Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlhas officially broken a viewership record. The Aardman stop-motion animated feature is the firstWallace & Gromitmoviein more than a decade, since the 2008 debut of the short filmA Matter of Loaf and Death. It follows Wallace (Ben Whitehead) inventing a “smart gnome” named Norbot (Reece Shearsmith), though its programming turns deadly when it is hacked by his and Gromit’s old enemy, the master criminal penguin Feathers McGraw, who originally appeared in the 1993 short filmThe Wrong Trousers.
On the same day thatWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowldebuts on Netflix in the United States,TV Zone UKhas now confirmed that the movie broke viewership records during its premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day. With 9.3 million viewers, it wasthe second most-watched broadcast across all channels over the holidayin addition to being the second most-watched UK broadcast in general since 2022. At the time of writing, viewership has since climbed to 16 million.
It only fell behind the 2024Gavin & Staceyseries finale, which brought the James Corden sitcom back to the airwaves for the first time in five years and was watched by an average of 12.3 million viewers.
What This Means For Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
More Wallace & Gromit Could Be On The Way Soon
This record-breaking BBC debut confirms that there is still widespread interest in the Aardman franchise even after a long hiatus. It also seems to prove that audiences have for the most part accepted a huge, potentially damaging change in theWallace & Gromitcast. The new movie isthe first time that Ben Whitehead has voiced Wallace in a proper installment in the franchisesince original voice actor Peter Sallis retired in 2010, later dying of natural causes in 2017.
Whitehead has voiced Wallace in a variety of video games and commercials since 2008.
While creator Nick Park has already confirmed thatVengeance Most Fowlis not intended to be the end ofWallace & Gromit, this outpouring of interestcould mean that more installments in the franchise will come sooner rather than later. Aardman Animations' most recent feature, which was also distributed by Netflix, was 2023’sChicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, showing that the studio has lately been putting time into developing more from their iconic IP, which could provide fertile ground for furtherWallace & Gromittitles.
Our Take On The Wallace & Gromit Record
Vengeance Most Fowl Has Another Proving Ground
While its BBC viewership record is promising, the moviemay also have to become a Netflix hit in order for another installment to be greenlit. However, this may not prove to be an issue. GlowingWallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowlreviewshave already earned the movie a dazzling, Certified Fresh, Rotten Tomatoes score of 100% from critics alongside a 98% audience score at the time of writing. This could translate into solid Netflix numbers during its all-important first few weeks on the platform.
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Cast
Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl features the beloved duo as they confront a “smart” invention gone rogue. When an autonomous gnome hints at larger schemes by a vengeful adversary, Gromit must navigate perilous challenges to protect Wallace and prevent a threat that could end their inventive escapades forever.
