GKids Sets 3rd ‘Shaun the Sheep’ Movie for Halloween 2026 Theatrical Release

Shaun the Sheep is baaaaaack.

GKIDS has acquired domestic distribution rights to “Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom” from British animation studio Aardman and STUDIOCANAL. Based on characters created by Nick Park and directed by Steve Cox and Matthew Walker, making their directorial debut. It was written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow and stars Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes and Kate Harbour. GKIDS is planning a Halloween release. See a brief teaser below.

“We are so excited!” said GKIDS founder and CEO Eric Beckman in a Thursday statement. “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,” added 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!”

The previous two Shaun the Sheep movies – 2015’s “Shaun the Sheep Movie” and 2019’s “A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon” – were nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. 2026 sees Aardman celebrate its 50th anniversary with “a roster of events and celebrations highlighting the craft and legacy of the studio,” per a release. The last Aardman feature was 2024’s “Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl,” which debuted on Netflix in the United States.

The new “Shaun the Sheep” movie marks the first-ever collaboration between GKIDS and Aardman. In 2001, Beckman produced an 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, along with audience presentations by Aardman co-founder 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.

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