The dazzling first trailer for the animated feature “The Wild Robot” is here — and it’s a doozy.
Written and directed by Chris Sanders, a legendary Disney story artist who went on to direct “Lilo & Stitch,” “How to Train Your Dragon” and “The Croods,” “The Wild Robot” is based on the books by Peter Brown.
It stars Lupita Nyong’o as a high-tech robot who washes ashore on an island inhabited solely by animals. The animals, of course, are also voiced by movie stars like Pedro Pascal (as a fox), Bill Nighy (as a bird), Catherine O’Hara, Kit Connor, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill, Matt Berry and Ving Rhames.
“The Wild Robot” is produced by Jeff Hermann and features an original score by Kris Bowers.
This is Sanders’ first animated feature since “The Croods” back in 2013 and his first film as the sole writer and director. DreamWorks Animation has been experimenting wildly with the visuals of their films — from the illustrated storybook world of “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” to the Lisa Frank sticker-book look of “Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken,” to the anime-inspired flourishes of “The Bad Guys.”
With “The Wild Robot,” Sanders and his talented team have conjured up something painterly and unique. The backgrounds call to mind Tyrus Wong’s immortal “Bambi” watercolors. The whole thing looks astonishing and enchanting.
And thankfully, we won’t have to wait all that long for “The Wild Robot” since it hits theaters on Sept. 20.
