The Wild RobotAuthor 'Wasn't That Surprised' by Movie’s 3 Oscar Nominations (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Peter Brown attends the world premiere of ‘The Wild Robot’ during the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada, on Sept. 8, 2024; ‘The Wild Robot’ cover.Photo:GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

The creator ofThe Wild Robothas big hopes for the movie adaptation.

Peter Brown, the author behind the #1New York Timesbestselling middle grade book series, tells PEOPLE in an exclusive interview that he “wasn’t that surprised” when Chris Sanders’ hit movie adaptation, starringLupita Nyong’o,Pedro PascalandKit Connor, nabbed three nominations at the97th Academy Awards.

At the coveted awards show, the flick is nominated for Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Animated Feature. The latter sees it competing againstFlow,Inside Out 2,Memoir of a SnailandWallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

(L-R) Chris Sanders, Lupita Nyong’o and Peter Brown attend ‘The Wild Robot’ screening on Sept. 11, 2024 in New York City.Craig Barritt/Getty

Craig Barritt/Getty

Brown, who will be in attendance at the March 2 ceremony, shares what was going through his mind when he got the news. “Well, to be honest with you, I wasn’t that surprised,” he admits, adding that he watched the live broadcast of the nominations. “The movie is pretty amazing. It’s beautiful, it’s heartwarming, it’s filled with wonder. It’s kind of a magical movie.”

The author continues, “As soon as I saw the finished film, I thought, ‘People are gonna really love it.’ Obviously, it’s incredible to actually get the news that it was, in fact, nominated, but I thought it was deserving from the moment I saw it.”

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Now with a companion picture book,The Wild Robot on the Island, set to hit the shelves in June and aCreepy Taleschapter bookout in September, Brown has found himself with his hands full. That said, he notes that he’s still feeling “optimistic” for a sequel to the beloved movie.

‘The Wild Robot’ production still.DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

DreamWorks Animation/Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

The author met several people who worked on the movie when he attended its premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. From storyboard artists to production designers, “everybody told me that they absolutely wanted to work on moreWild Robotmovies,” he recalls.

“These are the best people, right?” Brown says. “If Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann, and all their top designers, animators, artists and writers all want anotherWild Robotmovie, it seems pretty likely to me that it’s going to happen eventually.”

Brown continues, “Don’t hold me to it. It’s a business, and I don’t know exactly how all these decisions are made, but I’m pretty optimistic that there will be moreWild Robotmovies.”

The director has previouslyteased the future of the movie franchise, tellingDeadlinein October 2024, “100% yes there are absolutely plans for a second one.”

As of now, Brown has penned a total of threeWild Robotbooks, including 2017’sThe Wild Robot Escapesand 2023’sThe Wild Robot Protects.And now there’s a picture book on the way, leaving the movie franchise with plenty to work with.

source: people.com