Another Universal Pictures release calendar date for next year has been claimed, with the news that DreamWorks Animation adaptation The Wild Robot — helmed by three-time Oscar nominee Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, Lilo & Stitch) — will hit theaters on September 20, 2024. The pic is based on Peter Brown’s 2016 illustrated middle-grade novel, which won a Caldecott Honor and hit No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
Here’s how DreamWorks describes the project, as revealed in the movie’s September announcement:
When Rozzum 7134 (“Roz” for short), a robot designed for a futuristic urban world, finds herself washed ashore on a deserted island, a tale of survival and discovery begins when she becomes the unexpected protector to an orphaned gosling, which she names Brightbill. Together they struggle to survive the harsh environment, but only succeed with the help of a close-knit group of misfit animals, who become first friends, then family. Ultimately Roz and company save the island from a robotic invasion by Roz’s manufacturer, looking to bring her back to civilization by any means necessary. In the process she becomes something much more than she was programmed to be, a ‘wild robot.’
With themes of overcoming one’s pre-programmed ‘destiny,’ embracing life and parenthood, the film “celebrates what it means to be wild and alive, and how cooperation is the key to survival in a harsh world.”
Sanders directs from a screenplay he adapted from Brown’s book, reuniting with Dean DeBlois (How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch) and teaming up with Jeff Hermann (The Boss Baby: Family Business, Kung Fu Panda 3) as producers. The core creative team also includes production designer Raymond Zibach (Kung Fu Panda 1, 2 and 3), head of story Heidi Jo Gilbert (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Croods: A New Age) and editor Mary Blee (The Boss Baby: Family Business, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World).
Check out Animation Magazine’s recent guide to 30 New Animated Movies to Track in 2024 for more reasons to stay tooned throughout the new year!
