![]() She shouldn’t be recast when there’s absolutely no reason to do so. There’s always an excuse – in Sawalha’s case, it’s because Aardman wants the film to appeal to a younger crowd, and is looking for an actress with more name recognition: though I’m sure they’ll have a hard time finding anyone who wants to touch this role with a ten-foot pole, considering the circumstances under which it’s been vacated – but it’s time we stopped allowing these excuses to fly. Unfortunately, this is a problem that comes up time and time again. I discussed this just a few days ago in my review of 1982’s Tron, where I talked about how the film’s male leads were allowed to return for the 2010 sequel – but female lead Cindy Morgan never even got so much as a phone-call from Disney. And need I remind Aardman that this is a sequel they’re making? As in, a movie which takes place after the events of the first film?īut logic isn’t going to win a fight against something as insidious as ageism. And as she proved unequivocally in a side-by-side comparison video she provided to Chicken Run 2 producers (since she wasn’t even allowed to go through a proper voice test before Aardman made the decision to cut her from the film), her voice hasn’t changed substantially in the past twenty years: there are several points in the video where it’s impossible to distinguish between thirty-one year old Sawalha and fifty-one year old Sawalha. Sawalha is 51, still younger than a number of male actors who are always getting asked to return for franchise reboots and remakes. There was never any doubt in my mind that one of the original film’s lead voice actors, Mel Gibson, would be recast for the sequel because he’s been wallowing in controversy for years (even as recent as last month, Winona Ryder accused him of making both blatantly anti-Semitic and homophobic comments in her presence), and indeed, Sawalha noted that he is not being asked to return either: but what did Julia Sawalha ever do that would cause her to be recast? Well, she aged, and – oh wait, that’s it? For one thing, I was very excited to see what a Chicken Run sequel would be like – it’s been twenty years since the original animated film about chickens trying to escape from homicidal pie-makers opened in theaters, and the thought of seeing a continuation to that story had me over the moon, especially when it was announced that Aardman would be teaming up with Netflix to make sure the sequel got a mainstream release. ![]() This is massively disappointing news for several reasons. ![]() That’s right: Julia Sawalha, the voice of Chicken Run‘s lovable protagonist Ginger, will not be returning for the film’s sequel, but will be recast with a younger actress whom Aardman hopes will be more recognizable to modern moviegoers. Telling the story of a group of plucky chickens attempting to escape certain death at the hands of their evil farm owner and boasting a voice cast including the likes of Mel Gibson and Timothy Spall, the film was also critically acclaimed, with a 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating alongside BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.Īlthough it hasn’t been confirmed, Chicken Run 2 will likely go into production at Aardman’s studio in Bristol after it wraps on Shaun the Sheep sequel Farmageddon, which is due for release next year.Ī follow-up to Chicken Run has long been discussed, with an online petition backing the idea launching last year.Ageism (particularly aimed at women) is, has always been, and will continue to be a huge problem in Hollywood – but I have to admit, I’m shocked that a studio as universally beloved as Aardman Animations would ever entertain the notion of recasting one of their most iconic characters simply because the original voice actress is “too old” for the role. and amassing a global haul of $225 million. Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton are executive producing.Ģ000’s original Chicken Run - Aardman’s first full-length feature, which was co-directed by Lord and Oscar-winning Wallace & Gromitcreator Nick Park - became a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic, grossing $106 million in the U.S. ![]() ![]() Original writers Karey Kirkpatrick ( Over the Hedge, Smurfs 2, The Spiderwick Chronicles) and John O’Farrell have been reunited to pen the screenplay. Sam Fell, who earned Oscar and BAFTA nominations for 2012’s ParaNorman and also helmed Aardman’s Flushed Away in 2006, is attached to direct, with Paul Kewley (2015’s Shaun the Sheep Movie) producing. ![]()
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