Pedro Pascal's 2024 Sci-Fi Hit Is Getting Harder To Stream

5 days ago 10

Pedro Pascal wears a cap and smiles on the red carpet

Published Feb 22, 2026, 3:00 PM EST

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

2024 was low-key stacked for animation fans. From Oscar winner Flow to Transformers One, Kung Fu Panda 4, and The Garfield Movie, there was no shortage of big-screen comfort food. But the best by a country mile is set to leave Netflix next month.

The one that really hit people in the feelings? The Wild Robot. If you’ve been meaning to watch it (or rewatch it with tissues ready), this is your gentle nudge. Based on the bestselling novel by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot follows Roz, a service robot stranded on a remote island who slowly learns how to survive in the wild — and how to connect. Voiced by Lupita Nyong'o, Roz’s journey from programmed machine to reluctant mother figure is the emotional core of the film. And yes, it absolutely works. Opposite her is Pedro Pascal. The film’s central relationship — especially Roz’s bond with Brightbill (Kit Connor) — is where the movie really earns its modern-classic status.

The cast also includes the late Catherine O'Hara as Pinktail, Bill Nighy as Longneck, Stephanie Hsu as Vontra, Mark Hamill as Thorn, Matt Berry as Paddler, and Ving Rhames as Thunderbolt.

How Good Is 'The Wild Robot'?

Collider’s review stated that The Wild Robot is a breathtaking, emotionally overwhelming triumph — a visually stunning animated film that cements Chris Sanders as one of the great storytellers in modern animation. The review praised Nyong’o’s nuanced vocal performance, noting how she avoids a cold, robotic delivery and instead infuses Roz with warmth and vulnerability. Pascal balances sharp humor with emotional depth, and Connor brings charm to Brightbill’s coming-of-age arc.

"At the movie's core are the important messages that we determine our own identities, and that family can be found in all sorts of unexpected places and people. Furthermore, there's a nice moment in which what makes Brightbill different actually becomes his strength.

All in all, The Wild Robot is an incredibly impressive feat of both animation and storytelling, and Chris Sanders has another delightful feather in his ever-brimming cap. A remarkable achievement that proves that animated movies are deserving of elite cinematic status, this Dreamworks gem is sure to become an instant classic, proving once and for all that parenting takes a village, and sometimes a jaded, loving possum."

The Wild Robot is streaming now on Netflix.