Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (also known as Chicken Run 2) is a 2023 stop motion animated adventure comedy film directed by Sam Fell, from a screenplay by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O'Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, from an original story by Kirkpatrick and O'Farrell. A sequel to Chicken Run, the film was produced by DreamWorks Animation, Aardman Animations, French Studios by Pathé and distributed by Netflix. It stars the voices of Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, David Bradley, Daniel Mays, Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, Josie Sedgwick-Davies and Nick Mohammed.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget was released on Netflix on December 15, 2023.
Summary[]
Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s British farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in![1]
Plot[]
After escaping from Tweedy's Farm, Ginger's happy ending is almost complete when Molly hatches, everyone is happy. But Molly quickly outgrows the island and flees to the mainland. Just when news arrives of a new deadly menace plotting the demise of all chickens on the mainland. Dr. Fry and wife Mrs. Tweedy plan to turn all the chickens in his lab into chicken nuggets. When they catch Molly and her end is near, Ginger and her team decide to leave their freedom behind, travel to the mainland, break into Dr. Mark Fry's impenetrable lab, and save all the chickens.
Cast and Characters[]
- Thandiwe Newton as Ginger
- Julia Sawalha (Flashback Scene)
- Zachary Levi as Rocky
- Bella Ramsey as Molly
- Romesh Ranganathan as Nick
- Daniel Mays as Fetcher
- David Bradley as Fowler
- Lynn Ferguson as Mac
- Imelda Staunton as Bunty
- Jane Horrocks as Babs
- Josie Sedgwick-Davies as Frizzle
- Nick Mohammed as Dr. Fry
- Miranda Richardson as Melisha Tweedy-Fry
- Peter Serafinowicz as Reginald Smith
- David Brooks as Burly Guard
- Dan Williamson as Van Driver
- Tom Doggart as 2D Narrator & Male Guards
- Sam Fell as 2D Animated Boy & Dying Moth
- Naomi McDonald as 2D Animated Mum, Beryl & Number 314
- Kate Harbour as Biscuit Chicken & Female Guards
- Tim Bentinck as Gate Guard
- Sophie Smith as Snail
Other Characters[]
- Mr. Tweedy (flashback)
- Edwina (flashback)
- Chickens
- Dogs (flashback)
- Beryl, Belinda, Bertie (New Chickens)
Production[]
Development[]
A sequel to Chicken Run was announced on 26 April 2018. Aardman Animations would reunite with StudioCanal for the sequel though unlike the first film, neither DreamWorks Animation nor its current parent company, Universal Pictures, will have any involvement, as DreamWorks had ended their partnership with Aardman in January 2007, after the release of Flushed Away on 3 November 2006.
Sam Fell, co-director of Flushed Away, is attached to direct, with Paul Kewley and Nick Park producing. The original Chicken Run writers Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell will return for the sequel. Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton will serve as executive producers.
Pre-production[]
On 16 October 2019, the film officially began pre-production. On 23 June 2020, Netflix purchased the worldwide distribution rights to the film from Aardman (who closed a deal with StudioCanal), excluding China.
Production was completed on 31st March 2023.
Casting[]
On 23 June 2020, it was announced that Mel Gibson will not be reprising his role as Rocky the Rooster from the original film, with his character expected to be recast instead, due to actress Winona Ryder accusing him of making an antisemitic remark to her, whilst attending a party in 1995. On 10 July 2020, Julia Sawalha expressed her indignation when she learned that her role as Ginger will be recast with a younger actress, due to the film's producers believing that her voice sounded "too old". On 20 January 2022, it was announced that Thandiwe Newton and Zachary Levi had been cast as Ginger and Rocky respectively, with Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, and Lynn Ferguson reprising their roles from the original. Bella Ramsey, Romesh Ranganathan, David Bradley, and Daniel Mays have also been cast in undisclosed roles. On September 5, 2023, the trailer was released, announcing that Miranda Richardson would be reprising her role as Mrs. Tweedy and that Peter Serafinowicz would be joining the cast as Reginald Smith, a businessman investing in the nugget factory.
Filming[]
Principal photography was expected to commence in 2021. Principal photography ended on the 31st March 2023.
Gallery[]
Promo[]
Posters[]
Trailers[]
Trivia[]
- Two original cast members, Mel Gibson and Julia Sawalha (the original voice actors for Rocky and Ginger, respectively) did not return for this sequel.
- Gibson did not reprise his role, having been no longer fitting for his role as a first-time father character.[2]
- Sawalha's character, Ginger was simply recast by studio executives, who felt she sounded "too old" for the character. This decision has resulted in some considerable backlash, with some pointing out that the decision was ageist.
- The film's release date was set to be on December 15, 2023 during the 2023 Annecy Animation Festival.[3]
- This is the second Aardman film to be released on Netflix worldwide after A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (although Farmageddon was released theatrically in most countries and was not a Netflix original).
- This film sequel was released after the deaths of the voice actors of Mr. Tweedy (Tony Haygarth) and Fowler (Benjamin Whitrow) in 2017.
- This is Aardman's first feature film with Netflix and their first non-theatrical feature film. Also, Netflix is Aardman's fourth distribution company after DreamWorks Animation, Sony Pictures Animation, and StudioCanal.
- This is Aardman's longest movie with a run time of 98 minutes.
- It is the first Aardman film to be a sequel that received a PG rating by the MPAA unlike The Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, which it is rated G by the MPAA.
- Also, it is the only Chicken Run film to receive a PG rating by the MPAA unlike the first film which is rated G due to the sequel ended up as a stand-alone Aardman film sequel after being released by Aardman and Netflix.
- It is also the second sequel to an Aardman film after Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon.
- It is also the first sequel created by Aardman to not be related to the Wallace and Gromit franchise.
- It is also the second Aardman film sequel to receive another rating by the MPAA rather than the original Aardman film's rating, rated G received by the MPAA, after The Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, rated G by the MPAA, with The Shaun the Sheep Movie, rated PG by the MPAA.
- This is the first film to feature the current 2022 Aardman logo.
- WILHELM SCREAM: The Wilhelm scream can be heard when a security guard is lured away by the cake rocket-trolley. This is the third Aardman film to use the Wilhelm Scream after Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Flushed Away.
- This is the third Aardman film to be rated PG in Australia after Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Early Man.
- Unlike this film, the first one was distributed by DreamWorks Animation.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.aardman.com/aardman-reveals-details-on-chicken-run-sequel/
- ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/why-mel-gibson-didnt-return-chicken-run-sequel-1235598399/
- ↑ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/annecy-netflix-nimona-trailer-chicken-run-2-release-date-1235508264/