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Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) movie poster

Plot Summary

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2005 · 85 min · English
Directed by
Nick Park, Steve Box
Starring
Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Sallis
Budget
$30M

An eccentric inventor and his resourceful dog companion, Wallace and Gromit, must protect their village's giant vegetable competition from a mysterious, enormous rabbit. As they investigate the creature's appearances and try to stop it from destroying the produce, Wallace finds himself competing with his neighbor, Victor, for the attention of the charming Lady Tottington. This animated adventure combines humor, heart, and a touch of suspense.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 What happens: full plot
  3. 3 Plot questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)

Where can you watch Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

As the exhilarating time of Tottington Hall's annual giant vegetable competition draws near, the cheese-loving inventor Wallace and his clever beagle Gromit work hard running a humane pest control service called "Anti-Pesto." Their mission is clear: protect local gardens from the pesky rabbits that threaten to devour the precious vegetables. On a fateful evening, Wallace captures some rabbits that have invaded the garden of Lady Tottington with his quirky invention, the "Bun-Vac 6000." In a moment of eccentric inspiration, he decides to utilize his latest contraption, the "Mind Manipulation-O-Matic," to reprogram the rabbits' cravings, aiming to make them dislike vegetables altogether.

However, chaos ensues when Wallace inadvertently misadjusts the settings on the Bun-Vac, resulting in his brain being merged with a rabbit’s! This unexpected twist of fate compels Gromit to swiftly dismantle the machine in an effort to avert disaster. Miraculously, the procedure appears to be successful, with their new rabbit companion, aptly called Hutch, seemingly losing all interest in the veggies he once adored.

Yet, the tranquility does not last long. That very night, a formidable, rabbit-like creature—a true terror for the town—begins ravaging gardens and devouring crops, while Wallace and Gromit find themselves unable to thwart the menace. The following day, during an urgent town meeting, the townsfolk learn that the ominous creature is none other than the infamous Were-Rabbit. Hunter Victor Quartermaine, driven by a desire for glory and the affections of Lady Tottington, naively volunteers to eliminate the beast. Nevertheless, Lady Tottington advocates for Wallace and Gromit, urging the community to give them another chance.

In a comically unfortunate event, Anti-Pesto attempts to trap the Were-Rabbit using a fabricated female version of the creature, but their plan falls hilariously flat. In an alarming turn of events, Hutch undergoes a mutation that raises suspicions in Wallace’s mind. He wonders if Hutch has transformed into the beast itself. Upset by this notion, Gromit takes the prudent step of securing Hutch in a high-security cage. However, during his investigation, Gromit stumbles upon a trail of footprints that leads him to Wallace's bedroom, where he uncovers a stash of half-eaten vegetables—an alarming sign that his beloved owner is the true culprit.

Upon reflecting on his recent triumph with Lady Tottington, Wallace encounters Victor in the shadowy forest as the latter conspires to woo the lady for himself. In a twist of fate under the illuminating full moon, Wallace cannot control his transformation and becomes the Were-Rabbit, shocking both Gromit and Victor before he flees the scene. Seeing this as the perfect moment to eliminate his rival, Victor commissively acquires three "24-carat" gold bullets from the town’s vicar, Reverend Clement Hedges, intending to use these lethal weapons against Wallace.

As the fateful vegetable competition day arrives, Gromit desperately informs Wallace that the bizarre experiment has swapped their personalities. The only hope lies with Hutch, who has now adopted human characteristics and is capable of fixing the disastrous Mind-O-Matic. Further complicating the situation, Lady Tottington pays a visit to alert Wallace about Victor's sinister scheme. As the moon rises ominously, Wallace begins his transformation once again, urgently urging Tottington to leave for her safety.

In a climactic turn of events at the competition, Victor, having expelled all of his gold bullets, resorts to using an elephant gun and aims to use the coveted Golden Carrot trophy as ammunition against Wallace. Steeling himself, Wallace carries Lady Tottington atop Tottington Hall, revealing his true nature to her in a moment of vulnerability. Meanwhile, Gromit musters his courage as he engages in an aerial battle with Victor's dog, Philip, making ingenious use of planes repurposed from a fairground attraction.

As tensions heighten, Gromit courageously guides his plane into Victor’s line of fire, causing a bullet to ricochet off target and strike the plane instead. In a particularly brave act, Wallace leaps into the fray, breaking his fall as he lands amidst a cascade of cheese in a tent below. Lady Tottington swings a mighty prized carrot, knocking Victor unconscious, while Gromit ingeniously disguises Victor in the female Were-Rabbit suit, inciting the townsfolk and Philip to hilariously chase him away.

