Chicken Run sequel confirmed by Netflix

‘This time, they’re breaking in’

Netflix has announced a sequel to the 2000 animated film Chicken Run.

The follow-up to the original film, which starred Mel Gibson and Julia Sawalha as imprisoned chickens trying to escape a farm, is set to begin production next year.

In a tweet, Netflix wrote: “POULTRY NEWS: Exactly 20 years to the day since the original was released, we can confirm there will be a Chicken Run sequel coming to Netflix!! Produced by @aardman, production is expected to begin next year. Eggsellent.”

In a video available on Annecy’s digital platform (and transribed by Variety), the sequel was confirmed by Peter Lord, who co-directed the original Chicken Run with Nick Park.

“We’ve discussed it so many times over the years and come up with various ideas but never quite found one we loved enough,” said Lord. “But it was always in the back of our minds.”

“We’ve got the perfect story, and the relationship with Netflix is kind of perfect as well because they celebrate the filmmaker and are so filmmaker friendly. I feel now we can make the Chicken Run sequel we want to, the one we really care about.”

In the same panel, Flushed Away filmmaker Sam Fell, who is attached to direct the project, also provided some story details, saying that the plot could be pithily summed up as: “this time, they’re breaking in.”

Apparently, the film begins with Ginger (Sawalha) hatching an egg with Rocky (played by Gibson in the first film) in a human-free chicken utopia. After their daughter, Molly, is born, the chickens face a new threat.

“I tell you it will be fun and games seeing these chickens back in action,” Fell said. “All the gadgets, the kit, we’re kind of moving towards an almost-tribute to Mission: Impossible with elements of heist and how they’re going to pull off this amazing break-in.”

Aardman Animation Studios, which specialises in stop-motion “claymation”, is returning for the as-yet-untitled sequel. Aardman are also known for creating Wallace and Gromit.