New Aardman mural, VR game released, and more!
Greetings, fellow Wallace and Gromit fans! The following news has come across my desk since our last update.
A new mural by artist Dave Bain has gone up in Bristol, and features Wallace and Gromit front and center, but also Shaun, Feathers, Morph, and others – see who you can spot! It was covered by several news outlets:
- The Standard: Mural celebrating Aardman characters unveiled
- Bristol Live: Giant mural celebrating Aardman characters unveiled at Cabot Circus
- BBC: Aardman character mural unveiled in Bristol city centre
- CBBC: Aardman: Check out this amazing artwork with Wallace, Gromit and Shaun the Sheep
There was also a bit of a panic last November, picked up by outlets like Gizmodo (Aardman Animations Is Running Out of Its Iconic Clay) following the shuttering of a clay manufacturer that was used. But Aardman was quick to quell those worries, as reported by the New York Times, (‘No Need to Worry,’ Says ‘Wallace and Gromit’ Film Studio, After Clay Supplier Shuts Down, “Aardman Animations said on Monday it had plenty of clay to keep molding.” Phew!
In November we also saw the release of The Grand Getaway VR Experience, which I picked up myself, and will report on that more personally soon. But in the lead up to the announcement, another trailer was released, this time for “Jamtastic!” which is included in the game:
As for the reviews? Quite positive! TheGamer.com reports “The Grand Getaway becomes one of the most awkwardly endearing games I’ve played in a long time.”
And Way Too Many Games, which while admitting it was short, concluded: “For anyone looking for a delightful, family-friendly adventure, Wallace & Gromit in the Grand Getaway is a cracking good time!”
The Wrong Trousers turned 30 years old at the end of last year, which prompted several outlets to do some tributes including a lovely one from The Conversation that I quite enjoyed: The Wrong Trousers: why the Wallace and Gromit animation is still a family favourite 30 years later.
I also enjoyed the news from the Wensleydale Creamery about a knitted surprise in their visitor center, Wallace and Gromit! Cracking New Additions at our Visitor Centre Gromit! They had previous popped up on social media as folks saw them “outdoors in the centre of Hawes marketplace” throughout the summer and autumn, but they now call the creamery their permanent home.
I also noticed a few rumors about new movie starting to pop up. It looks like the movie will indeed land in December of 2024, and some comments from Aardman recently were picked up by Whats On Netflix: ‘Wallace & Gromit’ Netflix Movie: Everything We Know.
Finally, on a personal note, my young children (2 and 4) have gotten quite into Shaun the Sheep, so I was delighted that back in October we were able to celebrate Halloween with my two little sheep, along with my husband dressed as the Farmer and me going as Bitzer:
I’m also happy to report that they’ve finally also gotten into Wallace and Gromit and they enjoyed the new Chicken Run movie!