GKIDS, the producer and distributor of award-winning and artist-driven animation, announced today its acquisition of US distribution rights to Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, the latest feature from Aardman, the Academy Award-winning studio behind several of the most iconic animated films in history, from STUDIOCANAL. With characters created by celebrated filmmaker Nick Park, the film marks the feature directorial debut of Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, is written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, and stars Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, and Kate Harbour. The film is slated for theatrical release in time for Halloween this year.

“We are so excited!” said GKIDS’ founder and CEO Eric Beckman. “I have been an Aardman super-fan since the earliest days of the studio, from the Academy Award-winning Creature Comforts and original Wallace & Gromit shorts, through Rex the Runt, Chicken Run, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, and of course the beloved Shaun the Sheep. For decades, Aardman has forged a unique place in the hearts of fans by infusing so much love, humor, and humanity into the hand-crafted art of stop-motion. Aardman is absolutely one-of-a-kind and we could not be more thrilled to be working together at long last.”

“We are so delighted to announce today that Shaun the Sheep is ready for his next big U.S. adventure, and STUDIOCANAL couldn’t ask for a better partner than GKIDS to make it happen,” said STUDIOCANAL’s Chloé Marquet. “Their passion and expertise in animation make them the ideal home for Shaun and his very welcome return to the big screen in 2026.”

“We have been longtime friends and fans of GKIDS” said Aardman MD Sean Clarke. “Their unparalleled track record in bringing acclaimed international animation to American audiences makes them an ideal partner for us, and we are excited to be working together to bring Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom to American audiences this Halloween!”

Aardman’s globally acclaimed filmmaking has earned the studio multiple Academy Awards, including animated shorts The Wrong Trousers (1993), A Close Shave (1995), and Best Animated Feature winner Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom marks the third film in the Shaun the Sheep franchise preceded by a legacy of excellence including the two, critically acclaimed Academy Award-nominated features Shaun the Sheep Movie (2015) and A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmaggedon (2020). This latest film continues Aardman’s signature combination of meticulous handcrafted stop-motion animation, mischievous comedy, and family-friendly storytelling, and further solidifies the studio’s reputation as one of the world’s leading creators of artistically ambitious and globally beloved animated content. 2026 sees Aardman celebrate its 50^th anniversary with a roster of events and celebrations highlighting the craft and legacy of the studio.

Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom marks the first-ever collaboration between GKIDS and Aardman. In 2001, GKIDS’ Founder/CEO Eric Beckman produced an exhaustive Aardman animation retrospective program at the New York International Children’s Film Festival, which included the Aardman short films, advertisements, music videos, series episodes, the pre-Aardman work of Peter Lord and David Sproxton, and a preview of the first Aardman feature film Chicken Run, along with audience presentations by Aardman co-founder Peter Lord. 

The deal for Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom was negotiated by Dave Jesteadt and Eric Beckman at GKIDS and Chloé Marquet and Sophie Leuthreau at STUDIOCANAL. STUDIOCANAL will be releasing Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom in France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Benelux and Poland, and is representing film sales worldwide, excluding the UK where Sky is confirmed as exclusive distributor, releasing in cinemas and on Sky Cinema.

Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom marks Aardman’s fourth collaboration with STUDIOCANAL and following the worldwide success of SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE and A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON, produced and distributed by STUDIOCANAL. STUDIOCANAL additionally produced and distributed Nick Park’s EARLY MAN along with Aardman.