The animated GOAT arrives with the swagger of a movie that desperately wants to be the next big sports‑animation classic, but mostly settles for being the enthusiastic kid on the bench waving a towel. Directed by Tyree Dillihay and voiced by a stacked cast—Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Aaron Pierre, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Jenifer Lewis, and even Steph Curry—the film has all the ingredients for greatness. It just doesn’t always know what to cook. Still, it’s bright, bouncy, and undeniably cute, even when it’s tripping over its own hooves.
The story follows Will Harris, a small goat with big roarball dreams, voiced with earnest charm by McLaughlin. Will idolizes superstar Jett Fillmore (Union), and the movie earns early points by letting a young boy goat look up to a female sports icon without making it a Very Special Lesson. From there, though, the plot hits every underdog‑sports‑movie checkpoint like it’s following a laminated checklist: the bet, the humiliation, the viral moment, the publicity‑stunt recruitment, the predictable rise‑fall‑rise arc. You’ve seen this movie before—possibly while half‑asleep on a Saturday morning—but it’s delivered with enough pep to keep you watching.
The characters are fun, even if they’re basically walking personality traits. Jenifer Lewis brings her signature “I’ve survived worse than you” energy as team owner Flo Everson. Aaron Pierre’s Mane Attraction is the swaggering rival you love to roll your eyes at. Nicola Coughlan’s Olivia is an anxious ostrich who deserves her own spinoff. Nick Kroll’s Modo feels like he wandered in from a different movie entirely, and no one had the heart to tell him to leave. And David Harbour voices a rhino dad who sounds like he’s one PTA meeting away from a meltdown. They’re all entertaining, but the film never digs deeper than surface‑level quirks.
Visually, the movie is a neon‑splashed sugar rush. The roarball sequences are kinetic, chaotic, and genuinely fun—like someone asked, “What if basketball had cliffs?” The worldbuilding isn’t as rich as Zootopia or as inventive as Spider‑Verse, but it’s lively enough to keep kids glued and adults mildly amused. The film constantly hints at bigger ideas—gender norms, sports culture, animal‑society dynamics—but never commits to exploring them. It’s all vibes, no thesis.
GOAT isn’t the greatest of all time, but it’s a perfectly pleasant time. It’s cute, colorful, and sometimes sincere, even when it’s shamelessly predictable. Kids will love it, adults won’t suffer, and the movie never pretends to be more than a feel‑good animated sports romp.
Call it what it is: a solid, likable, three‑reel crowd‑pleaser that knows how to dunk just enough to stay in the game.
MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 100 mins
Director: Tyree Dillihay
Writer: Aaron Buchsbaum; Teddy Riley
Cast: Caleb McLaughlin; Gabrielle Union; Stephen Curry
Genre: Action | Animation | Comedy
Tagline: You're Never Too Small to Dream Big
Memorable Movie Quote: "Smalls can't ball!"
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Official Site:
Release Date: February 13, 2026
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A small goat with big dreams gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world.
