Los Angeles, CA – California-based distribution company Deaf Crocodile and Brooklyn-based animation studio Cartuna have jointly acquired the North American distribution rights to Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2002 cult anime film Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space. This acquisition marks the first official collaboration between the two companies, both known for their work in genre-bending animation and cult cinema. The film is slated for a theatrical release in North America in 2026, following its world premiere at Montréal’s Fantasia International Film Festival this summer.
The Return of Tamala: A Cyber-Noir Adventure
Tamala 2030: A Punk Cat in Dark is described as a psychedelic cyber-noir adventure. The film continues the saga of the chain-smoking feline Tamala and her detective partner Michelangelo as they delve into a series of strange disappearances across Cat Japan. Their investigation leads them into occult conspiracies, cosmic prophecies, and the dark corridors of Catty & Co., the shadowy corporation from the original film. The co-directing team, K. and kuno, collectively known as t.o.L, return to write, direct, and score the film.
Dennis Bartok, co-founder of Deaf Crocodile, expressed his long-standing admiration for t.o.L’s animation, stating he has been a “huge fan” since the original Tamala 2010, which Deaf Crocodile re-released last year. Fellow co-founder Craig Rogers added, “We fell in love with Tamala as soon as we met her. It took 23 years, but to quote the sassy cat herself, ‘Another f*cking day is about to begin.’ Let’s do this.”
James Belfer, founder and CEO of Cartuna, echoed the enthusiasm, remarking, “Tamala is back, and she’s weirder, wiser, and more dangerous than ever.” He further noted that Tamala 2030 is “a gorgeous, mystifying, mind-bending piece of work” and “a cosmic escalation of everything that made Tamala 2010 a cult favorite.”
Themes and Influences
The narrative of Tamala 2030 picks up the existential thread of its iconic feline anti-hero. Set in Cat Tokyo in the year 2030, the film follows the incorrigible Tamala as she impulsively joins Michelangelo in investigating bizarre disappearances. The deeper the mystery unravels, the more it suggests Tamala could be a messiah, a myth, or even “the end of everything.”
Inspired in part by the sudden disappearance of loved ones during the COVID pandemic, Tamala 2030 is a “kaleidoscope of surreal satire, pop iconography and mind-bending narrative fragments.” It fuses influences from renowned figures such as Philip K. Dick, David Lynch, and Thomas Pynchon with the aesthetics of Hello Kitty and post-internet paranoia, resulting in a “visually and philosophically radical experience.”
The Distributors: Deaf Crocodile and Cartuna
Deaf Crocodile’s Growing Catalog
Deaf Crocodile, a California-based distribution company, has a focus on new, independent, lost/unseen, and world cinema, including animation. They have previously released a range of distinctive films such as The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians, Visitors From the Arkana Galaxy, and Zerograd. The company released Tamala 2010: A Punk Cat in Space on Blu-ray in October 2024, marking its first official English release and Deaf Crocodile’s first anime license.
Cartuna’s Animation Expertise
Cartuna is a Brooklyn-based animation production company founded in May 2015 by James and Adam Belfer. The company aims to fill a perceived gap in the market for adult animation targeted at digital and mobile audiences. Cartuna has produced animated TV shows for platforms like Syfy, Comedy Central, and Facebook Watch. In 2024, Cartuna launched a Blu-ray distribution label, and in 2025, they made their first all-rights acquisition with Dead Lover. This collaboration with Deaf Crocodile for Tamala 2030 further expands their theatrical distribution slate.
The joint acquisition underscores both companies’ commitment to bringing unique and challenging animated works to North American audiences. The anticipation for Tamala 2030 among fans of the original and cult cinema enthusiasts is high, setting the stage for its theatrical debut in 2026.
