink and Selena Gomez; "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl", by Chappell Roan; "Living My Best Life", by Jessie J; and "Sunroof", by Nicky Youre and Dazy.

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Say Hello"
  • Anthony Pavel
  • Kali Janette Arnott
  • Paul Blair
  • Stefan Adam Litrownik
MAX3:06
2."Gabby's Dollhouse World"
  • Elizabeth Pitchkhadze
  • Jordan Sweet
Gabby's Dollhouse3:10
3."Pinching In"
Gabby's Dollhouse1:02
4."Kaleidoscope"Joseph Chase AtkinsGabby's Dollhouse2:33
5."Skibidi Meow"
  • Gabby's Dollhouse
  • Ryan Crego
1:18
6."Cat Party"
  • Alex Geringas
  • Ryan Crego
BOBBLYS2:34
7."Sweet Cream"
  • Claire Morrissey
  • Joseph Chase Atkins
Gabby's Dollhouse1:28
8."Let's Go for a Ride"P.T. WalkleyGabby's Dollhouse2:28
9."Every Day Is a Party"
Lu Kala2:58
10."Dollhouse World"
  • Elizabeth Pitchkhadze
  • Jordan Sweet
Aespa3:11
11."Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Score Suite"Stephanie EconomouStephanie Economou6:19
12."Pretty Glitter Kitty Litter - Bonus Track"
  • Alex Geringas
  • Ryan Crego
  • Gabby's Dollhouse
  • Alex Geringas
  • Ryan Crego
1:26
Total length:31:38

Release

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie had its premiere in Melbourne on September 13, 2025,[14] and was released in the United States on September 26, by Universal Pictures.[15]

Home media

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie was released on digital on October 14, 2025, and on Blu-ray and DVD on November 25, 2025, by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.[16][17]

Reception

Box office

Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie has grossed $32 million in the United States and Canada and $48.3 million internationally, for a total of $80.3 million.[4][5]

In the United States and Canada, Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie was released alongside One Battle After Another and The Strangers – Chapter 2, and was projected to gross $12–15 million from 3,500 theaters in its opening weekend.[3] It opened with $13.7 million and finished second behind One Battle After Another.[18][19] In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the film opened with approximately £1.7 million (US$2.1 million) from 606 locations, topping the local box office during its opening weekend.[20]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 26 critics' reviews are positive.[21] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 46 out of 100, based on four critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[22] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A+" on an A+ to F scale, becoming the first DreamWorks Animation film to receive this grade.[23]

Weiting Liu of Common Sense Media rated the film three stars, writing: "This energetic live-action movie delivers exactly what fans of a popular TV series would expect: a lively blend of animation and sing-alongs overflowing with irresistibly cute kitty characters."[24] In a positive review, Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "If you happen to have some tykes that need big-screen babysitting, well, they'll probably have a swell time... [But] other than the presence of Kristen Wiig, there's precious little on offer for anyone who doesn't drink beverages from a sippy cup."[25] Owen Gleiberman of Variety gave the film a positive review and wrote: "A genial throwaway that skitters through incidents with a G-rated innocuousness that makes it perfect for a very pint-sized demo."[26] Bob Strauss of the San Francisco Chronicle rated the film three stars out of four, writing: "Songs and jokes and a surprisingly psychedelic sensibility make for a safe, kooky and sometimes even adult-amusing good time."[27]

Sandra Hall of The Sydney Morning Herald gave the film two stars out five, writing: "I can understand the film's appeal for young children... But if you're over 10, its relentlessly upbeat tone makes you feel as if you're being beaten over the head with a toy catalogue."[28] Natalie Winkelman of The New York Times gave the film a negative review writing that "Gabby's Dollhouse is strictly not suitable for anyone over reading age. If parents want to stay awake through the drivel, I'd suggest bringing a book."[29]

References

  1. ^ Vlessing, Etan (May 8, 2025). "Kristen Wiig Plays Oddball Cat Lady in 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Trailer". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 8, 2025.
  2. ^ "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (2025)". Irish Film Classification Office. August 12, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  3. ^ a b Rubin, Rebecca (September 24, 2025). "Box Office: Will Oscar Buzz Help Leonardo DiCaprio and Paul Thomas Anderson's 'One Battle After Another' Open Over $20 Million?". Variety. Retrieved September 24, 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  5. ^ a b "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie (2025) - Box Office and Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  6. ^ a b McClintock, Pamela (April 25, 2024). "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie to Get the Big-Screen Treatment in 2025". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c @gabbysdollhouse (September 18, 2025). "What happens when three hilarious grown-ups meet a dollhouse full of cats? 😸🌈 Matty Matheson, Tom Lennon, and Jason Mantzoukas are bringing the laughs (and the chaos) as they dive into the world of Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie. Experience it only in theaters September 26! 🍿🎟️" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Wiese, Jason (February 7, 2025). "Upcoming Movies In 2025: New Movie Release Dates". Cinema Blend. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  9. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (April 2, 2025). "Kristen Wiig & Gloria Estefan Join 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' – CinemaCon". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
  10. ^ Parlevliet, Mirko (May 8, 2025). "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Trailer and Poster Debut". Vital Thrills. Retrieved May 8, 2025.
  11. ^ Reporter, Film Music (May 8, 2025). "Stephanie Economou Scoring DreamWorks Animation's 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie'". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  12. ^ "In Production - Creative BC". Creative BC. July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 10, 2024.
  13. ^ "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Soundtrack". Republic Records. Archived from the original on September 21, 2025. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  14. ^ "We have a meow-riffic time at the Melbourne premiere of Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie! 🌈🐱🍬". Instagram. September 13, 2025. Retrieved September 16, 2025.
  15. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 25, 2024). "DreamWorks Animation Dates Big Screen Version Of Netflix Streaming Series Gabby's Dollhouse For Fall 2025". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
  16. ^ Lammers, Tim (October 9, 2025). "'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' New On Streaming This Week". Forbes. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  17. ^ Desjardins, Doug (October 13, 2025). "Universal to Release 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Digitally Oct. 14, on Disc Nov. 25". Media Play News. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  18. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (September 28, 2025). "'One Battle After Another' At $22M+ Reps Record Debut For Paul Thomas Anderson; Leonardo DiCaprio's 11th Movie To Open To $20M+ – Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  19. ^ "Domestic 2025 Weekend 39". Box Office Mojo.
  20. ^ "UK & Ireland Box Office: 'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Earns £1.7 M Opening in 606 Locations". Variety. Variety Media, LLC. October 20, 2025. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  21. ^ "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media.
  22. ^ "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 28, 2025). "'One Battle After Another' At $22M+ Reps Record Debut For Paul Thomas Anderson; Leonardo DiCaprio's 11th Movie To Open To $20M+ – Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
  24. ^ Liu, Weiting. "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  25. ^ Scheck, Frank (September 24, 2025). "'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Review: Strictly for the Kids". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  26. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (September 24, 2025). "'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Review: A Candy-Colored Toy Story That Looks Good Enough to Eat". Variety. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  27. ^ Strauss, Bob (September 24, 2025). "'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' travels to Cat Francisco — and it's purrfectly weird". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  28. ^ Hall, Sandra (September 25, 2025). "Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie review". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
  29. ^ Winkelman, Natalia (September 25, 2025). "'Gabby's Dollhouse: The Movie' Review: Less Than Pawesome". The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2025.
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