The upcoming stop-motion animated comedy from Aardman and STUDIOCANAL marks the feature directorial debut of Steve Cox and Matthew Walker; starring Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, and Kate Harbour, film slated for theatrical release by Halloween 2026.
GKIDS has acquired the U.S.distribution rights to , the latest stop-motion feature from Aardman and STUDIOCANAL.
With characters created by celebrated filmmaker Nick Park, the film marks the feature directorial debut of Steve Cox and Matthew Walker; it’s written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, and stars Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, and Kate Harbour.The film is slated for theatrical release in time for Halloween this year."We are so excited!” said GKIDS’ founder and CEO Eric Beckman.
“I have been an Aardman super-fan since the earliest days of the studio, from the Academy Award-winning and original shorts, through , , , and of course the beloved .For decades, Aardman has forged a unique place in the hearts of fans by infusing so much love, humor, and humanity into the hand-crafted art of stop-motion.Aardman is absolutely one-of-a-kind and we could not be more thrilled to be working together at long last.” “We are so delighted to announce today that Shaun the Sheep is ready for his next big U.S.
adventure, and STUDIOCANAL couldn’t ask for a better partner than GKIDS to make it happen,” said STUDIOCANAL’s Chloé Marquet.“Their passion and expertise in animation make them the ideal home for Shaun and his very welcome return to the big screen in 2026.” "We have been longtime friends and fans of GKIDS,” added Aardman MD Sean Clarke.“Their unparalleled track record in bringing acclaimed international animation to American audiences makes them an ideal partner for us, and we are excited to be working together to bring to American audiences this Halloween!” Check out the official teaser now: marks the third film in the franchise, preceded by a legacy of excellence including (2015) and (2020).
This latest film continues Aardman’s signature combination of meticulous handcrafted stop-motion animation, mischievous comedy, and family-friendly storytelling.2026 sees Aardman celebrate its 50th anniversary with a roster of events and celebrations.The upcoming film marks the first collaboration between GKIDS and Aardman.
In 2001, GKIDS’ Founder/CEO Eric Beckman produced an exhaustive Aardman animation retrospective program at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, which included the Aardman short films, advertisements, music videos, series episodes, the pre-Aardman work of Peter Lord and David Sproxton, and a preview of the first Aardman feature film along with audience presentations by Aardman co-founder Peter Lord.STUDIOCANAL will release in France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, and Poland, and represents film sales worldwide, excluding the UK.Sky is the exclusive distributor for the UK.
Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.
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