Netflix’s latest animated film ‘Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget’ is making headlines for all sorts of reasons. Directed by Sam Fell, the movie’s second part follows its main character Ginger’s attempt to create a peaceful sanctuary away from the movie’s iconic Tweedy Farm.
However, the venture brings on a “terrible new threat” to the chicken-kind. Their hard-earned freedom faces risk again, giving a new narrative to the story. Though the movie plot sounds promising, the movie has a three-year-old controversy hovering over its head. What is it and how is it impacting the movie’s success?
What Is The Ageist Controversy Around ‘Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget’?
‘Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget’ is a follow-up to Aardman Animations’ blockbuster movie ‘Chicken Run’, released on Netflix on December 8, 2000. While it was under production, the sequel got mired in controversy after the production decided to replace Julia Sawalha and Mel Gibson, who voiced the lead characters Ginger and Rocky in the original film.
Sawalha alleged that she was dropped from the sequel due to her voice sounding “too old.” The production has replaced the two voices with supposedly younger voices of Thandiwe Newton from ‘Westworld‘ and Zachary Levi from ‘Shazam!’.
The move soon laid out a breeding ground for controversies with several claiming the production team to be “ageist”. Having seemingly gotten canceled by the audience, the film was looking at a possible fallout for its recasting decision. But the way the audience is receiving it is exactly the opposite.
‘Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget’ Soars Despite Controversy
Despite the controversy, the film has soared to new heights on Rotten Tomatoes. The claymation film has achieved an 86 percent audience score — the highest in Aardman’s history.
It also earned a Certified Fresh rating of 79 percent on the Tomatometer, indicating mostly positive reviews. The scores are, however, likely to change as more ratings accrue.
Meanwhile, as if to not jinx the movie’s success, Director Sam Fell addressed the criticism from Sawalha. Answering a question during a recent interview with Movieweb, director Sam Fell said the recasting was necessary for the evolution in the characters and storyline.
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Director Sam Well Justifies His Allegedly “Ageist” Recasting Decision
“As a new director coming in, it’s always been to figure out how they evolved from the first movie. How do I evolve this thing into making it 23 years later, a new movie for a new generation, a new era?” Fell explained, highlighting the importance of not creating a carbon copy of the original.
“As a new director coming in, it’s always been to figure out how they evolved from the first movie, which I completely adore. Many people adore it and, in my mind, it’s a masterpiece. How do I evolve this thing into making it 23 years later, a new movie for a new generation, a new era? It was a slow process,” Fell said when asked why he found it necessary to recast the characters.
“To be honest, no snap decisions were made. I began getting a casting director for Molly. I found Bella [Ramsey], Dr. Fry, and all the new characters. I don’t want to make a carbon copy of the first movie. Time has passed. The characters have changed. The stories have changed. It’s not a romantic comedy between Rocky and Ginger anymore. I looked at every single character and certain names popped out,” he added.
‘Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget‘ has seemingly managed to captivate its audiences despite the hovering controversy. The film is currently streaming on Netflix and doing well, though we never know when the tables may turn as it is still in its nascent stage of release. We can only wait and watch.
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