Sequel Announced for One of the Year’s Best Animated Films

Important Highlights

A sequel to The Wild Robot is officially in the works after the success of the original film.

The narrative for the sequel is anticipated to draw from Peter Brown’s novel, The Wild Robot Escapes.

2024 is shaping up to be an extraordinary year for animated features, with prominent titles like Pixar’s Inside Out 2 and the return of the Transformers in Transformers One. Most recently, DreamWorks has confirmed another anticipated animated film for 2024— a sequel to The Wild Robot, following its impressive debut.

Based on Peter Brown’s acclaimed novel, The Wild Robot, and helmed by director Chris Sanders (notable for Lilo & Stitch), this DreamWorks project soared to critical acclaim, joining the ranks of beloved animated classics such as Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, and Kung Fu Panda. The film chronicles the journey of Roz, a resourceful robot stranded in the wilderness who learns to adapt to her new environment while assisting local animals, forming a strong bond with a lost gosling. The voice cast features Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, alongside Kit Connor from Heartstopper as Brightbill, Pedro Pascal from The Last of Us as Fink, and Mark Hamill as Cactus.

As it stands, The Wild Robot is on track to expand into a franchise for DreamWorks. In remarks made during Deadline Contenders, Sanders affirmed, “100% yes, there are absolutely plans for a second one.” While he refrained from sharing specific details regarding the current development status or potential cast, he had previously expressed his enthusiasm for a sequel in an interview with NBC, stating, “This was a labor of love for everyone at the studio, and yes, I’d love to remain in this world for a while.”

“100% yes, there are absolutely plans for a second one.”

The announcement of a sequel isn’t surprising, considering the significant success of The Wild Robot, which has amassed nearly $150 million globally thus far. It is even being considered for Best Animated Feature at the next Academy Awards. The movie has consistently held a 98% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, matched by a similar audience score on Popcornmeter, indicating a stellar reception.

Continuing the narrative from Peter Brown’s novels seems like a fitting path for the sequel. Brown has penned three installments in The Wild Robot series, including:

The Wild Robot (2016)
The Wild Robot Escapes (2018)
The Wild Robot Protects (2023)

The initial film adapts the events from Brown’s first book, making The Wild Robot Escapes a prime candidate for the sequel’s storyline. This book explores Roz’s return to the robot factory and her struggles to integrate into human society after her life in the wilderness. As she endures farm life, Roz dreams of escaping back to find her son, Brightbill, on the island. The conclusion of the original film offers a cliffhanger involving Brightbill and Roz, which will be resolved in the upcoming sequel. Interestingly, The Wild Robot Escapes has garnered even higher ratings than the first book on Goodreads, suggesting that the sequel could surpass the original film in quality.

The Wild Robot is currently in theaters.

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