The Wild Robot

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The Wild Robot
The Wild Robot poster.jpg
Teaser poster
Directed by Chris Sanders
Written byChris Sanders
Based onThe Wild Robot
by Peter Brown
Produced byJeff Hermann
Starring
Edited byMary Blee
Music by Kris Bowers
Production
company
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date
  • September 27, 2024 (2024-09-27)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Wild Robot is an upcoming American animated epic science fiction survival adventure film based on the book series of the same name by Peter Brown, produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. The film was written and directed by Chris Sanders, produced by Jeff Hermann, and executive-produced by Sanders' longtime collaborative partner Dean DeBlois. It stars Lupita Nyong'o as Roz, the title character, alongside an ensemble voice cast including Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O'Hara.

Contents

DreamWorks announced an animated film adaptation of the book series The Wild Robot in September 2023, with Sanders, Hermann, and DeBlois attached. Sanders took inspiration from Disney animated classic films and the works of Hayao Miyazaki. It would be the final film to be animated entirely in-house at DreamWorks, as it was reported in October 2023 that the studio would be shifting away from producing films in-house to relying more heavily on outside studios after 2024. Kris Bowers would compose the film's score. 

The Wild Robot is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on September 27, 2024.

Premise

The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot—ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short — that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.

— DreamWorks Animation [1]

Voice cast

Additionally, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames have been cast in undisclosed roles. [2]

Production

Development

On September 28, 2023, DreamWorks Animation announced an animated film adaptation of the book series The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, with Chris Sanders set to write and direct, Jeff Hermann set to produce, and Sanders' longtime creative collaborator Dean DeBlois set to serve as executive producer. Other crew members were revealed, including production designer Raymond Zibach, editor Mary Blee, and head of story Heidi Jo Gilbert. [3]

Casting

On March 5, 2024, with the release of the film's first trailer, Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames were announced to be starring in the film. [2] [4]

Animation and design

At CinemaCon 2024 in April, Sanders says he took inspiration from Disney classic animated movies and the works of Hayao Miyazaki, resulting in a stylized CG visual style that he described as "a Monet painting in a Miyazaki forest". [5] [6]

The Wild Robot would be the final film to be animated entirely in-house at DreamWorks, as Cartoon Brew reported on October 6, 2023 that the studio would be shifting away from producing films in-house in their Glendale campus to relying more heavily on outside studios after 2024. [7]

Music

Kris Bowers would compose the film's score, marking his first score for an animated film. [8]

Marketing

The first trailer for the film, featuring a rendition of Reuben and the Dark's cover of "What a Wonderful World", and poster, were released on March 5, 2024. [9] The trailer would debut in theaters three days later in front of the screenings of Kung Fu Panda 4 . [10] Writing for Polygon , Tasha Robinson compared the design of Roz to familiar film robots such as BB-8, WALL-E, Baymax, and The Iron Giant, and notes that the only words spoken in the trailer - "Sometimes to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be" - evoked the message of The Iron Giant (1999). [11]

Release

The Wild Robot is scheduled to be released on September 27, 2024. [12] It was previously scheduled for September 20 of that year, [13] but was pushed back a week later to avoid competition with Paramount Animation's Transformers One . [12]

As part of Universal's deal with Netflix, the film will stream on Peacock for the first four months of the pay-TV window, before moving to Netflix for the next ten, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four. [14] [15]

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References

  1. ↑ "The Wild Robot". DreamWorks Animation . Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Reul, Katie (March 5, 2024). "The Wild Robot, Animated Film Starring Lupita Nyong'o and Pedro Pascal, Gets Gorgeous First Trailer". IGN . Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ Taylor, Drew (September 28, 2023). "Director Chris Sanders Returns to DreamWorks Animation With 'The Wild Robot' (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ Franklin, Garth (March 5, 2024). "First Trailer: The Wild "Robot"". Dark Horizons. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  5. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 10, 2024). "DreamWorks Previews 'The Wild Robot' Unfinished Footage: 'A Monet Painting in a Miyazaki Forest'". Variety . Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  6. ↑ "CinemaCon: Universal Reveals Unfinished The Wild Robot Footage from DreamWorks, Sneak Peek at Despicable Me 4". Animation Magazine. April 10, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ Amidi, Amid (October 6, 2023). "Dreamworks Shifting Away From In-House Production In Los Angeles; Sony Imageworks Is A New Production Partner". Cartoon Brew . Archived from the original on November 20, 2023. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ Music Reporter, Film (March 5, 2024). "Kris Bowers to Score Chris Sanders' 'The Wild Robot'". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  9. ↑ Lang, Jamie (March 5, 2024). "Watch The First Trailer For Chris Sanders' Upcoming Dreamworks Feature 'The Wild Robot'". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Watch the beautiful trailer for The Wild Robot".
  11. ↑ Robinson, Tasha (March 5, 2024). "DreamWorks' new movie The Wild Robot blends Star Wars, The Iron Giant, and more". Polygon. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  12. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 23, 2024). "DreamWorks Animation's 'The Wild Robot' Will Go One Week Later In The Fall". Deadline. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 19, 2023). "DreamWorks Animation's 'The Wild Robot' To Bring Life To Early Fall 2024 Box Office". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  14. ↑ Hayes, Dade (December 9, 2021). "NBCUniversal's New Theatrical Window Scheme To Bring Films To Peacock After As Few As 45 Days Of Release". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on December 9, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  15. ↑ Moon, Mariella (July 14, 2021). "Netflix extends exclusive rights to Universal's animated films in the US". Engadget . Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
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