Chickens run amok! What better way to start my morning than to learn the news that StudioCanal and Pathe are both on board for the follow-up to the 2000 animated treat 'Chicken Run," the most successful stop-motion animated feature ever, grossing $106 million in the U.S. and $225 million worldwide.
If you remember, Mel Gibson voiced the leader of a flock of feathered birds trying to get out of the horrid conditions at their farm. If time ran out they were going to be chicken pie, which is actually what the evil farmers in the film make out of the chickens. It was "The Great Escape" poultry style, with an added dash of British wit. How can you go wrong with that? Gibson worked up his charm and stop-motion animation filmmaker extraordinaires Peter Lord and Nick Park had a blast creating visual miracles with the animation.
Aardman Animations are officially working on the sequel. Peter Lord is relinquishing directing duties and will be executive producing. Sam Fell, director of ParaNorman and Aardman's own Flushed Away in 2006, is supposed to direct. No word on why Nick Park has no part in this endeavor.
No release date as of yet but, suffice to say, we're excited for the chickens to come back home to roost. I know, lame.