Aardman agrees deal with Sony

Animation creator Aardman has signed a three-year movie deal with Sony Pictures, it has been announced.

The company, most famous for characters Wallace and Gromit, has been looking for a new production partner since an agreement with DreamWorks came to an end in January.

David Sproxton, co-founder and executive chairman of the company, promised more work would soon be on its way. He commented: "We are delighted to find a partner in Sony that shares our vision and believes in our core values, who will support and encourage us to produce our finest work.

"We are all very excited by the potential and have a number of projects we are keen to bring to fruition with this new relationship."

Amy Pascal, joint chairman of Sony, added: "We have been huge fans of Aardman films for a long time and this deal expands Sony's commitment to animation in the worldwide marketplace.

"Aardman makes movies with lively humour, great stories and fun, distinctive visuals. They have boundless creative energy and a passion for animation that is hard to resist. We couldn't be more excited about working with the entire Aardman team."