Aardman, the creators of the Wallace & Gromit series, are partnering with a team of British companies including Potato, Sugar Creative, and Tiny Rebel Games, with research support from the University of South Wales and funding from the British government, to invent an augmented reality (AR) experience based on the Wallace & Gromit universe, according to a report on Sugar Creative’s website.

“Aardman is a business built on great storytelling and creative ambition,” said Sean Clarke, executive director of rights and brand development for Aardman. “We are delighted to partner with this bold project, developing brand new Wallace & Gromit content that can be interacted with on many levels. We are sure this will delight and engage fans, offer a unique experience and maintain Wallace & Gromit’s reputation as pioneers of technology.”

Selected by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the Audience of the Future program, this team has been awarded a multimillion-pound research and development grant to explore and pioneer cutting-edge immersive experiences. The team plans to use the characters from the Wallace & Gromit series to bring to life location-based, multi-user AR experience for audiences to enjoy sometime in 2020.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be working in partnership with Aardman on such and iconic IP,” said Jason Veal, managing director and co-founder of Sugar Creative. “Using cutting edge & traditional storytelling techniques, we are looking forward to launching a brand new Wallace & Gromit tale that will appeal to fans of all ages. We look forward to exploring new ways of bringing these globally recognized and beloved characters to life using immersive technologies such as augmented reality and live theatrical production.”

