DreamWorks’ sequel to The Wild Robot is greenlit, with Chris Sanders set to direct

In what can only be great news for fans of animated films, DreamWorks’ latest sci-fi adventure has officially been given the green light for a sequel. Director Chris Sanders confirmed the exciting news The wild robot gets another film at Deadline Contenders, saying, “100% yes, there are absolutely plans for a second one.” The update marks a welcome evolution of the project, which wowed both critics and audiences when it hit theaters on September 27th Now it’s heading to VOD on October 18th.

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

Inspired by Peter Brown’s award-winning children’s novel of the same name, The wild robot tells the story of a robot named ROZZUM, nicknamed “Roz,” who is shipwrecked on a remote island. She is forced to navigate her new surroundings, adapt to the wilderness and try to make friends with the island’s locals. Roz also develops a motherly bond with an orphaned gosling and names him Brightbill. Praised for his exploration of themes of friendship and survival, The wild robot features an incredibly talented voice cast that includes Lupita Nyong’o as Roz and Kit Connor as Brightbill alongside Pedro Pascal, Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill, Catherine O’Hara, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry and Ving Rhames.

Long before it was officially confirmed, director Chris Sanders had hinted that Roz’s journey was far from over and that he would like to stick around to learn more about her perspective with the team he has built. During a conversation with NBC Insider, he was asked about the possibility of returning for a sequel, to which he replied:

“I would love to do that. I think the entire crew really, really brought themselves to this film in a way that I’ve never seen before, myself included. This was a labor of love for everyone in the studio, and yes, I think I would like to stay here for a while.”

“The Wild Robot” continues DreamWorks Animation’s successful streak

Over the past few decades, DreamWorks Animation has made a name for itself by taking inspiration from popular children’s novels and turning them into box office hits. The innovative animations used to bring the vibrant worlds to life continue to captivate fans around the world. The wild robotfor example, uses a hand-painted aesthetic inspired by both classic Disney films and the works of Hayao Miyazaki.

Commercially, the studio has produced highly profitable franchises in the past. Lilo and Stitch, How to train your dragonAnd The Croodswhich were actually all directed by Chris Sanders, not only made a huge commercial splash by grossing $273 million, $494 million and $587 million respectively, but also made room for a sequel. Sanders didn’t direct these sequels, but his vision is currently focused on making them happen The wild robot a lasting success.

Speaking of which, The wild robot has followed in the footsteps of its predecessors and is already delivering strong box office results. In its opening weekend, the film recouped half of its production budget, grossing $35 million versus $78 million. As of October 11, it had grossed a total of $148.5 million. The film is even making a splash on Rotten Tomatoes, receiving a Certified Fresh rating of 98% from 178 reviews.

Looking forward, there are two more books in Robert Brown’s trilogy that Sanders can adapt from. Both The wild robot escapes And The wild robot protects could provide ample source material to make the film an emotionally satisfying and equally adventurous continuation of Roz’s journey as she evolves and faces new challenges. With Sanders as director, the sequel will definitely be just as good.