GOAT (2026) Movie Review Is Stephen Curry's Animated Debut Worth Your Time

GOAT Movie Review: Is Stephen Curry's Animated Debut Worth Your Time?

The GOAT movie has captured audiences with an impressive 81% Tomatometer score and 93% Popcornmeter rating, proving that Sony Pictures Animation's latest venture resonates with critics and viewers alike. As a matter of fact, this animated sports comedy brings together NBA legend Stephen Curry as producer and voice actor, alongside Caleb McLaughlin and Gabrielle Union in a story about an underdog goat chasing professional roarball dreams. I've analyzed this film to help you determine whether the GOAT animated movie deserves a spot on your watchlist, covering everything from the cast performances and animation quality to its themes and age appropriateness.

What is GOAT About? Plot and Premise

Sony Pictures Animation sets GOAT in an all-animal world where a young Boer goat named Will Harris dreams of playing professional roarball. Will works as a delivery driver at Whisker's diner in Vineland, struggling to pay rent while practicing his skills whenever he can. His late mother used to take him to games and supported his ambitions before her death. During this time, Will lives hand-to-mouth, barely scraping by in a small garage he calls home.

Will Harris: The Underdog Goat Hero

Will's story kicks off when he bets his rent money against Mane Attraction, an Andalusian horse who leads the rival Lava Coast Magma team. Despite breaking Mane's ankle during their one-on-one matchup, Will loses the game and gets evicted from his apartment. His friends record the viral moment, which catches the attention of Flo Everson, the Thorns' owner, who sees an opportunity to generate publicity by signing a local goat to the team. The signing creates instant controversy among his new teammates, who view him as nothing more than a marketing stunt.

Jett Fillmore and the Vineland Thorns

Jett Fillmore, a sleek black panther and the team's star player, represents everything Will aspires to become. She earned the title 'Face of the Thorns' through years of dominant performances, yet her team hasn't won a single game this season. When Flo signs Will without consulting her, Jett openly mocks him during a media interview and refuses to accept him as a legitimate teammate. Her sassy, prideful personality stems from years of celebrity status, which has made her dismissive toward her teammates and hostile toward the idea of playing alongside a small goat.

The Thorns roster includes Indian rhinoceros Archie Everhardt, a single father with mischievous twin daughters; giraffe Lenny Williamson; Komodo dragon Modo Olachenko; and ostrich Olivia Burke. Each teammate initially doubts Will's abilities, forcing him to earn his spot on the bench. Subsequently, when Jett receives a technical foul, Will gets his chance and scores the winning point, securing the Thorns' first victory of the season. The win shifts team dynamics as Will takes Jett to Whisker's diner, where she witnesses the community's genuine support for both of them. Carol, the llama who owns the diner, makes Jett promise to bring home the Claw, roarball's championship trophy.

The Roarball Sport Explained

Roarball transforms basketball into a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact competition where size and ferocity typically determine success. Players can move on two feet or drop to all fours, using any part of their bodies including claws, paws, hooves, tails, or wings to advance the ball. The courts stretch to 120 yards with 15-foot rims, giving animals space for full strides. Environmental hazards vary by region: some courts feature red clay with living roots and vines designed to trip players, while Arctic regions use ice surfaces that continue even when smashed. The sport blends fiction with authentic basketball strategy, as Andre Iguodala consulted on the film to ensure realistic plays that might have won four championships.

GOAT Movie Cast and Voice Performances

Voice acting demands a different skill set than live-action performance, and the GOAT movie cast delivers performances that bring authenticity to their animated animal athletes. Caleb McLaughlin leads the ensemble in his first major role since Stranger Things wrapped its final season in December 2025. He voices Will Harris with emotional depth, earning recognition that includes an NAACP Image Award and a SAG Award as part of the Stranger Things ensemble. McLaughlin brings experience from projects like Concrete Cowboy opposite Idris Elba and the Audible horror series Sacrilege: Curse of the Mbirwi, marking his standout turn in voice-driven storytelling.

Caleb McLaughlin as Will Harris

McLaughlin's performance captures Will's determination and vulnerability as the underdog goat chasing roarball glory. His voice work conveys the character's struggles with loss, financial hardship, and self-doubt while maintaining an optimistic spirit that resonates throughout the film. The role marks a significant transition for McLaughlin, who spent years as Lucas Sinclair before taking on this animated lead.

