Aardman, studio of Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit, faces clay shortage; understand

One of the most renowned stop-motion animation studios in the world is about to run out of material to continue its work. In an article in the Telegraph, the Aardmanresponsible for Chicken Run, revealed that due to their supplier closing, they only have clay for one more film.

Since its founding, Aardman has used a material called Lewis Newplast, whose name is based on the art teacher who created it, due to its ease of molding and heat resistance. In March of this year, however, the only factory for this special clay in the world closed. Aardman then bought all the stock, but only has enough to make the next Wallace & Gromitannounced for 2024.

Aardman then depends on either the emergence of a material good enough to replace Lewis Newsplast, or another manufacturer emerging.

UPDATE: Aardman issued a statement to reassure fans and reveal that it is moving towards using new material. Read here.

This year, Aardman is releasing its ninth stop-motion animation feature film, Chicken Run 2: The Nuggets Menacea sequel to the studio’s first film, released in 2000 and still the highest-grossing stop-motion film ever made.

Sam Fell drives, with Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi It is Bella Ramsey in the main cast. Peter Lord, Carla Shelley It is Karey Kirkpatrick are the producers.

The first Chicken Run, released in 2000, followed a group of chickens, including the protagonists Rocky and Gigner, trying to escape certain death in the chicken coop by learning to fly. In the sequel, they will have a daughter – Molly – and will face a new threat; They need to invade a chicken farm to save other chickens from becoming, of course, nuggets.

Chicken Run 2: The Nuggets Menace premieres December 15th on Netflix.

Also in 2023, Aardman made, in stop-motion, one of the episodes of the second season of Star Wars Visionsan animated series where each episode is made by a different studio.