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Mark Hamill surprises fans at ‘The Wild Robot’ panel at Comic-Con
A star-studded panel
In a delightful twist at San Diego Comic-Con, Mark Hamill made an unexpected appearance at “The Wild Robot” panel. Joining director Chris Sanders and voice actors Lupita Nyong’o and Kit Connor, Hamill shared his enthusiasm for DreamWorks Animation’s latest feature film.
Hamill, who lends his voice to a grizzly bear named Thorn, recounted his initial reaction to being approached for the project. “When I was first asked to be involved, I immediately read Peter Brown’s novel on which the film is based. I was just knocked out. I thought if they can capture just a small percentage of this effect of this book… I have to tell you, they just did a fantastic job.”
The story of ‘The Wild Robot’
“The Wild Robot” follows a hyper-intelligent android named Roz (voiced by Nyong’o) who finds herself on an uninhabited island. There, she lives among the wildlife and raises an orphaned baby duckling named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor). The panel treated fans to three new clips from the film, showcasing Roz’s crash landing on the island, her interactions with the animal inhabitants, and the poignant reason she takes on the role of Brightbill’s mother.
A glimpse into the film
One of the clips revealed Roz facing off against the RECOS (short for reconnaissance robots), the main antagonists of the story sent to capture her. ”You are defective,” one of the RECOS declares. Roz’s response, “I feel fine,” is met with, “You should not feel anything at all.”
Another clip showed Roz being chased by a bear and tumbling off a cliff. As she assesses the damage, she realizes her fall has killed a mother goose, leaving behind one unhatched egg—Brightbill. This moment marks the beginning of Roz’s journey as Brightbill’s surrogate mother.
Nyong’o shared her thoughts on Roz’s character: “What I loved about Roz is she is an adult character but she has a beginner’s mind, like a child. She has to learn morality and ethical code.” She added that Roz learns from the animals to be “secretive” about how Brightbill’s mother died and instead takes on the role of his mother herself.
The role of mothers in animated films
Director Chris Sanders reflected on the absence of mothers in animated films, drawing from his experience working on 1992’s “Aladdin.” “When I was working on ‘Aladdin,’ one of the early versions of ‘Aladdin,’ Aladdin had a mom. She was in town,” Sanders said. “She was in the story for a while and I began to understand why moms aren’t in these movies… one of them is if your mom is an okay mom, she knows better than to let you do dumb things. He’d be like ‘Hey mom, I’m going to go steal some food from the market.’ And she’d be like, ‘No you’re not!'”
He humorously added, “Moms keep adventures from happening in a good way.”
A humorous ‘swim test’
The final clip shown during the panel featured a humorous ”swim test” for Brightbill, who ends up being jettisoned down a hill by Pedro Pascal’s pesky fox named Fink. This light-hearted moment provided a glimpse into the film’s blend of adventure and comedy.
A stellar voice cast
In addition to Nyong’o, Connor, and Hamill, the film boasts an impressive voice cast, including Catherine O’Hara as Pinktail and Matt Berry as Paddler. Their contributions promise to bring a rich array of characters to life in this heartwarming tale.
Mark your calendars
“The Wild Robot” is set to hit theaters on September 27. For those eager to get a sneak peek, you can watch the trailer here.
As a cinema and TV series enthusiast, this film promises to be a captivating blend of technology and nature, exploring themes of family, identity, and survival. The unique premise and stellar voice cast make it a must-watch for fans of animated adventures. Whether you’re drawn to the emotional journey of Roz and Brightbill or the thrilling encounters with the RECOS, “The Wild Robot” is sure to offer a memorable cinematic experience.
