Shaun the Sheep heads for the dark side in Aardman’s horror comedy

Aardman is taking Shaun the Sheep into darker territory with The Beast of Mossy Bottom, a stop-motion horror comedy scheduled for UK release on 18 September 2026. The film follows genetically enhanced pumpkins, a misunderstood monster and villagers armed with pitchforks, with its scares softened for younger audiences.

Production was about halfway complete in January, according to The Guardian’s behind-the-scenes report from Aardman’s Bristol studio. Roughly 300 staff were working across 40 sets, while 30 animators produced almost two seconds of footage per day by moving models fractionally between photographs.

The film draws on horror touchstones including Psycho, Nosferatu, Frankenstein and The Shining, alongside the darker science-fiction comedy Weird Science. Its creative team has also shaped the story around themes of isolation, genetic enhancement and the dangers of trying to solve everything alone.

Shaun’s familiar dialogue-free world is being updated with a female vet, a gay wedding, solar panels, an Amazon delivery and a moment in which Shaun uses emojis to seek help. The story’s final act features a mob pursuing an outsider, reflecting reported creator discussions about misunderstanding and populism without presenting the film as a direct political commentary.

Directed by Matthew Walker and Steve Cox, and written by Mark Burton and Giles Pilbrow, the film extends one of Aardman’s most internationally portable properties. Shaun the Sheep’s seven-season television series has sold in more than 170 territories, while Aardman, founded in 1976, marks its 50th anniversary this year.