Aardman Animations faces a shortage of clay

Aardman Animations, renowned for producing a wide range of beloved films such as Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run, finds itself with only enough clay remaining for a single additional movie. Being recognized as one of the top animation studios, this British stop-motion powerhouse continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

The studio is currently facing a crisis as it has completely depleted its clay supply. This may sound like a joke, but it's a sad reality. The clay, essential for crafting their stop-motion animations, has significantly diminished and it is believed that only adequate clay is available to produce a single more movie.

Aardman Animations only has enough clay for another Wallace and Gromit

Curious about how the studio found itself without any clay supply? Well, it seems that Aardman relied on a particular clay variety known as Lewis Newplast to bring their beloved films to life. As per an individual who once interned at the studio, this clay would undergo a heating process, making it soft and malleable for sculpting.

The clay mentioned has been utilized since the establishment of the studio in the early 1970s. However, the clay factory, which had been supplying it, ceased operations last March. Aardman had accumulated some stock, but it is now depleting rapidly. In fact, there is only sufficient clay left for their upcoming film, which happens to be another Wallace and Gromit project.

However, there is still hope. The search is currently underway for a new kind of clay that can withstand the intense heat of studio lights and still possess the necessary flexibility to maintain the high standards set by previous Aardman films.

And as for fans of Aardman Animations, they have expressed their unwavering support and concern for the studio in a variety of heartfelt and amusing ways. Take a look at some of their reactions on X (formerly Twitter) below:

Thankfully, the upcoming Chicken Run sequel, Dawn of the Nugget, will be unaffected by this shortage, and will be hitting Netflix on December 15. Find out more here.

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Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am deeply saddened by the news that Aardman Animations is facing a shortage of clay. The studio has produced some of my favorite animated films, including Wallace and Gromit and Chicken Run, and I was looking forward to seeing more of their work in the future.

The fact that the studio is now facing a shortage of its essential material is a major setback, and I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for the animators and other staff members. I hope that they are able to find a new source of clay soon so that they can continue to create their amazing films. In the meantime, I will be keeping my fingers crossed for the upcoming Wallace and Gromit project and hoping that it is able to live up to the high standards set by the studio's previous films.