The Wild Robot

The Wild Robot is a 2024 American animated science fiction film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. Based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Peter Brown, it was written for the screen and directed by Chris Sanders and features the voices of Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, Mark Hamill, and Catherine O'Hara. The film follows Roz (Nyong'o), a service robot shipwrecked on an uninhabited island who must adapt to its surroundings, build relationships with the local wildlife, and become the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose, Brightbill (Connor). DreamWorks Animation bought the screenplay before the first novel's release in 2016. Sanders first encountered the original book through his daughter and was offered an opportunity to direct a film adaptation at DreamWorks. The film's visuals use a watercolor aesthetic, inspired by classic Disney animated films and the works of Hayao Miyazaki. Kris Bowers composed the score, marking his first score for a fully animated film. Development took four years on a budget of $78 million. The Wild Robot premiered at the 49th Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2024, and was released in the United States on September 27. The film was praised for its story, themes, animation, score, emotional depth, and voice acting. It was also a commercial success, grossing $333.8 million worldwide. Among its accolades, the film received nine Annie Awards (including Best Animated Feature), won Best Animated Feature at the Critics' Choice Awards and Producers Guild of America Awards, and was nominated for three Academy Awards, becoming DreamWorks' most-nominated film at the latter ceremony. A sequel is in development.