Luke Skywalker himself sees similarities between DreamWorks’ The Wild Robot and the galaxy far, far away. At San Diego Comic-Con last weekend, veteran actor Mark Hamill had fans buzzing about the upcoming animated film after likening his experience viewing it to watching the original Star Wars for the first time.
During a panel for the September 20th release, Hamill shared his enthusiasm for voicing the gruff bear Thorn in The Wild Robot. Based on Peter Brown’s bestselling book of the same name, the film tells the story of robot Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o) who washes ashore on a remote island and forms an unlikely bond with the local animals. Hamill praised DreamWorks’ adaptation, telling the packed hall “They did a fantastic job capturing the heart and imagination-capturing qualities of the source material.”
The book finds popularity with both children and adults for its exploration of friendship, AI, and what truly makes us human. Director Chris Sanders, known for his work on How to Train Your Dragon and Lilo & Stitch, strived to bring Brown’s “analog warmth and soul” to the screen. With an A-list voice cast including Hamill, Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Catherine O’Hara, early footage received a standing ovation at the Annecy Animation Festival.
But it was Hamill’s comparison to the original Star Wars that has fans and critics buzzing. “You just have to see it,” the actor remarked. “It reminds me of back in the day when I was trying to describe Star Wars to people who hadn’t seen it. It’s sumptuous. It’s emotional. It works on so many levels.” Coming from the man who inhabited one of cinema’s most beloved characters, this praise sets the bar sky-high for The Wild Robot to enchant audiences across generations when it releases this fall.
