On Friday, Sept. 27, DreamWorks Animation unveils The Wild Robot, its latest feature, helmed by acclaimed writer-director and CalArts alum Chris Sanders (Film/Video BFA 84). Adapted from Peter Brown’s bestselling book, the film tells the story of ROZZUM unit 7134, or “Roz,” a robot stranded on an uninhabited island who must navigate the harsh wilderness and form unexpected bonds with the animals of the island.
The story takes an emotional turn as Roz accidentally causes the death of a goose family, leaving only a single unbroken egg. In an act of redemption and care, Roz takes responsibility for the orphaned gosling, learning to parent the young bird. By teaching the gosling to eat, swim, and fly, Roz embarks on a journey that forces her to confront questions of belonging, purpose, and love in a world where she is a mechanical outsider.
“I think all of us wish something like this might happen to us at some point—we find ourselves in a difficult situation and grow, change, and adapt to survive,” Sanders shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “Roz represents this unrelenting force of kindness and fairness, and she changes the world around her because of that. Kindness can be a survival skill—that’s really a big part of this story.”
Premiering at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), The Wild Robot has already garnered attention for its visual artistry featuring painterly, hand-drawn effects. The film also boasts a stellar voice cast led by Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o as Roz, with notable performances from Pedro Pascal, Catherine O’Hara, Bill Nighy, and Mark Hamill.
Sanders, a three-time Academy Award nominee, is well-versed in creating animated blockbusters. Early in his career, he worked as a story artist on Disney classics like The Rescuers Down Under, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan. He then went on to co-write and co-direct Lilo & Stitch, cementing his reputation as a visionary storyteller. After joining DreamWorks Animation, Sanders directed the acclaimed films How to Train Your Dragon and The Croods.
Other CalArtians also played key roles in bringing The Wild Robot to the big screen, including head of story Heidi Jo Gilbert (Film/Video BFA 07); story artists Benjamin Balistreri (Film/Video MFA 97) and Steven Macleod (BFA 07); character designer Heidi Smith (Film/Video BFA 08); animation supervisor Drew Adams (Film/Video BFA 98); and animator Ed Bell (Film/Video BFA 98).
Watch the trailer below.
