Two decades after organizing a feathery union and flying the coop, the heroes of Chicken Run are making a triumphant comeback later this year.
The stop-motion classic's long-awaited sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, is set to debut on Netflix this December, and the first trailer is finally here! In that, we learn more about the challenges the returning Ginger and Rocky will face when they battle a familiar foe.
Sure to ruffle feathers once more is the return of Melisha Tweedy, better known as Mrs. Tweedy and Ginger's arch nemesis in this stop-motion animated sequel.
We catch a first glimpse of Mrs. Tweedy, voiced by accomplished stage, film and television actress Miranda Richardson, who has refashioned herself for a new era of fowl-play. Also joining the cast is Peter Serafinowicz as Reginald Smith. He voices a humourless businessman and along with Tweedy poses a new and bigger threat to chicken-kind.
While Richardson reprises her role, those of you familiar with 2000's Chicken Run might notice much of the cast now sounds very different. That's because Thandiwe Newton is replacing Julia Sawalha as Ginger, with Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi stepping in for Mel Gibson as Rocky.
The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey, meanwhile, takes on the role of the newly hatched Molly. Other cast members include Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, Josie Sedgwick-Davies, David Bradley, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays, and Nick Mohammed.
Check out the first Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget trailer below (via Toonado.com).
Chicken Run grossed over $225 million at the worldwide box office in 2000, making it the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time. Dreamed up by Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park and Aardman Animations co-founder Peter Lord, the follow-up was written by Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell and Rachel Tunnard, with Sam Fell directing.
"From the multi-Academy and BAFTA award-winning Aardman (Creature Comforts, Wallace & Gromit, and Shaun the Sheep), and Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated director Sam Fell (ParaNorman and Flushed Away, respectively), comes Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the eagerly anticipated sequel to the beloved and highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, Chicken Run."
"Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s 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!"
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget hatches on Netflix December 15.