‘The Wild Robot’ Programs a No. 1 Blockbuster Debut
Universal and DreamWorks' "The Wild Robot" captivates audiences worldwide, earning critical acclaim and setting box office records for September animated releases.
Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot" roared to life at the box office, securing the No. 1 spot with a $35 million domestic opening that outperformed expectations. The film's success extended globally, earning an additional $18.1 million internationally for a total worldwide debut of $53.1 million.
The impressive opening marks the third-best September debut for an animated movie ever. Critical reception has been equally stellar, with the film earning a rare 98 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and verified audience members, as well as an A CinemaScore.
The film's Rotten Tomatoes score places it among the top 10 best-reviewed computer-animated films of all time on the website and makes it the highest-scoring animated movie released this decade. This critical success has already generated Oscar buzz for the feature.
“One of the best animated movies of the year…one of the best movies, period.” TheWrap
Directed by Chris Sanders and based on Peter Brown's bestselling book, "The Wild Robot" tells the story of Roz, a robot shipwrecked on an abandoned island who forges relationships with the local wildlife. The meaningful story shares strong messages around parenthood, what it means to be a family and nature vs. technology, as well as lessons around acceptance, compassion and kindness.
The star-studded voice cast features Lupita Nyong'o as Roz, alongside Pedro Pascal, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu and Catherine O'Hara in supporting roles.
Critics have lauded "The Wild Robot" for its storytelling, animation and emotional depth. Slate calls it "A magnificent family film," while TheWrap hails it as "The greatest DreamWorks movie ever.”
The A.V. Club praises the film's "unexpectedly moving sights, remarkable voice ensemble, and pure clarity of humanist vision," declaring it "a stunning achievement." Deadline enthuses, "Movies just don't get better than this," adding that the film boasts "Stunning animation and a story with wit, excitement and soul."
“The Wild Robot” is playing in theaters now and will be available for licensing from Swank soon.