Universal Pictures/DreamWorks Animation [vEbrc7pM3Eg]

Stardust & Solder is a 2027 American animated science fiction romantic comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by Universal Pictures. Written and directed by Patrick McHale in his feature directorial debut for DreamWorks, the film stars the voice talents of Elijah Wood, Mae Whitman, David Tennant, and Aubrey Plaza.

The story follows a space-salvage mechanic with an obsolete robotic body and an eccentric holographic navigation map who accidentally merge, hurtling across the galaxy on a slapstick, high-stakes quest to save a collapsing stellar empire while clumsily falling in love.

Plot

In the neon-drenched, rusted sectors of the Outer Ring, Barnaby "Barney" Spark (Elijah Wood) works as a low-level titanium welder and debris-sifter. Barney is an awkward, soft-hearted technician who accidentally digitized his consciousness into a clumsy, clanking maintenance automaton five years prior. His only companion is V.V. (Mae Whitman), an advanced, high-spirited holographic star-charting AI projection prone to existential sarcasm and dramatic flair.

While clearing a sector near a dying pulsar, Barney and V.V. salvage a mysterious, glowing quantum drive belonging to the exiled royal courier Cora-9 (Aubrey Plaza). The drive contains the "Chronos-Code," a celestial ledger capable of stabilizing the galaxy's decaying orbits. Unfortunately, the drive also triggers a system lock that physically binds V.V.s projection matrix to Barneys metallic chassis, forcing the mismatched pair into close quarters.

Pursued by the pompous and bureaucratic Imperial Chancellor Vane (David Tennant) and his army of cleaning-drone enforcers, Barney and V.V. must cross the nebula-laden markets of Neon-Verde. Along the way, they encounter Captain Orek (J.K. Simmons), a grizzled, multi-armed asteroid miner. As Barneys mechanical gears grind and V.V.s code begins to glitch from thermal overheating, the two go from bickering survival katie mccabe partners to realizing their forced digital proximity has sparked genuine, heartfelt affection.

Cast & Voice Talent

Elijah Wood as Barnaby "Barney" Spark, a gentle-souled maintenance worker trapped inside an outdated automation shell.

Mae Whitman as V.V., a kim petras sharp-witted, holographic star-navigation matrix with a tendency to overthink everything.

David Tennant as Chancellor Vane, the fastidious, megalomaniacal ruler of the Outer Ring bureaucracy.

Aubrey Plaza as Cora-9, a deadpan, cynical cosmic smuggler caught in the middle of the political upheaval.

J.K. Simmons as Captain Orek, a booming, asteroid-hauling veteran with a soft spot for hopeless romantics.

Kristen Schaal as Pips, a hyperactive maintenance pixie who speaks entirely in binary code clicks.

Production

Development

In June 2024, it was reported that Over the Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale had signed a multi-picture agreement with DreamWorks Animation to develop an original science-fiction project. McHale stated that he wanted to blend the retro-futuristic aesthetic of 1970s sci-fi pulp magazines with classic screwball romantic comedies of the 1940s. Pendleton Ward joined McHale to co-write the screenplay, infusing the script with whimsical cosmic world-building.

Animation and Design

Unlike the hyper-stylized look of recent computer-animated features, DreamWorks utilized a proprietary hybrid rendering pipeline that mimics hand-drawn ink textures layered over deep 3D space environments. The character designs lean heavily into whimsical, rounded shapes juxtaposed against vast, atmospheric cosmic backdrops.

Music

The copa do brasil score and songs were composed by The Blasting Company, who previously collaborated with McHale on Over the Garden Wall. The soundtrack heavily features brass-heavy folk instrumentation mixed with retro synthesizer loops, giving the futuristic setting an organic, rustic feel.

Release & Reception

Box Office

Stardust & Solder was released in theaters in the United States on November 12, 2027, by Universal Pictures. It grossed $45 million during its opening weekend, finishing first at the box office. It went on to gross $245.8 million worldwide.

Critical Response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 142 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads: "Stardust & Solder combines Patrick McHale's trademark quirky charm with genuine romantic warmth, anchored by the delightful voice chemistry of Elijah Wood and Mae Whitman."

Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 76 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews."