Penguin Feathers McGraw to return in new Wallace and Gromit

The evil penguin first appeared in the 1993 Bafta and Oscar-winning short film Wallace and Gromit: The Wrong Trousers.

The film saw McGraw rent a room from the main title pair disguised as a chicken with a red glove on his head. 

He eventually revealed his true, unsavoury nature and the movie concluded with the penguin being arrested and sent to a zoo.

McGraw has made brief appearances since in other Wallace & Gromit media such as an episode of Cracking Contraptions, where he appears in a fictional TV show 'When Penguins Turn', and in the game 'Wallace & Gromit in Project Zoo'.

Evil penguin Feathers McGraw will return in a Wallace and Gromit film for the first time in more than 30 years this Christmas. (Image: Aardman Animations/PA)

Evil Penguin Feathers McGraw to make Wallace and Gromit film return

But now the evil penguin is set to return in a new Wallace and Gromit film set for release later in 2024.

McGraw will feature in Vengeance Most Fowl, on the BBC, which will see the penguin out for revenge on inventor Wallace and his trusty and loyal beagle Gromit

A teaser, released on Thursday (June 6), for Vengeance Most Fowl shows the dastardly penguin’s fish key chain and keys, comb, tape measure and glove being put in a prison tray before he enters a cell while a guard looks on before cracking his neck.

It had previously been revealed that the new film will see Wallace develop a “smart gnome” that seems to have a mind of its own.

A new Wallace and Gromit film will be coming out over Christmas in 2024. (Image: Aardman Animations/PA)

Wallace And Gromit creator and director of the new 70-minute film, Nick Park, said: “I’d had the idea of a film about garden gnomes turning bad for more than a decade, but I could never work out what made them bad.

“It occurred to me that the single most asked question I get when I meet fans is, will the penguin Feathers McGraw, Wallace and Gromit’s original antagonist from The Wrong Trousers 30 years ago, ever return?

“We’ve had fun bringing him back in cameo capacities but now, three decades on, it felt like the right time.

“Then it hit me: What if Feathers was involved with these gnomes? We’re hoping that this film will appeal to fans of ‘Gnome Noir’ everywhere and that people will be gratified when they see what Feathers has been up to since The Wrong Trousers.”

The film will also see events spiral out of control and it falls to Gromit to put aside his qualms and battle sinister forces – or Wallace may never be able to invent again.

Creative director of Wallace and Gromit and director of Vengeance Most Fowl, Merlin Crossingham, said: “While we’d love to revive the enthusiasm across our existing fan base, we also want this film to reach people who have never come across Wallace and Gromit before.

“Hopefully, Vengeance Most Fowl is full of everything people love about Wallace and Gromit while introducing new themes to their ongoing story.”

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Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl cast

Ben Whitehead, who has been in other Wallace and Gromit projects, will once again play the eccentric, cheese-loving inventor from the north of England, following him taking over from the late Peter Sallis.

The cast of Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is also set to feature:

• Peter Kay (comedian) as PC Mackintosh - who has been promoted to chief inspector
• Reece Shearsmith (Inside No. 9)
• Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie)

While there will be cameos from:

• Diane Morgan (Motherland)
• Adjoa Andoh (Bridgeton)
• Sir Lenny Henry (comedian and actor)

More details of their roles will be revealed at a later date.

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When and where to watch the new Wallace and Gromit film - Vengeance Most Fowl

Chief content officer at the BBC, Charlotte Moore, said: “This new feature-length Wallace And Gromit film will captivate audiences of all ages this Christmas on the BBC, as the longed-for return of Feathers McGraw and some ingenious inventions including a smart gnome make for an unmissable adventure showcasing British creativity at its best.”

Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will be shown over Christmas on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Netflix outside the country.