In the summer of 2000, Aardman, the British stop-motion animation pioneers, released their first feature film, Chicken Run. The film, directed by Aardman co-founder Peter Lord and Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, became a cinema classic and the most successful stop-motion animated feature of all time. It earned over $227 million and held this record for years. Despite not being nominated for an Oscar at the time due to the nonexistence of the Best Animated Feature category, Chicken Run’s absence from the awards led to the category’s introduction the following year.
Now, almost twenty years later, a Chicken Run sequel is ready to make its debut. Titled Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the film is set to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. The sequel follows the adventures of the beloved characters, led by Ginger (previously voiced by Julia Sawalha) and Rocky (previously voiced by Mel Gibson), as they infiltrate a chicken nugget-making factory controlled by Mrs. Tweedy, who has transformed into a chic ’60s-era Bond villain and fast food mastermind. Thandiwe Newton and Zachary Levi replace Sawalha and Gibson, respectively. In addition, Bella Ramsey voices the couple’s plucky daughter, Molly.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is directed by Sam Fell, a longtime Aardman collaborator who has previously directed films like Laika’s ParaNorman and Aardman’s Flushed Away. Fell was also an animator on the first Chicken Run, but his involvement was limited to a single scene. However, he was entrusted with the opportunity to direct the sequel, a prospect that both excited and terrified him given the significance of Chicken Run in Aardman’s history.
When Fell first learned about the sequel in 2017, he met with Peter Lord, who expressed interest in collaborating with him. Among several projects, the next Chicken Run stood out as the “shiny jewel” for Fell. He recognized the importance of the film for Aardman and was drawn to both the fear and desire associated with taking on such a milestone project.
When Fell joined the project, there was already a script draft and some initial artwork. The film was set in the 1960s, a departure from the first film’s 1950s setting, and featured the chickens attempting to break into a factory farm. However, the story underwent significant changes during development, including a shift in focus from a father-son story to Ginger’s character. Fell wanted to explore the next chapter in Ginger’s story, as he viewed her as a strong and ahead-of-her-time hero.
Researching and developing the sequel proved challenging due to the time gap between the two films. Additionally, a fire in 2005 destroyed most of Aardman’s original models and designs. However, Fell and the team used the “making of” book from the first film and some saved materials from the head of animation’s attic to inform their work.
Originally, the film was announced with StudioCanal as the distributor. However, as the project faced creative challenges and the world changed, Netflix became involved. With their understanding of animation and their previous collaboration with Aardman on Robin Robin, Netflix proved to be the perfect partner for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.
The film’s production involved a crew of approximately 350 people, with 45 units working simultaneously at the peak of production. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions, the team successfully completed the film. Even the model chickens had to be quarantined to ensure their safety during the pandemic.
With its highly anticipated premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget promises to deliver another thrilling adventure for audiences. Aardman’s commitment to stop-motion animation, paired with the talented team behind the film, ensures that the sequel will bring joy and entertainment to fans of all ages.
