With both critical acclaim and solid box office returns, The Wild Robot has been a success by any metric. Now, Deadline is reporting that there is a sequel to the film in the works at DreamWorks Animation. The film’s director, Chris Sanders, confirmed the news during a Contenders event for the publication.
“100% yes there are absolutely plans for a second one,” he said.
Sanders directed the film, which was based on a script he also wrote. His previous directorial efforts include How to Train Your Dragon, The Croods, and Lilo & Stitch. It’s unclear whether he plans to return to direct the next installment, but he’s clearly aware that one is moving forward.
The film, which is based on a book by Peter Brown of the same name, follows a robot who is mistakenly stranded in the wild and slowly forms relationships with the island’s animals while mothering a stranded goose. Starring Lupita Nyong’o as the titular robot, the film has been viewed as one of the year’s most high-profile animated awards contenders, in part because it was so critically beloved. In addition to Nyong’o, the film also features the voices of Pedro Pascal, Stephanie Hsu, Catherine O’Hara, and Billy Nighy, among others.
Sanders did not offer any concrete details on how quickly a sequel would go into development or when it might be released. Given that the first installment is still in theaters, though, and just crossed $100 million at the worldwide box office, it seems likely that we won’t see a sequel for several years.