Aardman Announce New Wallace and Gromit Film, Chicken Run 2 Details
Netflix has forged relationships with many of animation's top talents, both established names and emerging names. So now the streaming giant has quite an impressive catalogue of animation, and much more still to come. One studio that has recently partnered with them over recent years is the UK's most successful animation studio Aardman Animation.
In late 2021 Netflix released two new specials from the studio- Robin Robin and Shaun The Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas (except in the UK, where it was shown on the BBC). This wasn't their first collaboration: Aardman also made original series Shaun The Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom for Netflix, while sequel film Farmageddon went to Netflix in the US (it was released theatrically in the UK and many other countries).
Aardman's 2000 feature debut Chicken Run is still the highest-grossing stop-motion film in US box-office history, so it was big news when it was announced that a sequel would be coming to Netflix. More than 20 years after the original, We've been waiting for more news on the second film for quite some time, and Netflix is finally ready to spill some more details.
The sequel will be going by the name of Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget, and it will be coming to Netflix globally in 2023. Discussing the film, Netflix says "Like its 2000 predecessor, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is a comedy action-adventure. When your heroes have to summon up all their resources to break into an impenetrable fortress, and those heroes are chickens, then comedy is deep in its DNA. But there’s also a very moving family story at its heart. "
The sequel has already ruffled feathers when it emerged that original star Julia Sawalha would not be returning. It was expected that her original co-star Mel Gibson would be probably not be invited back due to his toxic image, but many fans were upset that Ginger's voice actor was also getting the boot. Stepping into the role will be Westworld and Line Of Duty star Thandiwe Newton, while Shazam and Tangled's Zachary Levi will be playing Rocky, the American Rooster. Bella Ramsey will voice new character Molly, Ginger and Rocky's headstrong daughter.
Good news for original fans is that Jane Horrocks (Babs) Imelda Staunton (Bunty) and Lynn Ferguson (Mac) will be reprising their roles. Joining the flock for the sequel are newcomers Josie Sedgwick-Davies (Frizzle), David Bradley (Fowler), Romesh Ranganathan (Nick), Daniel Mays (Fetcher) and Nick Mohammed (Dr. Fry). The film is being directed by Sam Fell, director of ParaNorman and Flushed Away and production is underway. The screenplay is written by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell and Rachel Tunnard.
Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!
Meanwhile, Aardman's most iconic duo Wallace and Gromit are also returning in a brand new film. It will launch on Netflix everywhere except the UK where it will debut on the BBC, before coming to Netflix later, Original creator Nick Park is directing, alongside Melin Crossingham (Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon), with Mark Burton penning the script, The currently untitled film is due in 2024.
This will be the first full adventure featuring the two since 2008's A Matter Of Loaf and Death, and since the death of original voice actor Peter Sallis in 2017.
The announcement isn't clear on the format of the film- will it be another 30-minute special, or will it be Wallace and Gromit's second feature? It's tempting to think they would probably describe it as a special if that was it was, but it remains to be seen. Either way, a new Wallace and Gromit film is very exciting indeed.
Gromit’s concern that Wallace has become over-dependant on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart gnome” that seems to develop a mind of its own...As events spiral out of control, it falls to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces - or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
