The trailer for Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget is here, and it has ruffled a few feathers as fans struggle to come to terms with Thandiwe Newton replacing Julia Sawalha as the voice of lead chick in charge, Ginger.
Netflix recently hatched a new trailer for its highly-anticipated Chicken Run sequel, which will premiere on the platform this December. The movie welcomes some newcomers to the coop, with Thandiwe Newton and Zachary Levi voicing the lead roles of Ginger and Rocky, replacing Julia Sawalha and Mel Gibson, respectively.
Fans flocked to social media to react to the teaser, with many sharing their disappointment over the casting shake-up on X. In particular, people took issue with Sawalha not returning as the movie’s renegade hen after producers stated that some of the original voices (including hers) sounded “too old” for the follow-up feature.
Never forget that Julia Sawalha did a voice-matching test to prove that she sounded EXACTLY like she did when she first played Ginger in #ChickenRun and that the producers AGREED that she sounded the same but decided to recast #ChickenRun2 anyway… pic.twitter.com/nEKF172h1U
— DMac™ (@1nclusionRider) September 5, 2023
Think I’m gonna sit this one out. Without Julia Sawalha, it’s not Chicken Run for me 🤷🏻♂️ https://t.co/IigCb8hD7F
— Paul (@AZFellNdCoBooks) September 6, 2023
just watched the new chicken run trailer and the new voice for ginger is throwing me off. They should’ve stuck with Julia Sawalha.
— rebecca cavanagh💙 (@dukiegirl10) September 5, 2023
Watched the new Chicken Run trailer and I’m so mad they didn’t let Julia Sawalha come back as Ginger. It’s taking me out of it, hearing Ginger with a different voice. Like, hearing her back as Ginger would’ve really hit me in the nostalgia.
— Jade94 | GOOD OMENS ERA (@rebeccaswelton) September 6, 2023
So they’re saying that having Julia Sawalha reprise her part in the new Chicken Run would have made it difficult to believe in the story of the talking chickens breaking into a high-security farm compound, patrolled by robot moles, with the add of sassy rats, are they?
— Simon HB (@norock) September 5, 2023
You can’t have chicken run without Julia Sawalha that’s just a ridiculous decision!
— Moon (@QueerNerdyLefty) September 5, 2023
Shortly after the sequel announcement in 2020, Sawalha posted a statement on social media explaining why she wouldn’t be back as her claymation character. “The reason they gave is that my voice now sounds ‘too old’ and they want a younger actress to reprise the role,” she wrote in an open letter, per DiscussingFilm.
She added: “Usually in these circumstances, an actress would be given the chance to do a voice test in order to determine the suitability of their pitch and tone, I however was not given this opportunity. I am passionate about my work and I don’t go down without a fight, so I did my own voice test at home and sent it to the producers… However, they stated, ‘We will be going ahead to recast the voice of Ginger.’ “
Sawalha ended up being replaced by Newton, who is four years her junior. She has taken over as Ginger, who will once again be ruling the roost and leading the troops into battle against fowl nemesis Mrs. Tweedy (voiced by original actor Miranda Richardson) even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk.
Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget will drop on Netflix on December 15.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
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