In an emotional climax, Wallace appears lifeless when he transforms back into his human form, but Gromit valiantly revives him with a touch of Stinking Bishop cheese. In recognition of Gromit's courage and quick thinking, Lady Tottington bestows upon him the Golden Carrot, and she graciously converts Tottington Hall's grounds into a sanctuary for Hutch and the other rabbits, ensuring their safety for years to come.

Last updated: January 02, 2025 at 17:54

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Plot questions answered

Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

How did Wallace become the Were-Rabbit?

Wallace became the Were-Rabbit after an accident with his Mind Manipulation-O-Matic. While trying to use the machine to rewire captured rabbits' brains so they wouldn't want vegetables, he accidentally misadjusted the settings, causing his brain to merge with a rabbit's consciousness. This rabbit consciousness remained dormant inside Wallace until triggered by a full moon, causing him to transform into the destructive Were-Rabbit.

Foreshadowing: The earlier scene where Wallace captures rabbits in Lady Tottington's garden with the Bun-Vac 6000 sets up the chain of events that leads to his transformation.

  • wallace were-rabbit transformation
  • mind manipulation-o-matic
  • full moon
  • hutch rabbit consciousness
Q2

Why did Victor want to kill Wallace?

Victor wanted to kill Wallace because he was jealous of Wallace's growing relationship with Lady Tottington. When Victor witnessed Wallace transform into the Were-Rabbit in the forest, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to eliminate his rival. He purchased three 24-carat gold bullets from Reverend Hedges, believing they could kill the Were-Rabbit, and planned to use them during the vegetable competition to win Lady Tottington's affection by proving himself as a hunter.

Foreshadowing: Victor's earlier attempts to court Lady Tottington and his rivalry with Wallace at the town meeting foreshadow his desperate, murderous action.

  • victor quartermaine jealousy
  • gold bullets
  • lady tottington
  • murder attempt were-rabbit
Q3

What happened to Hutch in the movie?

Hutch was one of the rabbits Wallace captured and attempted to rewire with his Mind Manipulation-O-Matic. Due to the machine malfunction, Wallace's brain merged with Hutch's consciousness instead. Hutch was left in a mutated state, part rabbit, part human, and could not speak initially. However, by competition day, Hutch had developed human characteristics and the ability to communicate, allowing him to fix the Mind-O-Matic and restore Wallace and Gromit's original personalities.

Foreshadowing: The failed experiment on Hutch directly leads to his transformation and eventual importance in saving Wallace.

  • hutch mutation
  • human characteristics
  • wallace consciousness swap
  • mind-o-matic fix
Q4

How did Gromit and Wallace switch personalities?

Gromit and Wallace didn't actually switch personalities with each other, Gromit's personality ended up inside Hutch's body while Hutch's rabbit consciousness ended up in Gromit's body. This happened because Wallace's original experiment with the Mind Manipulation-O-Matic went wrong when he adjusted the settings mid-procedure. When Gromit dismantled the machine to save Wallace, the partially-completed procedure was frozen in place, resulting in this unusual swap that was only reversed when Hutch (now with human traits) repaired the machine.

Foreshadowing: The chaotic dismantling of the Mind Manipulation-O-Matic by Gromit was meant to save Wallace but instead created this bizarre side effect.

  • personality swap
  • gromit hutch body
  • hutch gromit body
  • mind manipulation-o-matic accident
Q5

How did Wallace survive after being shot?

Wallace survived being shot because Gromit revived him using Stinking Bishop cheese. After Wallace was hit by Victor's bullet and fell into a tent full of cheese, he appeared lifeless when he transformed back to human form. Gromit quickly placed a piece of the pungent Stinking Bishop cheese near Wallace's nose, and the strong smell revived him. The cheese's powerful aroma served as the film's whimsical solution to bring Wallace back from death.

Foreshadowing: The film's running theme of Wallace's love for cheese, especially Stinking Bishop, makes this resolution both surprising and fitting.

  • stinking bishop cheese
  • wallace revived
  • were-rabbit bullet wound
  • cheese revival
Q6

What were the 24-carat gold bullets for?

The 24-carat gold bullets were special ammunition that Victor purchased from Reverend Hedges, intended specifically to kill the Were-Rabbit. Victor believed that since werewolves could only be killed by silver bullets, the Were-Rabbit would be vulnerable to gold bullets. He acquired three of these bullets and planned to use them to destroy Wallace in his Were-Rabbit form, hoping this would win Lady Tottington's heart by proving himself as a heroic hunter.

Foreshadowing: Reverend Hedges's mention of the bullets being effective against mythical creatures sets up their purpose in the climax.

  • gold bullets were-rabbit
  • victor ammunition
  • reverend hedges
  • silver bullet myth werewolf
Q7

Why did Lady Tottington give Gromit the Golden Carrot?

