The Unexpected Impact E.T. and How to Train Your Dragon Had on The Wild Robot (EXCLUSIVE)

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Praised as a standout among 2024’s top animated films by both critics and viewers, the Academy Award-nominated “The Wild Robot” from DreamWorks Animation is now available for streaming only on Peacock.

Chris Sanders, who is known for “How to Train Your Dragon“, oversaw the transformation of the book titled “ROZZUM” by Peter Brown. This captivating tale follows the extraordinary journey of Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), a human-assistant robot named ROZZUM unit 7134, who finds herself stranded on an isolated island after a shipwreck. There, she learns to take on the roles of both mother and beloved member of the local animal society.

Ever since the movie debuted, Kris Bowers’ (The Color Purple) moving score has been frequently lauded for its ability to express a wealth of emotions during numerous dialogue-free scenes. Interestingly, Bowers composed approximately 80 minutes of music for the film, featuring both grand themes and distinctive character cues that often resurface as memorable leitmotifs.

In recognition of its online premiere, NBC Insider recently had an exclusive conversation with the composer behind The Wild Robot, Bowers, discussing his childhood dreams in animation, his emotional ties to the movie, and iconic film soundtracks that motivated him to elevate Roz’s flight.

Composer Kris Bowers’ life-long love of animation led him to The Wild Robot

Despite having won an Academy Award for the 2024 Best Documentary Short Subject, “The Last Repair Shop,” Bowers expressed that he believes his most authentic form of storytelling lies in his work as a composer.

As a gamer, I’ve found my musical identity from an early age of four when I started playing the piano. The reason I consider myself a musician is that I stumbled upon the healing and expressive aspects of music. Pivotal moments for me are when I had feelings that I couldn’t put into words, or weren’t acceptable to share verbally, and the piano gave me an outlet to convey them. It felt like I was communicating precisely what I wanted to say, but only I understood the message and navigated through those emotions.

He laughed and said, ‘It’s amusing. You know, my wife usually comprehends my emotions better when I play the piano rather than when we’re conversing, especially during our disagreements, as she seems to grasp it more then.’

As a young gamer, I harbored dreams of being more than just a player; I aspired to be the creator behind those vibrant, moving pixels. Just like Bowers, I attended cartooning school and an arts high school, with the intention of transitioning from piano to visual arts in my sophomore year. However, much like him, that switch never happened, leaving me forever enamored with the world of gaming and animation.

In his own words, Bowers traced his inspiration back to the legendary era of Disney animations, such as Tom and Jerry, Silly Symphony cartoons, and Looney Tunes. Therefore, being given the chance to compose music for The Wild Robot, a film he’d always dreamed of working on, was a long-cherished wish fulfilled.

The films that inspired The Wild Robot score

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In their collaboration, Bowers made an effort to understand and emulate the mood and essence that Sanders desired, to effectively portray the emotional odyssey of Roz, Brightbill (the gosling character played by Kit Connor), and their fellow animals.

He mentioned that our discussions frequently centered around incorporating music into a role and treating music as a personality itself. What drew Chris to hiring me as a composer was the variety I demonstrated in my work – the ability to create both intimate, delicate pieces and grand, expansive ones. I understood that this versatility would be crucial for our collaboration, ensuring the music could effectively convey a wide range of emotions.

Initially, Bowers expressed his intention to draw inspiration from certain favorite scores, such as the acclaimed award-winning soundtrack by John Powell for the movie “How to Train Your Dragon“.

According to Bowers, the score for that piece is sitting atop his piano, and it’s quite worn due to the extensive time he’s spent studying how he handles thematic elements.

In discussing his film, he also referenced E.T., focusing on how movies like this blend realistic themes with a magical universe. The scene where E.T. bids farewell to Elliott [Henry Thomas] at the end of the movie is particularly moving for him. This emotion is partly due to the way John Williams structured the score in that sequence, creating a rhythm that sends shivers down his spine each time he hears it. As a result, he delved deeply into studying these aspects of E.T.

As a die-hard fan, I found it fascinating that Williams’ music for “Star Wars: A New Hope” played a role in inspiring Bowers. He once mentioned, “The last 20 minutes are this continuous action sequence where the music is wall-to-wall.” Essentially, there’s a 30-minute battle scene at the end of that movie, and even though themes are repeated throughout, it never feels repetitive or tiresome musically. To learn how to manage pacing effectively for our climactic act, I delved deep into studying those scores.

Life imitates art for The Wild Robot composer Kris Bowers

As Bowers prepared to create themes for the characters in The Wild Robot, he discovered numerous elements of his personal traits interwoven within the cast. “There were several instances when I rewatched certain scenes and, after a while, realized that some aspects reflected my own experiences,” he noted.

As a gamer, reflecting on my character Roz, it took me back to the early days of fatherhood. The memories of constructing our home and Brightbill eagerly offering his assistance flooded back. At first, Roz allowed him to help, but soon regretted it, which made me chuckle. Fast forward through the filmmaking process, when my own daughter started asking for tasks, I found myself reacting with surprise, much like Roz did. So, I believe that Roz resonated strongly with me during this stage of my life, as I was learning the ropes of parenthood in so many ways.

Afterwards, Pinktail, played by Catherine O’Hara, really cracks me up, with some of her quirky lines. Plus, Brightbill resonates with me because I can relate to his outsider experience. As a child, I often felt out of place even among people who looked like me. So that was quite intriguing.

As I watched this movie, particularly with my fresh perspective as a new parent, I found myself reflecting on the immense sacrifices my parents made for me. The scene where Roz helps Brightbill learn to fly resonated deeply, bringing to mind not only my wife but also my mom, as I contemplated all the selfless acts she’s performed for me throughout my life. Even when Roz was injured and struggling, she persisted, much like my mom has always done in her tireless efforts for me.

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2025-02-17 19:02