Aardman Celebrates 50 Years with Gromit, Shaun and Chicken Run Stories

Aardman Animations, the British stop‑motion studio best known for its clay‑minded characters, celebrated its 50th anniversary on Tuesday, marking half a century of animation since its founding in 1977 by Peter Lord and David Sproxton. The milestone comes at a time when the studio’s iconic creations—Gromit, the silent yet expressive dog from *Wallace & Gromit*; Shaun the Sheep, the quiet, mischievous lamb from the eponymous series; and the Oscar‑winning *Chicken Run*—continue to dominate both screens and the hearts of audiences worldwide. The anniversary was highlighted by a series of retrospectives and special screenings that traced the studio’s evolution from early clay shorts to its current digital‑enhanced productions.

In addition to the celebratory screenings, Aardman announced a new slate of projects that will build on its legacy of inventive storytelling. The company is set to release a new *Wallace & Gromit* feature later this year, while a sequel to *Shaun the Sheep* is slated for development, promising to keep the beloved characters in the public eye. Aardman also reaffirmed its commitment to preserving the craft of stop‑motion animation, with plans to open a new training centre aimed at nurturing the next generation of animators. The studio’s 50‑year anniversary has thus served both as a tribute to its past achievements and a springboard for future creative ventures.