News

Netflix announces a sequel to Chicken Run is coming next year

Chicken Run was released back in 2000 and became an instant much-loved family favourite.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 23rd June 2020
Aardman Animations / DreamWorks

Netflix UK & Ireland has taken to social media to announce a sequel to the classic Aardman Animations film Chicken Run.

The streaming service confirmed the news to fans on Twitter this morning.

The announcement was made exactly 20 years after the day the original film was released and the sequel is expected to enter production next year.

Chicken Run was released back in 2000 and became an instant much-loved family favourite.

The plot centred on a band of chickens at a Yorkshire farm who see a rooster named Rocky as their only hope to escape when their owners prepare to turn them into chicken pies.

It boasted an all-star cast of voice actors including Julia Sawalha, Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson, Timothy Spall and Imelda Staunton. Even two decades after the blockbuster first dropped, Chicken Run still remains the highest-grossing stop-motion animated film of all time, taking $225 million at the box office.

The original film is rated an incredible 97% on the ‘Tomatometer’ on film critic website Rotten Tomatoes too.

Giving fans an insight into the plot of the sequel, Aardman Animations said: “Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream – a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world.”

“When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete, but back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat.”

“For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk”.

“This time, they’re breaking in”.

Peter Lord, Aardman Co-Founder and Creative Director, said: “Fans around the world have waited patiently for a sequel idea worthy of Chicken Run so we’re delighted to announce, on the 20th anniversary, that we’ve found the perfect story.”

“Netflix feels like the ideal creative partner for this project too: they celebrate the film-maker, which means we can make the film we want to make – the one we really care about – and share it with a global audience.”

The Chicken Run sequel will be released globally on Netflix in 2021.

You can find out more information here.

News

‘No suspicious circumstances’ ruled as body found in search for missing Manchester man Adeo Alston-Ekpei

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Fundraiser launched to find missing 'beautiful soul' Adeo Alston

A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei.

The 25-year-old was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury at around 3pm on Friday 16 May, before later being seen walking down Kingsway away from Manchester and close to the River Mersey, at around 5.20pm that same day.

Multiple lines of enquiry were being explored by police, and some CCTV footage of his last-known movements was released to the public earlier this month.

At the time of the CCTV footage being released, a spokesperson for Adeo’s family described the missing man as ‘kind, funny, and intelligent’ with a ‘huge heart’, but they say he ‘wasn’t himself when he disappeared’.

Adeo missing man Fletcher Moss Park Didsbury
A body has now been found in the search for missing Manchester man, Adeo Alston-Ekpei / Credit: GMP / Family Handout

“He may have come across as agitated, lost, or confused,” the spokesperson admitted. “In his last call to his mum, he was in a very vulnerable state.”

Now, after over a month of dedicated searches by all involved, detectives at Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have confirmed they recovered a body on Schools Hill in Cheadle last week.

Whilst formal identification is still to take place, the body is believed to be that of Adeo.

Police say Adeo’s family have been informed of this development, and continue to be supported through this extremely difficult time.

“We would like to thank everyone who has shared our appeals and passed their well wishes onto Adeo’s loved ones throughout this extensive search,” GMP said in a formal statement. “We would now ask that the family be allowed privacy.”

Read more:

It was also confirmed that there appears to be ‘no suspicious circumstances’ surrounding Adeo’s death, and a file will now be passed to the coroner.

Featured Image – GMP

News

Four rare African ducklings have been hatched at Chester Zoo for the very first time

Danny Jones Danny Jones

More conversation celebration down the road at Chester Zoo, as the award-winning wildlife park has welcomed four African ducklings who belong to a rare breed.

As is so often the case with the work they do all year-round, their arrival could help signal the species’ survival in the long run, whose status was sadly upgraded from vulnerable to endangered on the official IUCN Red List.

The particular type of fowl we’re referring to is the Maccao duck, a stiff-tailed bird that typically belongs to the fresh and brackish inland waters of Eastern and Southern Africa.

Medium-sized, chunky, with big bills and subtle striping around their heads, they’re gorgeous creatures as is, but especially so as ducklings…

rare african ducklings hatched at chester zoo
‘It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die‘ (Credit: Chester Zoo)

If you didn’t say ‘awww’ out loud, then you’re just lying.

As the Zoo itself put it, they are “rare, fluffy and VERY cute.” Celebrating what is “a breeding breakthrough for one of Africa’s rarest ducks […] so these little guys are kind of a big deal.”

These little delightful little duckies are known for diving down to the bottom of lakes and riverbeds to forage for aquatic invertebrates and plants; in fact, given the choice, they tend to prefer going underwater over flying pretty much full-stop.

As a resident species that doesn’t migrate like many other birds, they are native to nations like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. They’re identifiable by their dark black heads, blue bills (among the males, at least) and presence within the wetlands.

However, their estimated numbers continue to drop, and unfortunately, just 14 of their kind currently remain in Kenya and only 100 in Tanzania, with fewer than 5,000 believed to be left across the entire African continent.

Not only is this the first time the species has ever been successfully bred by bird experts at Chester Zoo, but conservationists hope ducklings will put a spotlight on the threatened species.

rare african ducks chester zoo
Their scientific name is ‘Oxyura maccoa’.
maccao ducks chester zoo
Just like human babies, they prone to stuff all over their face.
As far as ducklings go, these adorable little African variants are pretty special. (Credit: Supplied)

The zoo’s Head of Birds, Andrew Owen, said of their birth: “As one of just seven zoos in Europe – and 12 zoos globally – that care for Maccoa ducks, these ducklings are very special as they’re the first of their kind to ever hatch here at the zoo – making it a really historic moment for our team,

“This success gives a real boost to the future of the species, and these vital new additions will contribute to the safety-net population in zoos. These birds are facing rapid decline in the wild, so every hatchling really does count.

“To see them now out on the water inside our new Heart of Africa habitat, which is dedicated to helping Africa’s most threatened species thrive, makes this milestone even more special.”

Nothing short of brilliant news, we’re sure you’ll agree; better still, in addition to the crucially charitable and conversation-based tourist attraction being named one of England’s most popular destinations once again, but these are the only rare birds welcome by the zookeepers this month.

Read more:

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Featured Images — Chester Zoo (supplied)

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