Aardman's 'Robin Robin' Trailer Will Charm Your Socks Off
Stop-motion and holiday specials are two things that go together like cookies and milk, the holly and the ivy or Wallace and Gromit. And while we would rather not be talking about the C-word of the merry variety this side of Halloween, Netflix has other ideas. They have just given us all an early gift... the full trailer for Robin Robin, the new special from Aardman Animation.
Aardman's TV specials have brought them several Academy Awards for Best Animated Short. The four Wallace And Gromit films (not counting the DreamWorks funded feature film) in particular have become a staple of the British television schedule virtually every holiday. Although they may have all premiered at Christmas, none of them were specifically festive-themed, so were suitable for screening year round. Robin Robin on the other hand, is fully festive. The special was supposed to arrive last year, but stop-motion was one of the parts of the animation industry most impacted by Covid.
The 30-minute film features a robin who was raised by a family of mice, after her egg rolls into a rubbish dump. As she grows up, it becomes ever clearer she is not like the rest of the family- and she decides to mount the ultimate heist to prove she's a real mouse- only to truly find who she is in the process.
Robin Robin marks a new era for Aardman. Directors Mikey Please and Dan Ojari are newcomers to the studio, although they have both separately helmed award-winning shorts. The impact of these fresh voices is apparent in the new trailer straight away, as shown in the visual style. It breaks with Aardman's usual house style (which is essentially the style of their superstar animator Nick Park) for something new. Gone are the big goofy grins and googly eyes seen in the majority of their past shorts and features. Instead, Robin has a more handmade than ever look, to the point it could almost be a reaction to the slick, barely distinguishable from CGI style of LAIKA. The textures make it look like the film is made with childrens' soft toys brought to life. It looks like it could be as likely be from a freshly uncovered forgotten classic children's TV series than be something made today.
Not only is the look different, but it also appears that the tone is unlike other Aardman works. The studio's films tend to have a very particular, very British sense of humour- heavy on puns and sight-gags. While there are jokes here, it definitely feels more like earnestly wholesome family entertainment. This is backed up by the few snatches we hear of the special's songs (because this is a musical). Robin Robin stars the voices of Gillian Anderson, Richard E Grant, Bronte Carmichael and Adeel Akhtar.
It all looks incredibly charming and cute- Robin's look, complete with fake mouse ears is sure to melt hearts. You'll get to see it in all its glory when it arrives on Netflix everywhere on November 24. Check out the trailer for Robin Robin, below.
Aardman will also debut a second special, Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas in December. The latest outing for their most successful character will screen over Christmas on the BBC for UK audiences and will be available via Netflix for customers in the US, Canada, Latin America and select other territories.
