Sony Pictures didn’t have much luck with their first computer animated film Open Season, and their next one is a movie about surfing penguins called Surf’s Up. Whether it’s good or not, it kind of seems like they’re riding on Happy Feet’s coattails. Like it or not, Sony could use some help if their animation division is going to compete with powerhouses like DreamWorks and Disney/Pixar. Well they’ve found that help, in the recently cast off guys at Aardman.

Aardman is the company behind such claymation instant classics as Chicken Run and Wallace & Gromit. In a press release issued today, Aardman announced that they’re in final negotiations to enter a three-year, first-look deal with Sony. This comes only a few months after the news that DreamWorks was dropping the partnership they had with Aardman, after Aardman’s very good, but unwatched first computer animated feature Flushed Away flopped at the box office.

Of the deal Aardman says, “It will bring together Aardman's unique and hugely successful animation expertise and SPE's global production, marketing and distribution operation.” I think that means Sony has lots of money and they can now use it to make great movies like Wallace & Gromit.

This is great news for anyone who’s a fan of Aardman and animation. The company has delivered consistently good films, but has suffered a lot of setbacks lately, with a fire at their headquarters and then the unfair failure of Flushed Away to earn big box office dollars. Hopefully Sony will treat them a little more kindly than DreamWorks did.