News / Gromit Unleashed
First sculptures unveiled for Gromit Unleashed 3
A smart gnome from the new Wallace and Gromit film will be among the sculptures in Gromit Unleashed 3, coming to the streets of Bristol in the summer of 2025.
Norbot, Wallace’s latest invention in Vengeance Most Fowl, will join Wallace, Gromit and the dastardly penguin Feathers McGraw on the sculpture trail which in its previous two iterations has raised more than £20m for the Grand Appeal, the charity of Bristol Children’s Hospital.
Alongside a prototype model of Norbot, a trio of sculptures has already been revealed: Feathers as the King of Diamonds by Emily Golden, Wallace as a Roman soldier by Mawford Arts and a fabulously colourful mosaic Gromit by Lizzie Tucker.
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The new trail – the first Gromit Unleashed since 2018 following its debut outing in 2013 – promises to “bring the glamour of the silver screen as well as the magic of tales, fables and stories to the streets of Bristol”.
Norbot is a smart gnome invented by Wallace who will feature in the new film Vengeance Most Fowl coming this Christmas – photo: Martin Booth
As well as designing and painting the Alice in Wonderland-inspired King of Diamonds, Golden is the Grand Appeal’s creative lead.
Speaking to Bristol24/7 from a room in the Spike Island headquarters of Aardman where the first sculptures were unveiled, Golden said she is “really excited” to see people’s reactions.
“It’s been six years since our last trail, I don’t know where the time has gone, but I can’t wait to bring Wallace, Gromit, Feathers and Norbot to the streets of Bristol next summer.”
King of Diamonds took Golden five days to paint and she said she had to concentrate particularly hard to ensure the lines were straight, especially underneath Feathers’ tummy.
The Alice in Wonderland-inspired King of Diamonds has been painted by Emily Golden – photo: Martin Booth
Nicola Masters, co-founder and director of the Grand Appeal, said: “Every time we do a trail, we try to bring something new to it so this time we’re bringing stories, fables, movies, cinema, tales of lots of different stories from times gone past…
“We are humbled by the number of people who participate in these trails and humbled by the reaction we get from people from Bristol, from throughout the UK and from further afield.
“Everybody takes to heart the fact it is for the Grand Appeal for Bristol Children’s Hospital, and I think it’s the combination of Aardman, Bristol and Bristol Children’s Hospital that brings everybody together.”
Masters added: “We have got some lovely surprises tucked up our sleeves to announce next year. We always try to bring the magic to Bristol.”
Like in Gromit Unleashed 2, Wallace is sat on a bench ready for selfies – photo: Martin Booth
If you would like to be a sponsor, artist or location, or if you are interested in taking part in the schools programme, visit www.grandappeal.org.uk/trail-sponsorship
The unveiling of the sculptures has also come on the same day as Aardman release a new trailer for Vengeance Most Fowl, which will get its premiere on BBC One on Christmas Day and then be on Netflix globally from January 3.
The film has so far got a rare 100 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Main photo: Martin Booth
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