Netflix has been really digging into the sequel business in the past couple of years. The streaming platform has been building out its own original franchises, while also resurrecting classics like Aardman Animation’s comedy caper Chicken Run for another go. Almost two years since the announcement of that project, we now have a properly egg-cellent title for Chicken Run 2, as well as news on who is replacing Mel Gibson in the role of Rocky!
In a brand new press release straight from Netflix, this follow-up has been titled Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, with animated voice veteran/Shazam himself Zachary Levi taking up the role of the fun loving rooster. Playing the role of Ginger, which was also set to be recast in this new adventure, is none other than Westworld’s Thandiwe Newton. It’s amazing casting for this story of what happens right after that daring escape from Mrs. Tweedy’s clutches, and Ms. Newton isn’t the only HBO alum that’s on board for this already in production animated spectacular.
Game of Thrones fans will be pleased to see that actors David Bradley and Bella Ramsey will be stepping into the Chicken Run legacy in their own ways. Bradley, who’s already on the Netflix lot with his former Thrones showrunners, will be voicing Fowler, the veteran rooster in the Tweedy’s farm gang from the original film. Meanwhile, Ms. Ramsey is embodying the new character of Ginger and Rocky’s daughter Molly, who has just been hatched as a new threat dawns on all of chicken-kind. Here’s the story so far on what Ginger, Rocky, and the entire gang are up against this time out:
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!
While the official logline for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is playing it coy with the details that are included, this new plot kind of feels easy to decode. It sounds like the concept of chicken nugget is about to take hold in this fictitious universe, with Ginger and Rocky having to break back into Mrs. Tweedy's farm; presumably to free a whole new group of chickens in line for the slaughter. Should this be confirmed, does this mean a potential three-quel is going to focus on thwarting chicken tender production?
This is just another chapter in the successful partnership between Netflix and Aardman Animation. Joining forces to continue the Shaun the Sheep franchise through sequels and the most recent special, the studio partners have already been building a foundation for fans to flock to in previous years. Citing another holiday effort, the short musical Robin Robin, these titans are absolutely correct in the assumption that continuing to work together is just common sense. But as you may have guessed, there's going to be a bit of a wait involved before we see the results.
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is scheduled to debut on Netflix at some point in 2023. For all of the new movies slated for release on the platform in the year to come, head over to the 2022 Netflix film schedule for further details. Aardman Animation fans who aren’t afraid of a little residual holiday cheer can currently watch Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas and Robin Robin, both of which are streaming on Netflix.
