Nov 20, 2023

Aardman Denies Reports of Lack of Clay for Stop-Motion Film Production

Bristol, UK-based Aardman Animations has denied a Telegraph article claiming that the studio does not have enough clay to produce films after "Wallace and Gromit," which it plans to produce for Netflix.

The paper reported that the British factory that produces Aardman's modeling clay, known as Neuplast plasticine, announced its closure last March. Aardman said that it had purchased all of the company's remaining clay.

Aardman acknowledged that their clay producer, New Clay Products, is going out of business, but in a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), the studio dismissed concerns about its ability to continue producing films in the future." We are touched by the recent concerns about the future of our beloved clay works," the studio said."

"But we wanted to reassure our fans that there is absolutely no need to worry.

The studio further explained that it is developing new solutions for future pieces:

We have a large inventory of existing modeling clay to accommodate current and future pieces and, like Wallace in the studio, to continue creating our iconic pieces have been tinkering behind the scenes for quite some time with a plan to ensure a smooth transition to the new inventory.

And to back up Aardman's statement that it has more than enough clay for the future, an animation supply company in the UK is still selling its stock of Neuplast plasticine here.

Aardman's ninth feature film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, will be released next month on Netflix.