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Chicken Run was released onto the big screen on June 23, 2000, and took the world by storm. Grossing over $224 million, it still stands as the most successful stop-motion movie at the box office and is a family favorite across the globe. Created by Aardman Animation, a company based in Bristol, United Kingdom, the legendary poultry posse would act, along with beloved duo Wallace and Gromit, as the big break the studio needed onto the world stage. That being said, it is surprising to learn that Chicken Run never really spawned a full-fledged franchise, with no sequels or spin-offs hitting screens, until now. Finally, after over twenty years, the Chicken Run sequel Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is set to arrive. So here is everything we know about Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget... so far.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on December 5.

Chicken Run Dawn of the Nugget new poster
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
PG


Having pulled off an escape from Tweedy's farm, Ginger has found a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new threat, and Ginger and her team decide to break in.

Release Date
December 15, 2023
Director
Sam Fell
Cast
Bella Ramsey , Zachary Levi , Nick Mohammed , Thandiwe Newton
Main Genre
Animation

When Is the Release Date of 'Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget'?

The chickens of 2000's 'Chicken Run'
Image via Dreamworks Pictures

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is scheduled to release on December 15, 2023. With the confirmation of the sequel being announced back in April 2018, there has been a saga of rumors and excitement surrounding the release date. Of course, due to the global pandemic, the industry took a great hit, and many highly anticipated movies had to be postponed, with Dawn of the Nugget no exception.

Where Can You Watch 'Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget'?

Rocky in the company of english chickens in Chicken Run.
Image via Dreamworks Pictures

On the 20th anniversary of Chicken Run, it was announced that streaming giant Netflix had acquired the rights to the film. This is fantastic news for anyone with a subscription to the platform, although many fans were understandably excited to see the film on the big screen just like they had done all those years ago with the original. Back when the original Chicken Run debuted, theatrical release was the most popular and most successful way of distributing a movie. Now, 20 years on, times have changed. Either way, Netflix is a safe environment for such a film and will surely do the sequel justice. You can use the following link to watch Dawn of the Nugget on Netflix when it arrives.

Watch on Netflix

Is There a Trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget?

Our first clip of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget was a 20-second teaser showcasing a chicken hatching from an egg. The tease is brief, but it's enough to remind us of our love of this franchise.

On September 5, Netflix dropped the first teaser trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. In this trailer, the chickens look to return to the farm for an undisclosed mission. Will they be able to succeed, or will they meet their finger-lickin' fate?

The official trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget was released on November 15, bringing us two and a half minutes of footage from the film. The video quickly moves through the plot, revealing the central mission of the story: to rescue Ginger and Rocky's daughter Molly. Watch it in the player above.

What Is Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget About?

All great sequels will follow seamlessly from their original counterparts. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will seemingly be no different. Here is the official plot synopsis for the film:

Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy's farm, Ginger has finally found her dream - a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger's happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk - this time, they're breaking in.

Fans will be delighted to learn that the tense heist-style narrative so beloved in the first movie is returning to the second. With a synopsis that is enticing, it seems that Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget will be great fun for those who love the original as well as those who may not have ever seen it. To find out more about the production of this much-awaited sequel, be sure to read up about our visit to the set of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget.

Who Is in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget?

Thandiwe Newton in Solo: A Star Wars Story side-by-side with Zachary Levi in Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Images via Disney; Warner Bros.

The original Chicken Run had one of the strongest ensemble voice casts ever assembled in British animation at the time. From Mel Gibson and Timothy Spall to Phil Daniels and Julia Sawalha (Absolutely Fabulous), the film, understandably, won great critical and public acclaim for its cast. Sawalha and Gibson will not be reprising their roles as Ginger and Rocky for the new film instead their roles will be taken over by Thandiwe Newton (Westworld) and Zachary Levi (Shazam!) respectively. Romesh Ranganathan (Cinderella) will be voicing Nick taking over from Spall and Daniel Mays (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) will voice Fetcher taking over from Daniels. Additionally, David Bradley (Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio) will be taking over for the late Benjamin Whitrow as Fowler. However, Imelda Staunton (The Crown), Jane Horrocks (Corpse Bride), and Lynn Ferguson (No Angels) will all be back to reprise their roles as Bunty, Babs, and Mac.

The film will also include new cast members voicing new characters, including The Last of Us breakout star Bella Ramsey as Molly, Ted Lasso's Nick Mohammed as Dr. Fry, and newcomer Josie Sedgwick-Davies as Frizzle.

Of course, this is only a sample of the great acting talent on offer in this film, with the effort put into the casting process alluding to just how unmissable this sequel is likely to be. With 20 years having passed since fans were first blown away by some of the stop-motion style's best work, the plot synopsis announced considered alongside this cast list only confirms to fans that the time they waited, as long as it was, is looking evermore like it will be worth it. Rightfully, the anticipation is reaching heady heights for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget we can't wait.