Lady Tottington gave Gromit the Golden Carrot to reward his bravery and ingenuity throughout the crisis. Gromit saved Wallace from Victor's assassination attempt, rescued Lady Tottington when Wallace transformed, defeated Victor's dog Philip in an aerial battle, and helped orchestrate the plan that finally stopped Victor. His quick thinking and courage impressed everyone, making him the worthy recipient of the competition's top prize.

Foreshadowing: Gromit's consistently heroic actions throughout the film, from investigating the Were-Rabbit to rescuing Wallace, build toward this recognition.

  • golden carrot reward
  • gromit bravery
  • heroism recognition
  • lady tottington award
Q8

What triggered Wallace's transformation into the Were-Rabbit?

The full moon triggered Wallace's transformation into the Were-Rabbit. His accidental merging with Hutch's rabbit consciousness remained dormant until the next full moon, when the lunar cycle activated the rabbit side of his brain. Both major transformations occurred at night during a full moon, first in the forest when he confronted Victor, and again on competition day when he urgently warned Lady Tottington to leave for her safety.

Foreshadowing: The initial transformation timing links directly to the full moon visible in both transformation scenes.

  • full moon transformation
  • were-rabbit trigger
  • lunar cycle
  • rabbit consciousness activation
Q9

What happened to Victor at the end of the movie?

At the end of the movie, Victor was knocked unconscious by Lady Tottington wielding her giant prized carrot during the climactic confrontation. Gromit then disguised Victor in the female Were-Rabbit costume that Anti-Pesto had used earlier in their failed trap attempt. The townspeople and Philip (Victor's own dog) chased the disguised Victor away, effectively driving him off in humiliation and removing him as a threat.

Foreshadowing: The earlier failed trap with the female Were-Rabbit costume is cleverly reused to dispose of Victor.

  • victor defeated
  • were-rabbit costume disguise
  • townspeople chase victor
  • humiliation ending
Q10

Why did the female Were-Rabbit trap fail?

The female Were-Rabbit trap failed because it was a crude physical replica with no biological or behavioral connection to the actual Were-Rabbit. Wallace and Gromit built it hoping the creature would be attracted to what appeared to be a mate, but their creation was obviously artificial. Additionally, by this point in the story, Wallace had already been transformed by a full moon, making the timing of the trap misaligned with the Were-Rabbit's actual behavioral patterns.

Foreshadowing: The trap was built before Gromit discovered Wallace was the Were-Rabbit, showing their initial misunderstanding of the creature.

  • female were-rabbit trap
  • anti-pesto trap failed
  • decoy were-rabbit
  • trap backfire

Movie threads

More Movies Like Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with Whimsical Invention Mishaps like Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Stories where quirky inventors and their zany creations cause delightful trouble. If you enjoyed the quirky inventions and humorous chaos in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, you'll love these movies. This selection features similar stories of eccentric inventors and their loyal companions, where clever gadgets and zany contraptions lead to delightful, fast-paced adventures and heartwarming resolutions.

  • quirky
  • inventive
  • chaotic
  • slapstick
  • clever
  • heartwarming
  • Tone: whimsical, humorous
  • Pacing: fast, energetic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically follows an eccentric inventor who creates a solution for a simple problem, only for the invention to spiral out of control, creating a larger, more absurd conflict. The story then becomes a race to fix the mess, often involving slapstick humor, clever improvisation, and the triumph of unconventional thinking over brute force.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a core premise of invention-driven comedy, a whimsical and light-hearted tone, and a focus on clever problem-solving through imaginative (if flawed) technology. They appeal to viewers who enjoy witty humor, charming characters, and stories where creativity is the ultimate hero.

Charming Stop-Motion Adventure Movies like Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

Handcrafted animated films filled with quirky characters and cozy, detailed worlds. Fans of the handmade charm and witty British humor of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit will enjoy this collection. Discover similar stop-motion animated films that feature quirky characters, cozy yet adventurous plots, and a distinctive visual style that brings their whimsical worlds to life with heart and humor.

  • handcrafted
  • quirky
  • cozy
  • witty
  • adventurous
  • heartwarming
  • Tone: whimsical, charming
  • Pacing: steady, witty
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread often revolve around a small, close-knit community facing a quirky, localized threat or mystery. The heroes are typically underdog figures who use their specific talents and unwavering determination to save the day. The journey is filled with visual gags, heartwarming moments, and a celebration of individuality and teamwork.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their distinctive stop-motion animation style, which creates a tangible, cozy atmosphere. They share a specific breed of quirky, character-driven humor, a focus on gentle adventure rather than high-stakes conflict, and a pervasive sense of warmth and charm that appeals to both children and adults.

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Every angle

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