Shaun the Sheep new movie to launch on Sky following Aardman awards success

The synopsis, courtesy of Sky, teases that we'll find "the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm looking forward to Halloween – until the clumsy Farmer trashes the Flock’s beloved pumpkin patch".

It continues: "When Shaun turns mad scientist to fix the problem, things rapidly spiral out of control. With The Farmer missing and a wild beast roaming the woods of Mossingham, all the ingredients are in place for a monstrously fun family adventure."

The Beast of Mossy Bottom will be the third feature film in the beloved children's franchise, following in the hooves of 2015's smash-hit Movie and its 2019 sequel Farmageddon, both of which were nominated for Academy Awards.

The commission announcement comes mere months after the festive debut of Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl on BBC One and iPlayer, which became the most-watched programme in the UK over Christmas (in the 28-day consolidated ratings).

In total, a whopping 21.6 million viewers tuned in to the return of Aardman's loveable duo in its first month of release, narrowly topping juggernaut sitcom Gavin & Stacey (20.9m) when catch-up viewership is recorded.

Vengeance Most Fowl also bagged a Best Animated Feature at both the BAFTAs and the Academy Awards, winning at the former and losing out to indie cat film Flow at the latter. Clearly, the appetite for the whimsical worlds of Aardman remains high.

Paddington in Peru writer Mark Burton has penned the script alongside Horrible Histories alum Giles Pilbrow, while Steve Cox (Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas) and Matthew Walker (Lloyd of the Flies) are set to direct.

Andrew Orr, executive producer and head of originals for Sky Cinema, commented: "Shaun is a household name, so it's huge news for us to be welcoming him and the flock to our 2026 Sky Original film slate.

"It's an honour to work with Aardman at such an exciting time for the studio, with a film that we know fans of all ages will love. Expect laughs, spookiness and some brilliantly entertaining new characters."

Sarah Cox, chief creative director at Aardman, added: "Shaun the Sheep is an iconic character, beloved by viewers of all ages around the world. In our new animated movie, we bring family-friendly thrills to this light-hearted, spooky Halloween adventure.

"Expect smashed pumpkins, wayward science, and a wild hairy beast on the loose in Mossy Bottom – all delivered with the Flock's trademark joyous comedy."

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is coming to Sky in 2026.

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.