What do you do if your cartoon snatches the record for highest US box office launch for an independent animation with The Nut Job, a tale of a thieving squirrel? You plough that money into a new, original story You make a sequel, of course! So while the first film has yet to hit UK screens (and doesn’t seem to have a release set), a follow-up is now in the works.
The Nut Job, which smashed records across the pond when it opened third last weekend, stars Will Arnett as Surly, a mischievous squirrel who must plan a heist to get into his town’s biggest nut shop in order to help his pals in the park gather food to survive the winter. Together with his sidekick Buddy (Rob Tinkler), Surly assembles a ragtag crew to help him get inside – and adventure ensues.
Produced by indie companies Redrover, ToonBox Entertainment and Gulfstream Films, the movie was distributed in the US by Open Road Films, which has announced the sequel.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled about The Nut Job,” says Open Road boss Tom Ortenberg. “It has been a pleasure working with the teams at Redrover, ToonBox and Gulfstream and we are delighted to re-team with them for The Nut Job 2.”
No details were announced for the new film, besides mention that the same team would be back and that it’ll hit American cinemas on January 15, 2016.