Gabrielle Union as Jett Fillmore

Equally impressive, Gabrielle Union brings star power to Jett Fillmore through meticulous preparation. Union studied her husband Dwyane Wade and basketball legend LeBron James to capture authentic athlete mannerisms. She also researched Teresa Weatherspoon and Dawn Staley, trying to get a sense of how these players perform bigger than their physical size. Her extensive filmography includes 10 Things I Hate About You, Bring It On, Bad Boys II, and the BET series Being Mary Jane. Union's performance balances Jett's prideful exterior with deeper vulnerability that emerges as the story progresses.

Stephen Curry's Role as Lenny Williamson

Stephen Curry serves double duty as both producer and voice actor in the GOAT animated movie. He voices Lenny Williamson, a giraffe roarball player whose height gives him advantages on the court. Curry relates to Will's journey personally, stating that his own path resembles the goat's underdog story. The four-time NBA Champion and two-time MVP winner brings authenticity to the sports elements. His production company Unanimous Media helped develop the project, and he emphasizes the film's message about teamwork: no matter what walk of life, you can't do anything great without the people around you. Ayesha Curry voices Carol, a maternal llama figure who supports Will, making this a family project for the Currys.

Supporting Cast Highlights

David Harbor reunites with McLaughlin, voicing Archie Everhardt after playing Jim Hopper in Stranger Things. Aaron Pierre brings his recent Mufasa experience to Mane Attraction, Will's rival. Nicola Coughlan from Bridgerton voices ostrich player Olivia Burke, while Nick Kroll lends his Big Mouth expertise to Komodo dragon Modo Olachenko.

NBA and WNBA stars add legitimacy to the roarball world:

Dwyane Wade voices Rosette, a bull player for the Shadows

Kevin Love portrays gorilla Daskas

Angel Reese voices polar bear Propp

A'ja Wilson plays alligator Kouyate

Andre Iguodala voices referee Iggy and consulted on creating realistic plays

Jennifer Hudson appears as Will's late mother Louise, while Jelly Roll voices brutish bear Grizz. Wayne Knight delivers a standout performance as Will's gerbil landlord Frank. The ensemble rounds out with Jenifer Lewis, Patton Oswalt, Sherry Cola, Eduardo Franco, Andrew Santino, and Bobby Lee.

Animation Style and Visual Quality

Sony Pictures Imageworks brings the GOAT animated movie to life through cutting-edge techniques that set a new standard for sports animation. The studio applies the same 2.5D animation style that defined Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and KPop Demon Hunters, creating a visual language distinct from traditional animated features. Production designer Jang Lee and art director Richard Daskas spent three years developing pivotal sequences, including the Thorns vs. Shivers game, ensuring every shot supported the emotional core of the characters.

Sony Pictures Imageworks Animation

Sony deliberately avoids a house style, allowing each project's visuals to serve the story rather than conform to studio conventions. For the GOAT movie, this meant creating a world that looks built by animals for animals, balancing familiarity with otherworldly elements. The team worked closely with head of cinematography John Clark to emulate sports photography and broadcast coverage, studying lenses and depth of field to capture authentic gameplay. Andre Iguodala consulted on the project, pulling from a massive library of NBA plays in his mind to choreograph authentic roarball action. The production team even used 3D printed miniatures of characters, moving them around a tabletop court to visualize plays like the Cyclone sequence.

Basketball Game Sequences

The roarball games transform into roller coaster action set pieces through dynamic camera work that twists and weaves as Will navigates obstacles. Sony's signature variable frame rate animation allows characters to strike exaggerated poses during key moments, making sequences light up with energy. Motion graphics designer Dylan Casano developed "impact cards" that replicate 1990s basketball card esthetics, complete with gold foil, holographic printing, and visible wear-and-tear on screen. Each character receives custom patterns, shines, and statistical displays that evolve throughout the film. Will's rookie card shows low stats in his first game, while his professional card later features higher numbers and streamlined Thorns branding with fire effects. Consequently, these moments feel like legendary plays being printed in real time, creating collectors' moments worth immortalizing.

Art Direction and Design Choices

Character designs draw heavily from ancient African sculpture, favoring faceted, sculptural surfaces that interact dynamically with lighting. The backgrounds employ a watercolor, impressionistic esthetic inspired by painters like John Singer Sargent, Cézanne, Nicolai Fechin, and Richard Schmid. Rather than using blurred backgrounds, the team implemented atmospheric perspective with haze and fog to describe distance while keeping everything in focus. The jungle-metropolis setting mashes New Yorkian architecture with dense Amazon esthetics, creating a sandbox for remarkably distinct concepts. Lighting cues came from Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone, while the overall texture maintains a live-action vibe rather than cartoony feel. Detail concentrates in the animals' fur, while clothing and environments remain more painterly, directing viewer focus intentionally.

