DreamWorks Animation recently announced that the release date for their highly anticipated animated film The Wild Robot has been pushed back from September 20th to September 27th. This last minute delay of just one week has the internet abuzz with speculation about what could have prompted the change. In this article we talk about The Wild Robot Release Pushed Back? Here’s The Outrageous Reason Why.
As one of the most eagerly awaited family films of the year, the news took fans by surprise. Based on the bestselling book by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot follows a robot named Roz who finds herself shipwrecked on a deserted island and must adapt to her unfamiliar surroundings. With an all-star cast led by Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal, stunning visuals, and a heartwarming story, the film looked primed for success.
So why the sudden shift? Though the studio has not provided an official explanation, fans and commentators have come up with some wild theories to account for the release date change:
The Visuals Needed More Polishing
Some believe last minute tweaks were required to perfect the film’s impressive CGI. DreamWorks has set a high bar for animation quality and perhaps the final rendering failed to meet expectations on first review. With such rich, complex environments and expressive robot characters, it’s possible the extra week will allow the visual effects team to smooth out any remaining rough edges.
The Musical Score Isn’t Epic Enough
Music is key for animated features, setting the tone and punctuating emotional moments. The Wild Robot’s score is being composed by John Powell, known for his rousing work on How to Train Your Dragon. Powell is a busy man working on several upcoming projects, so speculation is the studio felt his compositions weren’t grand enough yet. Maybe the delay allows time for Powell to go bigger and bolder with the score.
Merchandising Deals Still Being Finalized
Animated films today come with vast consumer product programs from toys to bedsheets. Perhaps DreamWorks is still locking in key licensing partners to leverage the film. Given the cute animal characters and appeal of robots like Roz, The Wild Robot should spark major merchandising opportunities. The studio could be securing final agreements before launch.
The Marketing Strategy Needs Rethinking
DreamWorks is known for mounting extensive marketing campaigns for its animated films. But perhaps early materials like the teaser trailer and character posters didn’t pop as expected. Comments online suggest some fans found the first trailer slow and the creature co-stars like Fink the fox more compelling than central robot Roz. Maybe groupthink led to a flawed promotional strategy and the team realizes a reboot is required.
The Voice Cast Was Too High Brow
While having top-tier, award-winning actors like Lupita Nyong’o and Pedro Pascal on board lends the project prestige, their serious acting styles could overwhelm the lighthearted material. Many beloved animated movies feature vocal performances by comedic actors like Amy Poehler or Billy Crystal. So a direction change allowing some characters to get recast with performers who can amp up the humor may be underway.
The Storyline Was Too Predictable
Hollywood screenwriting guru Robert McKee warns that story predictability is the cardinal sin when crafting a hit movie. Perhaps test audiences found The Wild Robot’s fish-out-of-water plot failed to deliver enough surprises. Adding some unexpected story twists in the editing bay could explain the pushed release date. Let’s hope a robot revolt or alien invasion manages to upend expectations!
The Running Time Was Off
Today’s families expect animated features clocking in between 90 to 100 minutes max. Coming in much longer risks fidgety kids in theater seats. While no runtime has been announced, rumors suggest the first cut of The Wild Robot exceeded two hours! No doubt the extra seven days allows the editing team to trim excess footage like lingering landscape shots and extraneous subplots.
The Film Was Too Intense For Young Kids
Animated movies need to walk a fine line, balancing lighthearted moments with jeopardy and conflict to create drama. Perhaps early cuts of The Wild Robot made the island environment too menacing or depicted animals in overly violent confrontations. Adding some comic relief or toning down a few wild animal attack sequences could ensure the film hits the right emotional tenor.
Roz Lacked Character Arc
Even robots need character development! As the artificial intelligence heroine of the tale, Roz may serve one purpose in the beginning but should evolve emotionally on her journey. However audience testing might have shown Roz staying too rigid in her thinking and behavior from start to finish. Adding scenes that show Roz gaining wisdom, empathy and depth as she bonds with island creatures could provide more satisfying growth.
The Mid-Credits Scene Wasn’t Worthwhile
Marvel has perfected the art of the mid-credits bonus scene to tease sequels and cliffhangers. Rumor suggests DreamWorks Animation may have attempted a similar ploy but early viewers found the extra content forgettable. Maybe the studio realized they needed to go back and create a truly gasp-inducing reveal priming audiences for a follow-up. Give us a glimpse of Roz leading a robot uprising or discovering a lost civilization!
The Wild Robot looks to follow in the footsteps of heartwarming DreamWorks hits like How To Train Your Dragon. But crafting an animated masterpiece to please both critics and audiences is no easy feat. While the true reason for the pushed release date remains unknown, clearly the studio felt the film deserved a little more finesse. We can only hope the extra seven days allows Chris Sanders and his team to perfect this robot’s journey to the wild island and the big screen. The results may just surprise us! I sincerely hope you find this “The Wild Robot Release Pushed Back? Here’s The Outrageous Reason Why” article helpful.
