new DreamWorks film features a star-studded voice cast, including Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Matt Berry, Ving Rhames, and Mark Hamill.

The initial reviews for The Wild Robot are overwhelmingly positive, with The Daily Beast's Esther Zuckerman comparing it to particularly beloved animated films, asserting that "It evokes its forebears like Wall-E and The Iron Giant, while etching out its own path through richly textured animation and a brilliant lead performance." IndieWire's Kate Erbland describes it as "a warm little gem of a film that’s both a throwback and a push forward." Deadline's Pete Hammond declares that "Animated movies just don’t get better than this. Actually, movies just don’t get better than this."

The Wild Robot May Be DreamWorks' Best-Received Movie Since Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

More Recent DreamWorks Projects Have Not Resonated With Both Critics And General Audiences

The praise for The Wild Robot bodes well for the film and DreamWorks. Not since 2022's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish has DreamWorks had a film that was well-received by both critics and general audiences. Kung Fu Panda 4, Trolls Band Together, and Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken all fared much better with general audiences than with critics. DreamWorks' and Netflix's uplifting Orion and the Dark had the opposite reaction, with critics responding well and audiences left unimpressed.

Movie

Tomatometer Score

Popcornmeter Score

Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)

71%

86%

Orion and the Dark (2024)

91%

61%

Trolls Band Together (2023)

63%

92%

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken (2023)

65%

81%

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

95%

94%

The beloved animated films The Wild Robot is being compared to were adored by critics and general audiences, receiving respective Tomatometer scores of 95% and 96% and both having Popcornmeter scores of 90%. With stunning animation, a deeply emotional story, and strong voice performances, The Wild Robot is poised to follow in the footsteps of Wall-E and The Iron Giant. The positive reception from critics and general audiences can also help generate more box office success.

If The Wild Robot truly is the next Wall-E, it is the perfect successor for families and individuals of all ages to see following Inside Out 2, and could be DreamWorks’ best-received film since Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Inside Out 2's record-breaking box office proves that there is still significant interest in quality animated films. As Inside Out 2's theatrical run winds down and the Pixar sequel becomes available to stream on Disney+, Transformers One and The Wild Robot are the next animated films to see in theaters. If The Wild Robot truly is the next Wall-E, it is the perfect successor for families and individuals of all ages to see following Inside Out 2, and could be DreamWorks’ best-received film since Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Source: Various (see above)

The Wild Robot Movie Poster

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The Wild Robot
Release Date
September 27, 2024
Runtime
101 Minutes
Director
Chris Sanders

WHERE TO WATCH

The Wild Robot is an animated drama film based on a series of books by Peter Brown. The adaptation is written and directed by Chris Sanders and stars Lupita Nyong'o, Pedro Pascal, and Catherine O'Hara. The Wild Robot centers on a robot named Rozzum 7134, who becomes stranded on a deserted island and the guardian of a young orphan.

Writers
Chris Sanders, Peter Brown
Studio(s)
Dreamworks
Distributor(s)
Universal Studios
Main Genre
Animation