By Gavin Boyle
Legendary stop-motion studio Aardman announced it will release a new SHAUN THE SHEEP movie this Halloween in collaboration with GKIDS and Sky Cinema.
“We are so excited!” said GKIDS’ founder and CEO Eric Beckman. “I have been an Aardman super-fan since the earliest days of the studio, from the Academy Award-winning CREATURE COMFORTS and original WALLACE & GROMIT shorts, through REX THE RUNT, CHICKEN RUN, WALLACE & GROMIT: THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, and, of course, the beloved SHAUN THE SHEEP. For decades, Aardman has forged a unique place in the hearts of fans by infusing so much love, humor, and humanity into the hand-crafted art of stop-motion. Aardman is absolutely one-of-a-kind, and we could not be more thrilled to be working together at long last.”
Related: SHAUN THE SHEEP Celebrates 26 Years of Family-Friendly Fun
“We have been longtime friends and fans of GKIDS. Their unparalleled track record in bringing acclaimed international animation to American audiences makes them an ideal partner for us, and we are excited to be working together to bring SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM to American audiences this Halloween!” added Aardman MD Sean Clarke.
SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM was first revealed to be in the works last May but had yet to receive a distributor outside of the U.K. before the partnership with Sky Cinema.
“SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM sees the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm looking forward to Halloween – until the clumsy Farmer trashes the flock’s beloved pumpkin patch!” a synopsis of the movie reads. “When Shaun turns mad scientist to fix the problem, things rapidly spiral out of control… With The Farmer missing and a wild beast roaming the woods of Mossingham, all the ingredients are in place for a monstrously fun family adventure.”
Aardman has seen a revival of interest in its most popular franchises in recent years, as it has started to release new stories. CHICKEN RUN received a sequel in October 2023, while a new WALLACE & GROMIT movie released last year. Despite all the advancements in technology that have occurred since the studio first launched, it remains faithful to its iconic stop-motion style, as well as its family-friendly storytelling. A portion of Movieguide®’s review of the most recent WALLACE & GROMIT movie reads:
WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL combines many classic detective story elements in a very funny, entertaining way. A chase scene seems adapted from the last MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movie. Other elements resemble the GET SMART television series, Agatha Christie and other wonderful crime stories. There’s no crude content. The violence is comical cartoon slapstick violence and pretty funny. WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL is too scary for younger children. However, it has a strong moral worldview. Love triumphs over evil. Also, the pitfalls and advantages of technology are handled in an inspired, hilarious manner.
Hopefully the upcoming SHAUN THE SHEEP movie will be appropriate for families as well, especially given that it is set during Halloween which means it may make light of dangerous subjects such as the occult. SHAUN THE SHEEP: THE BEAST OF MOSSY BOTTOM is set to release next Halloween.
Read Next: Why WALLACE & GROMIT Filmmakers Are Hooked on Stop-Motion
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