Mark Hamill made a surprise appearance at “The Wild Robot” panel during San Diego Comic-Con, delighting fans and attendees alike. The panel featured director Chris Sanders and voice actors Lupita Nyong’o and Kit Connor, who joined Hamill to discuss DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming feature film.
Hamill, who lends his voice to a grizzly bear named Thorn in the film, expressed his excitement about the project. Upon being invited to participate, he quickly read Peter Brown’s novel, the source material for the film. “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,” he shared with enthusiasm.
“The Wild Robot” tells the story of Roz, a hyper-intelligent android voiced by Nyong’o, who finds herself on an uninhabited island. There, she discovers a new purpose as she interacts with the local wildlife and raises an orphaned baby duckling named Brightbill, voiced by Connor. The panel showcased three new clips from the film, providing a glimpse into Roz’s journey.
One clip depicted Roz’s crash landing on the remote island, highlighting her initial interactions with the island’s animal inhabitants. Another clip revealed the somber reason behind Roz’s acceptance of the role of Brightbill’s mother. In a tense moment, Roz confronts the RECOS, reconnaissance robots sent to capture her. “You are defective,” one of the RECOS states. “I feel fine,” Roz retorts, only to be told, “You should not feel anything at all.”
In a different scene, Roz finds herself in a precarious situation as she is chased by a bear and tumbles off a cliff. Upon assessing the damage, she realizes that her fall has resulted in the death of a mother goose, leaving behind one unhatched egg. This egg will become Brightbill, the duckling she takes under her wing.
Nyong’o shared her thoughts on Roz’s character, noting that while she is an adult, she possesses a “beginner’s mind” akin to that of a child. “She has to learn morality and ethical code,” Nyong’o explained. Roz learns from the animals around her to keep the truth about Brightbill’s mother a secret, ultimately stepping into the role of his mother herself.
The panel also touched on the absence of mothers in animated films. Sanders, who worked on the classic “Aladdin,” recounted how Aladdin originally had a mother in early versions of the story. “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 joked, adding that mothers often prevent adventures from happening in a good way.
A final clip shown during the Comic-Con panel featured a humorous “swim test” for Connor’s Brightbill, who is hilariously jettisoned down a hill by a mischievous fox named Fink, voiced by Pedro Pascal. The film also features the talents of Catherine O’Hara as Pinktail and Matt Berry as Paddler.
“The Wild Robot” is set to hit theaters on September 27, and the excitement surrounding the film continues to grow, especially with the involvement of beloved figures like Mark Hamill. His surprise appearance at the panel not only thrilled fans but also underscored the collaborative spirit of the project, bringing together a talented cast and crew dedicated to bringing this heartwarming story to life.
As Comic-Con continues to be a platform for fans to connect with their favorite creators and characters, Hamill’s unexpected visit serves as a reminder of the magic that can happen at such events. The anticipation for “The Wild Robot” is palpable, and with the film’s release on the horizon, fans are eager to see how the story unfolds on the big screen.
Source: Variety
