If we had a nickel for every time an animated robot made us cry, The Wild Robot would give us 15 cents and a lot of emotions. We’ve seen a giant robot learn about love in The Iron Giant.
We’ve watched a small robot save the planet in Wall-E. Now, a medium-sized robot is going to do both in The Wild Robot—the newest movie from DreamWorks Animation and well-known filmmaker Chris Sanders.
Set in the near future, The Wild Robot tells the story of Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), a hopeful robot who gets lost at sea during a huge storm.
Roz has never seen the world beyond the crate she was stored in. She wakes up on a remote island where no humans live.
She wants to help the animals on the island, but she struggles to adjust to this new place. Even though most animals reject her, Roz finds her purpose when she becomes the caretaker of a young gosling named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor).
As The Wild Robot is set to release around DreamWorks’ 30th anniversary, the film carries high expectations for the well-regarded animation studio.
With the emotional and beautiful journey that the film promises, the excitement seems justified.
To find out when you can watch this big DreamWorks release and to know more about the cast, trailer, release date, and other details, here is everything we know so far about The Wild Robot.
When Is The Wild Robot Coming Out?
Roz’s journey to save her new home begins when The Wild Robot hits theaters on Friday, September 27, 2024.
The movie will arrive one week after the release of the animated prequel Transformers One and one week before the DC anti-hero movie Joker: Folie à Deux.
It will also open on the same day as Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis and the biographical drama Lee starring Kate Winslet.
The Wild Robot made its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, premiering alongside other highly anticipated films such as Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night and John Crowley’s We Live in Time.
Where Can You Watch The Wild Robot?
The Wild Robot will be released exclusively in theaters in September. It will be the second DreamWorks movie to release in theaters this year, following the huge success of Kung Fu Panda 4. As for streaming, it is likely that the movie will come to NBC Universal’s platform, Peacock, later on.
Does The Wild Robot Have a Trailer?
The first trailer for The Wild Robot shows off the beautiful visuals and unique style of the film. In it, we see Roz slowly adjusting to her new environment.
She goes from being a strange, feared creature to a beloved protector. However, as with all things we grow attached to, heartbreak is inevitable. This is especially true for Roz when she must say goodbye to Brightbill.
The second trailer gives us a better understanding of the plot and showcases the voice acting. As Roz tries to adapt to the wild, she learns to communicate with the animals by studying their behavior and learning their languages.
When she starts to become part of the community, another robot named Vontra (voiced by Stephanie Hsu) arrives, determined to bring Roz back home by any means necessary.
The third and final trailer, released by Universal on September 10, 2024, doesn’t reveal much more about the story but begins with clips from two other popular DreamWorks movies, How To Train Your Dragon and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
Who Stars in The Wild Robot?
The talented cast of The Wild Robot is led by Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong’o, who voices Roz.
Nyong’o won an Oscar for her powerful role in 12 Years a Slave and has since appeared in major films like Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Black Panther. She recently starred in A Quiet Place: Day One.
The impressive cast also includes:
- Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian) as Fink
- Catherine O’Hara (Beetlejuice) as Pinktail
- Bill Nighy (Pirates of the Caribbean) as Longneck
- Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) as Vontra
- Kit Connor (Heartstopper) as Brightbill
- Alexandra Novelle (Batwheels) as Snowdown
- Paul-Mikél Williams (Jurassic World: Chaos Theory) as Feather
- Matt Berry (Fallout) as Paddler
- Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible) as Thunderbolt
- Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Thorn
What Is The Wild Robot About?
The official plot description for The Wild Robot is as follows:
The story follows a robot named ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz” for short. After being shipwrecked on a deserted island, Roz must learn how to survive in a tough environment.
She slowly builds relationships with the animals on the island and becomes the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling.
Who Is Making The Wild Robot?
The film is directed by Chris Sanders, a name well-known among animation fans. Sanders created Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Croods. Many consider him one of the best in the industry.
The Wild Robot is Sanders’ first film with DreamWorks in over ten years, adding to the excitement for the movie. The score is composed by Academy Award-winner Kris Bowers (The Last Repair Shop), marking his first time scoring a fully animated feature.
When Did The Wild Robot Start Production?
The Wild Robot was officially announced in 2023, but both Chris Sanders and Lupita Nyong’o have confirmed that they have been working on the project for three years now.
