Aardman Animations

In 1976 Peter Lord and David Sproxton made the clay figure Morph, who appeared on the BBCBBCThe BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the United Kingdom’s public broadcaster. Its predecessor was the British Broadcasting Company, formed in 1922, and since 1927 it has been established under a Royal Charter. It provides television, radio, and online services in the UK, is funded mainly by the television licence fee, and broadcasts worldwide in multiple languages through BBC World Service.Open the full entry programme Take Hart the next year.⁠[1]

On August 29, 1986, today’s operating company was incorporated as Offshelm Limited. It was renamed Aards Co. Limited (The) on November 17, 1986, and has used the name Aardman Animations Limited since June 12, 1987.⁠[2]

At the 63rd Academy Awards in 1991, Nick ParkNick ParkNick Park (Nicholas Wulstan Park) is a British stop-motion animation director, a director of Aardman Animations, and the creator of Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. He has won four Academy Awards, for Creature Comforts, The Wrong Trousers, A Close Shave and The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.Open the full entry’s Creature Comforts won Short Film (Animated), and his A Grand Day Out was also nominated in the category.⁠[3]

On December 18, 1991, the holding company Aardman Holdings Limited was incorporated, also registered at Gas Ferry Road, Bristol, with its business classified as activities of other holding companies.⁠[4]

Chicken Run opened in the United States on June 23, 2000, distributed by DreamWorks Distribution. It grossed about $225.1 million worldwide, including about $107.1 million domestically.⁠[5]

Chicken Run, directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park and made with DreamWorks Animation and Pathé, was Aardman’s first full-length theatrical feature.⁠[6]

Aardman Academy has trained animators since 2000; it grew out of the studio’s need to meet the scale of Chicken Run.⁠[7]

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit opened first in Asia-Pacific markets on September 15, 2005, was distributed in North America by DreamWorks Distribution, and grossed about $192.8 million worldwide.⁠[8]

The film won Animated Feature Film at the 78th Academy Awards in 2006, credited to Nick Park and Steve Box.⁠[9]

Flushed Away, directed by David Bowers and Sam Fell, was the third and final animated feature Aardman produced with DreamWorks, and its first project made entirely in CGI rather than stop-motion.⁠[10]

It opened on November 2, 2006, was distributed in North America by DreamWorks, and grossed about $178.3 million worldwide.⁠[11]

Arthur Christmas was a co-production between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aardman Animations; in 2012 it won the Annie Award for Best Voice Acting for Bill Nighy.⁠[12]

It opened in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2011, was distributed in North America by Sony Pictures Releasing, and grossed about $151.5 million worldwide.⁠[13]

In 2018 Early Man, directed by Nick Park, was released; it was co-financed by STUDIOCANAL and the BFI, with Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston among the voice cast.⁠[14]

Since November 5, 2018, Aardman Employee Ownership Trustee Limited has held 75% or more of the shares and voting rights of the holding company Aardman Holdings Limited.⁠[15]

The co-founders sold 75% of their shares to an employee trust.⁠[16]

On the same day Sean Clarke, Sarah Cox, Kerry Lock, Paula Newport, Carla Shelley and Heather Wright became directors of Aardman Animations Limited.⁠[17]

In 2021 Aardman made the 30-minute Christmas short Robin Robin for Netflix, its first stop-motion musical, created and directed by Dan Ojari and Mikey Please and nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 2022 Academy Awards.⁠[18]

On December 15, 2023, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, directed by Sam Fell, launched globally on Netflix; Aardman describes the original Chicken Run as the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time.⁠[19]

On January 1, 2024, Joanna Cave became a director of Aardman Animations Limited, and Peter Lord stepped down as a director the same day.⁠[20]

In October 2024 Aardman announced a co-development of Pingu with Mattel. Aardman distributes its own shows globally and also represents third-party titles such as Numberblocks and The Snowman.⁠[21]

On October 24, 2025, Aardman and Outright Games launched the game Chicken Run: Eggstraction on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox and PC.⁠[22]

On November 25, 2025, Aardman announced that Young V&A in London would open Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends on February 12, 2026, with more than 150 items including concept art, puppets and scripts.⁠[23]

On December 2, 2025, Aardman and Bristol Museums announced a collaboration to stage Cracking Exhibition Gromit: 50 Years of Aardman in Bristol at M Shed, Bristol, in summer 2026.⁠[24]

In January 2026 Aardman appointed Helen Beard as chief people officer.⁠[25]

On April 9, 2026, Aardman announced that from April 1 CAA Brand Management, part of Creative Artists Agency, would handle its brand licensing, partnerships, live experiences and promotions in Japan and in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; licensing had previously been held by Tohokushinsha Film Corporation in Japan and U-Young in China.⁠[26]

On May 13, 2026, Caroline Norbury was named chair of trustees.⁠[16]

On June 9, 2026, The Royal Mint launched a 50p coin, designed by Aardman, marking its 50th anniversary.⁠[27]

That month the Royal College of Art announced plans for an animation MFA with Aardman.⁠[25]

On September 4, 2026, Aardman published a 50th-anniversary statement saying it had grown since 1976 from a small independent studio into a global creative business with four Academy Awards and 18 BAFTAs, and stressing its Bristol roots, independence and employee ownership.⁠[28]

Aardman Animations Limited is a private limited company registered at Gas Ferry Road, Bristol; its registered activities include motion picture production, television programme production, interactive entertainment software development and artistic creation.⁠[2]

Its catalogue spans stop-motion, CGI and 2D series, along with the short I Am Your Mother in Star WarsStar WarsStar Wars is a space-fantasy film and entertainment franchise created by George Lucas and now owned by Lucasfilm, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.Open the full entry: Visions Volume 2, Lloyd of the Flies, Robin Robin, and games such as 11-11: Memories Retold and Chicken Run: Eggstraction.⁠[29]

Its commercials and short-form division has worked for clients including Thatchers Cider, Barbour, McDonald’sMcDonald’sMcDonald’s is a publicly traded restaurant company headquartered in Chicago, known for hamburgers, fries, drive-thrus and its franchise network. Its origins lie in the restaurant opened by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940; Ray Kroc expanded franchising from 1955. It operates across more than 100 countries, with the great majority of restaurants run by independent operators.Open the full entry France, Greenpeace and Coldplay, with Steve Harding-Hill as its creative director since 2016.⁠[30]

Aardman Animations: Official website: https://www.aardman.com/ (opens in a new window)⁠[25]