Aardman and Studiocanal are reteaming for another woolly adventure with Shaun The Sheep Movie 2. The sequel to 2015’s animated comedy will be directed by Richard Starzak who collaborated on the first film, and will be produced by that movie’s Paul Kewley. Pre-production is due to begin in January.

Studiocanal The Shaun character was first introduced via short film A Close Shave which debuted in 1995. Shaun then got his own stop-motion animated TV series that first aired on the BBC’s CBBC in 2007. Shaun The Sheep Movie was Oscar nominated in the Best Animated Feature category in 2016 and grossed over $106M worldwide. Lionsgate released in the U.S.

The follow-up will see Shaun and the flock return for what’s described as “another epic and hilarious journey, in what will be their biggest and most exciting adventure yet.”

Studiocanal is co-financing Shaun The Sheep Movie 2 and will distribute in its own territories: the UK, France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. It begins world sales at the AFM in Santa Monica next month.

Shaun 2 sees Aardman and Studiocanal continue their partnership following the original film, as well as Nick Park’s upcoming prehistoric comedy Early Man starring the voices of Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston.