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The Wild Robot

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The Wild Robot is a 2024 American animated epic science fiction action survival 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, Mark Hamill, Catherine O'Hara, Matt Berry, and Ving Rhames. The film follows Roz (Nyong'o), a service robot shipwrecked on an uninhabited island who must adapt to her surroundings, build relationships with the local wildlife, and become the adoptive mother of an orphaned goose, Brightbill (Connor).

Sanders first encountered the original book through his daughter and years later was offered an opportunity to direct a film adaptation at DreamWorks. The film uses a hand-painted aesthetic, inspired by classic Disney animated films and the works of Hayao Miyazaki. It was the final film to be animated entirely in-house at DreamWorks, as the studio will begin relying heavily on outside vendors for future films. Kris Bowers composed the score, marking his first score for an animated film.

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 received universal praise and has grossed $197.3 million worldwide against a production budget of $78 million. A sequel is in development.

Plot[]

A Universal Dynamics cargo ship loses six all-purpose ROZZUM robots during a storm. The robots wash up on an island uninhabited by humans; only one survives the crash and is accidentally activated by the local wildlife. ROZZUM Unit 7134, later nicknamed "Roz", attempts to advertise her services to the animals but only succeeds in terrifying them and injuring herself. Even after spending several days translating the animals' language, she still cannot find anyone who requires her help. She decides to signal her manufacturers to retrieve her, but gets chased by Thorn, a grizzly bear; while fleeing, she accidentally crushes a goose nest, killing the mother and leaving only a single egg.

After Roz defends the egg from Fink, a hungry fox, it hatches, and the gosling imprints itself onto her and breaks her long-range transponder. Pinktail, a mother opossum, instructs Roz to feed the gosling, teach it to swim and ensure it can fly before the winter migration. Fink realizes he can benefit from Roz and helps her construct a shelter; as the three begin cohabiting, Roz names the gosling Brightbill.

Once Brightbill grows, Roz and Fink start teaching him to swim, and he meets the island's other geese, who mock him for his size and his relationship with the "monster" that killed his family. Angry at having the truth kept from him, Brightbill scorns Roz and leaves. Roz returns to the crash site to learn more about her purpose and replaces her transponder with one from another ROZZUM unit. She decides not to give up on Brightbill and recruits Thunderbolt, a falcon, to teach Brightbill to fly. Roz also receives advice from Longneck, an elderly leader of the goose flock. Brightbill masters flying just as the geese leave for the migration, and he departs with them.

Distraught at Brightbill's absence and unsure of her purpose, Roz reactivates her transponder but shuts it off right after the signal reaches Universal Dynamics headquarters. A thunderstorm forces the geese to shelter inside a Universal Dynamics greenhouse, where hostile RECO robots attack them. Longneck orders Brightbill, the only goose not scared of the robots, to lead the flock to safety. Sacrificing himself, Longneck is shot by the laser of a robot but saves Brightbill.

Roz is jolted out of shutdown to find Fink hiding in their shelter from a severe snowstorm. She rescues and brings as many animals as possible to the shelter, depleting her batteries. Before Roz powers down, she and Fink urge the squabbling prey and predators to stop fighting until spring; once Thorn agrees to the truce, the others comply.

Roz reawakens months later to find the animals still following the peace and the geese returning, who hail Brightbill as a hero. A Universal Dynamics dropship crewed by Vontra, a retrieval robot, arrives to recover Roz, who at first complies, but upon hearing from Fink that Brightbill is looking for her she gets off. Vontra sends an army of RECOs after Roz, but she and the animals band together to fend them off until Vontra detonates the destroyed RECOs, allowing her to capture Roz while also causing a forest fire. Brightbill leads the island's geese in an attack on the dropship as the other animals extinguish the fire, but he finds that Vontra has already cut Roz's power and wiped her memories. However, Roz's systems are reactivated and restored by her love for Brightbill, and the two destroy Vontra and escape the dropship before it explodes.

Although victorious, Roz chooses to leave anyway in order to protect the island from future attacks; she promises the animals that her manufacturers cannot take away her sentience and that she will find a way to return. Months later, Roz is working in a greenhouse at Universal Dynamics headquarters and appears to have been reset to factory settings. Brightbill sneaks in and approaches Roz, who reveals she still has her memories, and the two embrace.

