12 Unexpected Movie Sequels You Didn't Know Are Happening

7. Chicken Run 2

Why It's Unexpected

As beloved as Aardman Animations' Chicken Run is, why wouldn't Aardman have struck while the iron was hot, rather than wait 20 years to make a sequel?

After all, Chicken Run remains the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, in addition to scoring universal critical acclaim and being arguably Aardman's best movie to date.

It truly felt like the film was one-off and Aardman would likely focus on Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep and other original projects forever more, especially with the awkwardness of Mel Gibson basically being unable to reprise his central role.

What We Know

Chicken Run 2 was first announced last April, with Sam Fell (Flushed Away, ParaNorman) attached to direct and original writers Karey Kirkpatrick and John O'Farrell set to return.

Production is expected to start at Aardman's Bristol studio later in the year after A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is completed, though there's no word on the plot, cast or release date.

It's fair to assume that Gibson won't be returning, and given the time-consuming nature of stop-motion animation, the film probably won't hit cinemas before 2022.