Wallace and Gromit go west

After a string of TV hits with the BBC, Wallace and Gromit are to make their big-screen debut in a Hollywood production.

Film company Aardman has announced plans to make its first feature-length film starring Wallace and his despairing pet dog. The Great Vegetable Plot is being headed by Oscar-winning animator Nick Park.

Aardman has a production deal with Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Studio in Hollywood. Its first foray into feature films, Chicken Run, had a cool reception despite being voiced by stars including Mel Gibson and Jane Horrocks. Many fans were disappointed that the film did not feature Wallace and Gromit.

However, early indications are that the new project will be a financial success. Sales of Wallace and Gromit merchandise are already worth £50 million a year.

While the film is in production, the two characters will also make a brief return in a series of short films available on Aardman's website this autumn.

The animators have also announced another project to be made with Dreamworks.

Work on Ratropolis will start later this year and may include some computer-generated sequences. The script will be written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.