Voice cast[]

Music[]

Main article: ''The Wild Robot'' (soundtrack)


In March 2024, Kris Bowers was revealed to be composing the score, his first score for an animated film.[9] Additionally, two original songs were announced to be made for the film, performed by Maren Morris and written by Morris, Ali Tamposi, Michael Pollack, Delacey, Jordan Johnson and Stefan Johnson. The first, "Kiss the Sky", was released on August 28; the second, "Even When I'm Not", along with the full soundtrack album, was released on September 27.[10] Morris and her team of co-writers were inspired to write a second song for the film, "Even When I'm Not", which is featured in the film's end credits, when they screened the finished film.[10]

Release[]

The Wild Robot had its world premiere as the opening front runner of the Toronto International Film Festival Grand Opening celebration on September 8, 2024.[11][12] It was released in theaters in the United States on September 27, 2024,[13] and in the United Kingdom on October 18.[14] The film was originally scheduled for September 20, 2024,[15] but was pushed back a week to avoid competition with Transformers One.[13]

Marketing[]

The first trailer for the film, featuring a rendition of Louis Armstrong's cover of "What a Wonderful World", plus a poster, were released on March 5, 2024.[16] The trailer debuted in theaters three days later in front of screenings of DreamWorks' other new film Kung Fu Panda 4.[17] Writing for Polygon, Tasha Robinson compared the design of Roz to familiar film robots such as BB-8 (the Star Wars sequel trilogy), WALL•E (in his titular film), Baymax (from Big Hero 6), and The Iron Giant (in his titular film), and noted that the only words spoken in the trailer - "Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be" - evoked the message of The Iron Giant (1999).[18]

Home media[]

The Wild Robot was released to rent on digital streaming on October 15, 2024,[19] and will be released to own on Blu-ray and DVD on December 3.[20]

As part of Universal's long-term deal with Netflix, the film will stream on Peacock for the first four months of the pay-TV window, before moving to Netflix for the next ten, and returning to Peacock for the remaining four.[21][22]

Reception[]

Box office[]

As of October 20, 2024 (2024-10-20), The Wild Robot has grossed $101.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $95.6 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $197.3 million.

In the United States and Canada, The Wild Robot was released alongside Megalopolis, and was projected to gross $24–30 million from 3,962 theaters in its opening weekend.[23] The film made $11.2 million on its first day,[24] including an estimated $1.9 million from Thursday previews.[25] The film went on to debut to $35.8 million,[26] slightly above predictions and topping the box office.[27] In its second weekend, the film made $18.9 million (a drop of 47% from its first weekend), finishing in second behind newcomer Joker: Folie à Deux.[28][29] In its third weekend the film made $14 million (dropping just 25.9%), finishing in second behind newcomer Terrifier 3. According to The Hollywood Reporter, theater chains treated the unrated Terrifier 3 as an R-rated film, turning down attendees 17 or younger if unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. Distribution sources speculated that more people saw the film than reported, theorizing that a "noticeable bump" in the earnings for The Wild Robot's third weekend was the result of teenagers buying tickets to the film and then sneaking into screenings of Terrifier 3.[30][31]

Critical response[]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 203 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "A simple tale told with great sophistication, The Wild Robot is wondrous entertainment that dazzles the eye while filling your heart to the brim."[32] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 85 out of 100, based on 45 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it a 96% overall positive score, with 62% saying they would definitely recommend it.[27]

Natalia Winkelman of The New York Times called the film "a dazzling triumph of animation" and wrote "this is a work that cares most about two things: big feelings and great beauty."[33] Adrian Horton, writing for The Guardian said: "Clever, heartfelt and frequently stunning, The Wild Robot offers the type of all-ages-welcome animated entertainment that will delight kids and leave a lump in one's throat."[34] Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph gave the film a five out of five scoring, saying "DreamWorks was founded 30 years ago this month, and this well-timed anniversary release is their richest, most moving film since 1998's reputation-making The Prince of Egypt."[35] In his review for Vulture, Bilge Ebiri praised Nyong'o's performance and found that it "turn[ed] this heartwarming family film into an unforgettable one."[36]

Sequel[]

On September 7, 2024, when asked about a potential sequel, Sanders stated, "I would very much like to. This was a labor of love on the part of everybody at the studio, and yes, I think I'd love to go and stay here for a while."[37] On October 12, 2024, he confirmed that a sequel is in development.[38]

Videos[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. ↑ The Wild Robot (U) (September 2, 2024).
  2. ↑ Francis Ford Coppola's $120 Million-Budgeted 'Megalopolis' Could Open to Disappointing $5 Million (25 September 2024).
  3. ↑ The Wild Robot – Financial Information.
  4. ↑ The Wild Robot.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Reul, Katie (March 5, 2024). The Wild Robot, Animated Film Starring Lupita Nyong'o and Pedro Pascal, Gets Gorgeous First Trailer.
  6. ↑ The Wild Robot lives!. Peter Brown Studios (March 24, 2016). Retrieved on 2024-09-13.
  7. ↑ Instagram.
  8. ↑ Taylor, Drew (2024-06-11). Annecy: 'The Wild Robot' Footage Debuts to Thunderous Applause, Standing Ovation (in en-US).
  9. ↑ Kris Bowers to Score Chris Sanders' The Wild Robot (March 5, 2024).
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Maren Morris Writing Two Original Tracks for DreamWorks' The Wild Robot (August 8, 2024).
  11. ↑ The Wild Robot.
  12. ↑ Kay, Jeremy (June 18, 2024). Toronto film festival world premieres to include 'Nightbitch', Elton John doc, 'The Wild Robot'.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 DreamWorks Animation's 'The Wild Robot' Will Go One Week Later In The Fall (April 23, 2024).
  14. ↑ Warner, Sam (August 9, 2024). Lupita Nyong'o and Pedro Pascal's new movie confirms UK release date.
  15. ↑ DreamWorks Animation's 'The Wild Robot' To Bring Life To Early Fall 2024 Box Office (December 19, 2023).
  16. ↑ Watch The First Trailer For Chris Sanders' Upcoming Dreamworks Feature 'The Wild Robot' (March 5, 2024).
  17. ↑ Watch the beautiful trailer for The Wild Robot.
  18. ↑ "DreamWorks' new movie The Wild Robot blends Star Wars, The Iron Giant, and more", Polygon, March 5, 2024. 
  19. ↑ THE WILD ROBOT Digital Streaming Release Date Revealed (October 12, 2024).
  20. ↑ Lovell, Kevin (October 14, 2024). The Wild Robot; Arrives On Digital October 15 & On 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & DVD December 3, 2024 From DreamWorks – Universal (in en).
  21. ↑ Hayes, Dade (December 9, 2021). NBCUniversal's New Theatrical Window Scheme To Bring Films To Peacock After As Few As 45 Days Of Release. Deadline Hollywood.
  22. ↑ Moon, Mariella (July 14, 2021). Netflix extends exclusive rights to Universal's animated films in the US (in en).
  23. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 24, 2024). The Wild Robot Set To Walk Through Weekend With $20M+ Opening; Megalopolis Finally Happens – Box Office Preview.
  24. ↑ Domestic Box Office For Sep 27, 2024.
  25. ↑ Jeremy Fuster (September 27, 2024). 'The Wild Robot' Opens Up Box Office Run With $1.95 Million in Previews. TheWrap.
  26. ↑ Domestic 2024 Weekend 39.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Wild Robot Powers To Third Best September Animated Pic Debut With $35M; Megalopolis Collapses With $4M & D+ CinemaScore; Saturday Night Alive In Limited Release – Box Office Update (September 29, 2024).
  28. ↑ No One's Laughing Now: Joker Folie à Deux Falls Down With $39M-$40M Opening: How The Sequel Went Sideways – Sunday Box Office (October 6, 2024).
  29. ↑ Domestic 2024 Weekend 40.
  30. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (October 15, 2024). Terrifier 3 Not Clowning Around: How the Uber-Gruesome Pic Upended the Movie Ratings System.
  31. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 13, 2024). Clown Vs. Clown: Terrifier 3 Shows Teeth With $18M+ As Joker 2 Posts Record Drop For DC Character Pic; Awards Season Darlings Shriek – Sunday Box Office.
  32. ↑ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_wild_robot
  33. ↑ Winkelman, Natalia (September 26, 2024). 'The Wild Robot' Review: Wonder and Whimsy That Does Compute.
  34. ↑ Horton, Adrian. "The Wild Robot review – heartfelt animated adventure is a soaring success", The Guardian, September 26, 2024. (in en-GB) 
  35. ↑ The Wild Robot: The most moving animation in decades (13 October 2024).
  36. ↑ Ebiri, Bilge (2024-09-26). The Wild Robot Will Ruin You (in en).
  37. ↑ Gomulka, Stephanie. "'Could There Be a Sequel to The Wild Robot? Director Chris Sanders Says…", September 27, 2024. 
  38. ↑ "The Wild Robot Sequel In The Works At DreamWorks With Director Chris Sanders", October 12, 2024. 
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