The trailer for Vengeance Most Fowl opens with Gromit peering out of his curtains at a throng of locals and reporters. A crime wave is sweeping the town, with reports of stolen garden goods spiking. Wallace and his ‘Smart-Gnome’ Norbot are somehow the main suspects.

A reporter thrusts a microphone in the face of “evil inventor Mr Wallace,” which has him wondering, “who could possibly be behind all this?”

Cue the evil organ solo by Feathers McGraw, announcing his return in epic style before sipping, mockingly, from a ‘World’s Best Boss’ mug.

The silent but devilish penguin was last seen all the way back in the award-winning 1993 short The Wrong Trousers. He was already a wanted criminal when he rented a room at Wallace’s house, and after stealing his techno trousers to steal a blue diamond, he ended up behind bars.

Now he’s back for vengeance; a Vengeance Most Fowl.

The BBC has previously announced that Ben Whitehead will voice Wallace, the quirky inventor from the North of England. Alongside his best friend and loyal dog, Gromit, who proves a quiet but crafty accomplice, the two have long embarked on a series of misadventures, mostly in pursuit of a nice wheel of Wensleydale cheese.

Reece Shearsmith, best known for creating and starring in the comedy horror series Inside No 9, has leant his voice for Wallace’s latest hit invention. Norbot is a robot gnome programmed to complete any kind of gardening task or “gnome improvement”. He quickly becomes popular with the locals in need of gardening help, until the accusations start flying.

Comedian Peter Kay will return as Chief Inspector Macintosh, alongside Lauren Patel (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie). There will also be cameos from Diane Morgan (Afterlife), Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton), Muzz Khan (Brassic) and Lenny Henry (Three Little Birds). Details on their roles will be revealed soon.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this Christmas. It will be available globally on Netflix on Wednesday 3 January 2025.