‘You don’t have to worry,’ says film studio ‘Wallace and Gromit’ after Clay Supplier quits

It might have been an existential question for the creators of the beloved stop-motion animated characters Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep: What would happen if they ran out of clay?

Fans worried about the fate of Aardman Animations all weekend when British newspaper The Telegraph reported that the studio, based in Bristol, England, would face its “an hour of kneading” after the sole manufacturer of the special clay used in his creations closed its doors earlier this year. After buying what they could, The Telegraph reported, the studio had enough clay left to make just one more film, with a new “Wallace and Gromit” film due out next year.

But no, the foundations of the studio are not crumbling. Aardman animations said Monday there was enough clay to continue molding.

Fans had “absolutely no need to worry,” the studio said in a statement. The studio has “a large inventory of modeling clay for current and future productions,” the report said.

The clay manufacturer, Newclay Products, announced last month that it had stopped selling its products in March. The company had become famous for Lewis Newplast, a plasticine beloved by animators that was malleable enough to mold but strong enough to hold its shape during filming. Newclay Products did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

But the directors, Paul and Valerie Dearing, told The Telegraph that they were retiring and had decided to close the company’s doors after being unable to find anyone to take over. They said Aardman had bought about 400 kilos, or almost 900 pounds, of the remaining Newplast shares.

More than a ton of modeling clay is ordered for each of the studio’s feature films, and about half of that is used to shape the characters. according to modelers for Aardman.

Aardman tried to reassure fans on Monday, telling them that once supplies of Newplast ran out, it had plans to switch to new stock.

“Just like Wallace in his workshop, we have been tinkering behind the scenes for a while,” referring to the eccentric inventor who is one of Aardman’s most beloved characters.

Known for its signature Claymation style, the studio has produced hits like the ‘Wallace & Gromit’ franchise, the spinoff series ‘Shaun the Sheep’ and the 2000 film ‘Chicken Run’.

A sequel, “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” will debut on Netflix on December 15, and the studio will also release a new “Wallace & Gromit” movie in 2024, premiering on Netflix and the BBC.