A producer of The Wild Robot gave an official update exclusively to The Direct about the status of The Wild Robot 2.
DreamWorks Animation's The Wild Robot won "Best Animated Film" at the 52nd Saturn Awards, defeating major contenders like Inside Out 2 and The Boy and the Heron. The film now heads into the 97th Academy Awards with three nominations: "Best Animated Feature," "Best Sound," and "Best Original Score."
Given the success from critics and general audiences, there is a lot of buzz surrounding a potential sequel, as the children's movie seems primed for a franchise.
The Wild Robot 2 Update From Producer
At the 2025 Saturn Awards, The Direct was able to speak with The Wild Robot producer Jeff Hermann, where he teased The Wild Robot 2.
Hermann was asked if there was any word on the sequel, while he said there is "no official word," he hinted that the sequel's story aligns with the next book in the series:
"I wish I had official word. It’s no secret that there are more books that directly continue the story of the book and we position the movie in such a way where it kind of lines up with where the territory that the second book goes. We would love the opportunity to do that. There might be talks happening, but nothing I can officially say at this point."
The film is based on Peter Brown's 2016 book of the same name, with its sequel books, The Wild Robot Escapes and The Wild Robot Protects, continuing Roz's story.
When asked about what could happen in a potential sequel, Hermann acknowledged that while The Wild Robot touched on themes of "environment and artificial intelligence," a potential sequel would likely delve deeper into those concepts:
"We scratched the surface with the environment and artificial intelligence. And actually, that was another thing that a lot of people kept coming at us from the first movie about, which was asking us what our stance was on artificial intelligence. So we didn’t really have one on the first movie, because we didn’t feel like that was the center. We felt we were all Roz. We weren’t necessarily telling a story about machines as much as we were telling a story about all of us. But I think to go forward, you kind of now have to go to those territories and you have to explore that and see where that leads. And that can be exciting and scary and all of those things."
While director Chris Sanders previously confirmed that a sequel is in development, DreamWorks has yet to make an official announcement.
The news came around the time of The Wild Robot crossing $100 million at the global box office; it ultimately passed $325 million. This marked a major bounce-back for Dreamworks after suffering a huge flop in 2023.
Given its past, present, and future success, The Wild Robot 2 seems like a safe choice to be made by the animation studio.
What Would Happen in The Wild Robot Sequel?
Based on the 2018's The Wild Robot Escapes, The Wild Robot 2 movie could follow Roz as she adapts to life on a farm, struggling between acting as a programmed machine and longing for her true home in the wild.
She might form unexpected bonds with the farmer's children and animals, but the looming threat of discovery forces her to plan an escape. Alongside Brightbill, she could navigate a perilous journey through forests, cities, and waterways, facing both human and animal dangers along the way.
The film may highlight themes of self-discovery, the tension between technology and nature, and the power of love and family. Ultimately, Roz's journey will likely test her resilience, leading to an emotional return to the island where she must defend her home from further intrusion.
