"The Wild Robot" gets a sequel

The new animated adventure "The Wild Robot" from DreamWorks is currently thrilling audiences. But not only that, the film has already broken the 100 million dollar mark. Reason enough for a sequel, which is already in the works.

In an interview with Deadline, director Chris Sanders confirmed that there are already plans for "The Wild Robot 2". At the center of "The Wild Robot" is the robot ROZZUM Unit 7134, voiced by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o. The robot – known as Roz for short – is shipwrecked and finds itself on a desert island. With no prior knowledge of how to survive in a wild environment, Roz has to adapt and gradually learns to communicate and build relationships with the animals on the island. She even becomes the adoptive mother of an orphaned gosling.

The continuation of the story, based on the book "The Wild Robot Escapes", could be the next big step in the cinematic development of the series. After Roz is stranded on the island and has integrated into the animal world, she has to face new challenges in the book sequel. She escapes the island and embarks on an exciting journey to civilization. This opens up many new possibilities for an emotional and exciting storyline that not only broadens Roz's horizons, but also offers new adventures for young movie audiences.

As "The Wild Robot 2" is still in the early planning phase, we can only speculate about a possible start date. Should production begin soon, a release in the next two to three years would be realistic.

The most successful DreamWorks films at a glance

DreamWorks Animation has significantly shaped the animation landscape since its foundation in 1994. Founded by Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, the studio was intended to offer an alternative to Disney and usher in a new era in animated film. Over the years, DreamWorks Animation has produced some of the most successful and popular animated films that have delighted children and adults alike. Here is an overview of the most successful DreamWorks films that not only conquered the box office, but also became timeless classics.

1. Shrek

One of DreamWorks' biggest successes is undoubtedly "Shrek". Released in 2001, the film represented a new approach to the fairy tale genre. With satirical humor, lovable characters and impressive animation, "Shrek" succeeded in appealing not only to children but also to adults. The green ogre Shrek, voiced by Mike Myers, and his faithful companion Donkey, voiced by Eddie Murphy, quickly became cult figures.

"Shrek" was such a success that it won the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film in 2002, putting Disney in the shade. The film grossed over 484 million dollars worldwide and led to a successful franchise with a total of four films, a spin-off and a musical. "Shrek 2" (2004) even surpassed the success of the first film and became one of the most successful animated films of all time with box office takings of 920 million dollars.

2. Madagascar

Another successful DreamWorks franchise is "Madagascar" (2005), which tells the story of a group of zoo animals who suddenly find themselves in the wilderness of Madagascar. With iconic characters such as the energetic lion Alex, giraffe Melman, hippo Gloria and cheeky zebra Marty (voiced by Chris Rock) , DreamWorks created a story that was both humorous and heart-wrenching.

The success of "Madagascar" led to two further sequels, with the second installment, "Madagascar 2" (2008), being a huge success at the box office with over 600 million dollars. In addition, a spin-off, "Penguins of Madagascar", was produced as both a film and a TV series, which focused on the popular penguins who had already won over many fans in the first film.

3. How to Train Your Dragon

In 2010, DreamWorks released one of the best animated films of the last decade: "How to Train Your Dragon". Based on the book series by Cressida Cowell, the film tells the story of the young Viking Hiccup, who forms a friendship with a dragon called Toothless, revolutionizing the relationship between humans and dragons.

"How to Train Your Dragon" was praised for its emotional depth, breathtaking animation and impressive flying sequences. The film was not only a financial success with box office takings of 494 million dollars, but also won numerous awards and received an Oscar nomination. Due to its great success, two sequels followed: "How to Train Your Dragon 2" (2014) and "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World" (2019), both of which were extremely successful at the box office and made the trilogy one of the most popular animated series.

4. Kung Fu Panda

Another milestone in the history of DreamWorks Animation is the "Kung Fu Panda" series. The first film, released in 2008, focused on the clumsy panda Po (voiced by Jack Black), who dreams of becoming a kung fu master. Despite his atypical appearance and abilities, he manages to become one of the greatest fighters.

With its mixture of martial arts action, humor and impressive animation, "Kung Fu Panda" struck a chord with audiences. The film grossed over 631 million dollars worldwide and was so successful that two sequels, "Kung Fu Panda 2" (2011) and "Kung Fu Panda 3" (2016), were produced. Part 4 was released this year. In total, the trilogy grossed over 1.8 billion dollars and became one of the most successful DreamWorks series.

5. The Croods

In 2013, DreamWorks released the animated film "The Croods" in cinemas, which tells the adventures of a prehistoric family who have to find their way in a rapidly changing world. The film impresses with its colorful animation and humorous plot, but also scores with emotional moments.

"The Croods" was a huge success and grossed 587 million dollars worldwide. The success of the film led to a sequel in 2020 entitled "The Croods 2: A New Age", which once again delighted fans.

6. Trolls

Another success for DreamWorks Animation was "Trolls" (2016), a colorful and musical animated film based on the popular Troll toys. The story of Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) and Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake) on their journey to save their friends was rewarded with rave reviews and box office takings of over 346 million dollars.

The soundtrack of "Trolls", in particular the song "Can't Stop the Feeling!" by Justin Timberlake, became a worldwide hit and received an Oscar nomination. The success led to a sequel, "Trolls World Tour" (2020), which also enjoyed great success, especially in the streaming sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic.