'Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom' to Premiere in 2026

At least one good thing is guaranteed to happen in 2026: A new Shaun the Sheep movie is officially coming next year. Titled Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, the Halloween-themed adventure will undoubtedly be a lighthearted romp for the spookiest time of the year. 

Shaun the Sheep first appeared in the 1995 Wallace & Gromit film A Close Shave. Six TV series have followed, with a seventh reportedly on the way in due course, as well as a spin-off aimed at preschoolers (Timmy Time). The adorable animated sheep and his flock have also appeared in two previous big-screen outings, 2015’s The Shaun the Sheep Movie and 2019’s A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon. 

The new film follows the success of last year's Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, which broke records in the U.K., becoming the most-watched animated film broadcast on British television since modern viewing records began in 2002. (It streamed in the U.S. on Netflix.) Whether The Beast of Mossy Bottom will reach similar heights is anyone's guess, but it wouldn't be surprising. (Who doesn't love Shaun the Sheep?)

“Shaun the Sheep is an iconic character, beloved by viewers of all ages around the world," Sarah Cox, Chief Creative Director at Aardman, said. "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.”

Here's the film's synopsis. 

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom sees the residents of Mossy Bottom Farm looking forward to Halloween – until the clumsy Farmer trashes the Flock’s beloved pumpkin patch! 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.

"We are so delighted to be in development and pre-production on Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom," Anna Marsh, CEO of StudioCanal, Deputy CEO of Canal+, and Chief Content officer of Canal+, and Ron Halpern, Executive VP, Global Production at StudioCanal, said in a joint statement. "We have taken such pride in establishing Shaun the Sheep and the flock as movie stars, and in this - our third feature film in the franchise – we have a tantalising seasonal hook in Halloween with thrills, spills, surprises, a touch of science, and characters old and new. We cannot wait to reveal more of this highly anticipated family treat in the coming months."

Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom is written by Mark Burton (Paddington in Peru) and Giles Pilbrow (Horrible Histories) and will be directed by Steve Cox (Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas) and Matthew Walker (Lloyd of the Flies).

Nick Park, Peter Lord, Carla Shelley, and Sarah Cox are the executive producers, and Richard Beek serves as producer. 

Sky will be the U.K. distributor releasing the movie in cinemas and on Sky Cinema, with StudioCanal distributing the film internationally. No release date has yet been confirmed, but the movie's Halloween-themed plot makes a Fall premiere date extremely likely.