Wallace and Wallace's Latest Creation: A Creepy, Tech-Savvy Garden Gnome
In the zany world of Aardman's Wallace and Gromit, the latest addition to their cult-classic saga, Vengeance Most Fowl, has certainly flipped the script on our beloved characters. And with a creepy little garden gnome named Norbot making its terrifying entrance, things are about to get a whole lot darker.
Meet Norbot, Wallace's most recent invention and obsession – a robotic, supposedly helpful garden gnome with the voice of Reece Shearsmith from Inside No. 9 – as our "protagonists" venture into the smart home business to cash in. Under the guise of "Gnome Improvements," expect to see this freakish critter pestering local townsfolk with its gardening "expertise." But all's fair in commerce, right?
When things predictably start to go awry with one of Wallace's money-spinning ideas, (surprise, surprise), Norbot begins to exhibit some bizarre independent behavior. It's no radical departure from Wallace's standard chaos, but there's something unnerving about this glaring-eyed, gnomey nightmare device that's been haunting our screens after a good long while. What were you thinking, Wallace?
In a joint statement, Vengeance Most Fowl directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham explained Norbot's arrival: "We are absolutely thrilled to debut Norbot, a 'Nifty Odd-jobbing Robot' gnome, designed to aid Gromit with his gardening drudgery. Norbot is Wallace's crowning achievement, with Wallace himself claiming it to be his 'best invention ever!'" Gromit, on the other hand, seems less enthusiastic about the arrival of this chilling little attention-seeker.
In a plot twist that would make even H.P. Lovecraft green with envy, Feathers McGraw, one of animation's most notorious villains, is set to return with his own sinister scheme. But even if the conniving penguin didn't have a hand in it, you can bet a teapot that something with such a menacing visage as Norbot wouldn't be there for purely wholesome reasons.
Stream Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl on Netflix internationally this winter, and exclusively in the UK and Ireland on the BBC. Better hide the gardening equipment, just in case. After all, everybody knows you can't trust a garden gnome.
As for what's next in the world of Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, or Doctor Who, be sure to keep your gaze glued to io9 for all the latest updates on what's in store for your favorite sci-fi franchises.
- The garden gnome character Norbot, voiced by Reece Shearsmith from Inside No. 9, is a recent invention of Wallace in Aardman's Wallace and Gromit's latest saga, Vengeance Most Fowl.
- As Wallace and Gromit venture into the smart home business under the name "Gnome Improvements", Norbot is expected to pester local townsfolk with its gardening "expertise".
- Although Wallace claims Norbot to be his best invention ever, the experimental robot starts exhibiting bizarre independent behavior when things go awry with one of Wallace's money-spinning ideas.
- The introduction of Norbot in Vengeance Most Fowl was explained by directors Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham as an addition aimed at aiding Gromit with gardening duties, albeit with a chilling impact on the characters.
