Tom Holland’s Spy Movie With Will Smith Just Found a Whole New Audience

Seven years after its theatrical release, Spies in Disguise is finding a whole new audience on Disney+ — and the numbers are hard to ignore. The animated spy comedy, which stars Tom Holland as the voice of a tech genius who accidentally turns a top secret agent into a pigeon, has quietly become one of the platform’s most-watched titles heading into 2026.

It’s the kind of second-life streaming success that studios dream about. A film that had a modest theatrical run is now being rediscovered by families, animation fans, and Tom Holland devotees who somehow missed it the first time around. And given how much Holland’s profile has grown since the film originally dropped in December 2019, that renewed interest makes a lot of sense.

So what exactly is driving people back to this particular movie — and why does it keep showing up in conversations about underrated animated films worth watching?

What Is Spies in Disguise, and Why Did It Fly Under the Radar?

Spies in Disguise was released in December 2019 by Blue Sky Studios, the animation house behind the Ice Age franchise. It’s a buddy comedy at heart — Holland voices Walter Beckett, a brilliant but socially awkward scientist who works for a spy agency. Will Smith voices Lance Sterling, a suave, James Bond-style secret agent. When a case goes sideways and Lance is accidentally transformed into a pigeon, the two very different personalities are forced to work together to save the world.

The premise is genuinely funny and surprisingly clever, which is part of why it’s built such a devoted following over time. But when it hit theaters, it landed in one of the most competitive holiday seasons in recent memory. It was going up against Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker and a packed December slate, which meant it never quite got the attention it deserved at the box office.

Blue Sky Studios was later shut down by Disney in 2021, making Spies in Disguise one of the final films from that studio — which has added a certain nostalgic weight to the movie for animation fans.

Why Tom Holland Fans Are Driving the Disney+ Surge

There’s an obvious through-line here: Tom Holland. Since Spies in Disguise was released, Holland has become one of the most recognizable actors on the planet, largely thanks to his run as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, released in December 2021, became a cultural phenomenon and one of the highest-grossing films ever made. It left Peter Parker’s story at a significant emotional crossroads — the world no longer remembers who he is, setting up a compelling next chapter that fans have been eagerly anticipating ever since.

That level of investment in Holland as a performer naturally pushes curious viewers toward his back catalogue. Spies in Disguise offers something a little different from his live-action work — a chance to hear that recognizable voice in a completely different kind of role, one that’s warmer, funnier, and more openly nerdy than Peter Parker tends to be.

For families discovering the film through their kids, it’s also just a genuinely entertaining watch. The animation is sharp, the action sequences hold up well, and the comedic dynamic between Holland and Smith gives the film real energy.

The Cult-Favorite Effect: How Streaming Changes a Film’s Legacy

Spies in Disguise is a textbook example of a film that streaming has fundamentally rehabilitated. When a movie underperforms at the box office, that used to be more or less the end of the story. Now, a platform like Disney+ gives titles a permanent home where they can be discovered and rediscovered on a viewer’s own timeline.

The “cult favorite” label gets applied loosely, but in this case it fits. The film has a dedicated fanbase that has been championing it for years, and that word-of-mouth enthusiasm — amplified by social media and fan communities — keeps sending new viewers its way.

What This Means for Tom Holland’s Broader Moment

Holland is at an interesting point in his career right now. The next Spider-Man film is one of the most anticipated projects in Hollywood, and audiences are clearly hungry for anything connected to him while they wait. That appetite extends to animated films, voice work, and older projects that newer fans may not have explored yet.

Spies in Disguise benefits directly from that energy. It’s accessible, family-friendly, and short enough that it doesn’t feel like a commitment — exactly the kind of film that gets recommended in comment sections and group chats.

The fact that it’s sitting on Disney+, a platform that tens of millions of households already subscribe to, removes every barrier to entry. You don’t have to rent it, buy it, or track it down. It’s just there, one search away, whenever someone decides tonight is the night they finally watch that pigeon movie everyone keeps mentioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Spies in Disguise about?
It’s an animated spy comedy in which Tom Holland voices a scientist who accidentally transforms a top secret agent, voiced by Will Smith, into a pigeon — forcing the two to team up to save the world.

When was Spies in Disguise released?
The film was released in December 2019 by Blue Sky Studios.

Where can I watch Spies in Disguise right now?
The film is currently available to stream on Disney+.

Why is Spies in Disguise trending again in 2026?
The film has been gaining renewed attention on Disney+, driven in part by Tom Holland’s continued popularity following the success of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Is Blue Sky Studios still making films?
No. Disney shut down Blue Sky Studios in 2021, making Spies in Disguise one of the final films produced by the studio.

Will there be a sequel to Spies in Disguise?
No sequel has been confirmed, and given that Blue Sky Studios has been closed, this has not been announced as a current project.