Themes, Messages, and Emotional Depth

Beyond the flashy roarball sequences and animated animal athletes, the GOAT movie delivers emotional weight through themes that resonate with audiences of all ages. The filmmakers crafted a story about more than just sports, weaving messages about identity, community, and resilience throughout Will's journey.

Teamwork and Community Support

Will's tenacity brings the Thorns together despite initial resistance from his teammates. His honest openness helps everyone understand each other better, transforming them into a close-knit unit. Jett's transformation proves particularly powerful. She admits near season's end that winning the Claw mattered less than how she achieved it, stating that team play gave her a change of heart. Ultimately, she sacrifices personal glory for her teammates.

The community's role extends beyond the court. Will grew up supported by his neighborhood after losing his mother. When Jett visits Whisker's diner, she encounters friends who genuinely love Will and shower her with praise. That moment shifts her perspective entirely. The film explores how teams unite people, showing franchises represent more than wins and losses. The Thorns' chant "roots run deep" captures this communal bond.

Size Doesn't Define Success

Stephen Curry's involvement stems from personal experience. He heard repeatedly what he couldn't do, that he wasn't big enough or fast enough. Will's journey mirrors Curry's real NBA path as someone dismissed for physical limitations. The film promotes radical self-acceptance, showing Will doesn't need to get bigger but must focus on his unique attributes. Gabrielle Union emphasizes that heroes don't need to be cookie-cutter figures, noting young audiences can find greatness in unexpected places.

Parent-Child Bond and Loss

Will's mother sacrificed money they didn't have to take him to Thorns games, establishing their deep love. She encouraged him to dream big and believe he could change the game. Though her death came from what appears to be a protracted disease, her influence drives Will's perseverance. Sweet, emotional moments throughout the film show Will remembering her encouragement.

Dreams and Perseverance

Union declares that anyone capable of amazing things needs only a chance and encouragement. The film warns against letting others project their limits onto you, ending dreams before they start. Will perseveres through every trial, lifting those around him while standing up for what's right. The message cuts through: true strength builds upon hard work, humility, shared values, and family love.

Content Concerns and Age Appropriateness

Parents researching the GOAT movie review will find reassurance in its PG rating, assigned for some rude humor and brief mild language. The content remains surprisingly tame compared to many animated features, making it accessible for family viewing.

Violence and Sports Action

Roarball's physical nature means Will gets thumped around by larger opponents throughout the film. Some stadiums feature dangerous terrain including magma and falling rocks, with one sequence showing stalactites randomly dropping and cutting a mascot suit in half. Larger animals like the Clydesdale horse, scar-ravaged grizzly bear, and even temperamental black panther Jett could appear threatening to sensitive viewers from a smaller animal's perspective. One player breaks his ankle during gameplay, while Jett steps in lava and limps afterward. In spite of these moments, the violence stays within typical sports movie boundaries without gore.

Language and Humor

The GOAT animated movie includes a couple instances of the word "suck" and uses "Oh, sheep" instead of stronger profanity. There's a single term of deity and mild insults scattered throughout. Toilet humor appears frequently: Will gets sprayed with toilet water, farts are weaponized, Modo wipes his crotch with a towel and tosses it at Will, and Archie's daughters pass gas into the coach's CPAP mask.

Product Placement

Several brands appear without animal-world disguises, including PlayStation 5, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Under Armor, and DoorDash. These logos linger on screen like tie-in commercials. The film leans heavily on social media as a plot device, with Will's viral video and a diss track serving as key story points.

Recommended Age Rating

The sweet spot sits around 6 or 7 to preteen. Kids in this range can grasp Will's struggle with being small while understanding how differences make us stronger. Obviously, younger children will enjoy the action sequences even if thematic nuances escape them.

Conclusion

All things considered, the GOAT movie delivers exactly what it promises: an entertaining sports story with heart. Stephen Curry's animated debut combines impressive Sony Pictures Imageworks animation with meaningful messages about teamwork and perseverance that resonate beyond the roarball court.

The strong voice performances from Caleb McLaughlin and Gabrielle Union, paired with dynamic basketball sequences, make this worth your time. Parents can feel confident bringing kids ages 6 and up to experience Will's underdog journey.

If you're looking for a family-friendly animated film that celebrates differences while delivering genuine sports action, GOAT earns its spot on your watchlist. The film proves that heroes come in all sizes.