The Wild Robot: Release date, cast, plot, and everything we know so far
Based on the sci-fi adventure book of the same name by Peter Brow, The Wild Robot is all set to release on September 20, 2024. Much to animated movie enthusiasts' surprise, the film will be produced by DreamWorks Animation, the same production house known for Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and other popular franchises.
With the release of its first official trailer on March 5, 2024, The Wild Robot sent waves across the internet by giving a glimpse at the amazing animation and a sneak peek at the storyline. The movie stars Lupita Nyongo’o as the main character, Roz, the titular wild robot, and an ensemble cast including Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, and more.
Read on to learn more about the film.
Everything to know about The Wild Robot
DreamWorks Animation announced an animated film adaptation of Peter Brown’s book series, The Wild Robot, on September 28, 2023. During the announcement, it was made public that Chris Sanders, widely acclaimed creator of Lilo & Stitch, will be writing and directing the movie, with Jeff Herman as the producer.
Dean DeBlois, the Canadian filmmaker and animator who has been Sanders’’ longtime creative collaborator, will be executively producing the movie. Heidi Jo Gilbert will be the head of the story, Raymond Zibach will take responsibility for production design, and Mary Blee will be the editor.
Here’s how the official synopsis of Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot describes the story:
"When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is all alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is—but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a violent storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants."
It continues:
"As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home—until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her. From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide."
Voice cast
Below is the list of cast and their characters in the film:
- Lupita Nyong'o as Roz
- Pedro Pascal as Fink
- Catherine O'Hara as Pinktail
- Bill Nighy as Longneck
- Kit Connor as Brightbill
- Stephanie Hsu as Vontra
It was later announced that Matt Berry, Mark Hamill, and Ving Rhames would also join the ensemble cast. However, their characters are yet to be revealed.
The Wild Robot animation and music
As per the reports made by Cartoon Brew on October 6, 2023, The Wild Robot will be the final film to be produced fully in-house at its Glendale, California studio. DreamWorks will mostly rely on joint projects where the company is expecting to ‘’reduce production costs by maintaining quality,’ which will be in effect for feature films that will be released in 2025 and beyond.
DreamWorks has already partnered with Sony Pictures Imageworks for Dog Man and an unannounced film. Christopher Bowers, who is acclaimed for composing music for King Richard and The Color Purple, will be providing the official score for The Wild Robot.
Stay tuned for more news and updates on all of the upcoming Dreamworks Animation movies.