Interview: Zachary Levi and director Sam Fell on hatching a worthy sequel with Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Last Updated on December 29, 2023

Twenty-three years after Aardman Animations hatched its stop-motion send-up to The Great Escape, Chicken Run is back for a sequel worthy of the original’s legacy! During the incubation period before Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget debuts on Netflix, JoBlo’s resident animation enthusiast, Steve Seigh, caught up with the sequel’s director, Sam Fell (ParaNorman, The Tale of Despereaux, Flushed Away), and Rocky voice actor Zachary Levi (Chuck, Robot Chicken, Shazam!).

During the interview, Fell discusses whether technological advances in the animation industry have changed his directorial approach. He also touches on the significant scope of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and digs into the franchise’s dark themes. How do you balance themes of incarceration with a light-hearted reverse take on The Great Escape? Sam knows, and he’s ready to spill the beans. We also reveal the moment Fell knew Dawn of the Nugget was something special and something fans could get excited about.

Meanwhile, Zachary Levi takes a trip down Memory Lane to his Robot Chicken days and how the stop-motion landscape has changed in recent years. Levi also discusses his love of playing a superspy and how his role as Chuck Bartowski helped him prepare to play “Rocky” The Rhode Island Red. We also joined Levi in the recording booth (so to speak) to learn about his approach to voicing animated characters.

“Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world,” reads the official synopsis for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. “When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!”

Are you excited about Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget premiering on Netflix on December 15? Do you prefer an original recipe for chicken or extra crispy? Let us know in the comments section!