Aardman Animations has used one-of-a-kind Lewis Newplast clay since the 1970s|Giphy
The studio behind iconic clay animation movies like Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep—Aardman Animations—is running out of its one-of-a-kind Lewis Newplast clay.
Why?
Aardman has used the unique Lewis Newplast clay since the 1970s to shape its characters. The clay is malleable, durable, and resistant to studio light heat.
In March, the only company that made it, Newclay Products, closed with no one to take over.
Stocking up on the specific clay, Aardman bought more than 880 pounds of the remaining Lewis Newplast. They used it to finish upcoming films like Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, releasing on December 15, and reportedly have enough to make a 2024 Wallace and Gromit movie.
Fans of Aardman’s stop-motion clay movies were worried about the future of it.
There is hope
Aardman posted on X yesterday, stating they have enough modeling clay “to service current and future productions” and “plans in place to ensure a smooth transition” to new types of clay.