Bill Nighy – The New Voice of Reepicheep!
In a stunning turn of events, the voice of Reepicheep has been recast in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The actor who will be voicing him? None other than the English actor, Bill Nighy.
This news was revealed by Nighy himself in an interview with David Frost posted on YouTube which can be seen here. (Comment made at 5:26.)
Eddie Izzard voiced Reepicheep in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. There is no word on why he was replaced for Dawn Treader.
Bill Nighy, the 60-year-old actor from England, is probably most famous for his role in Pirates of the Caribbean as the octopus-faced Davy Jones. His full list of films can be viewed on his IMDb profile here.
Full credit for the find goes to ladisneyprincesse on IMDB. Thanks to icarus for the heads-up!
So what do you think? Go back to the homepage, scroll down, and vote!
wow! I wonder why the change
Am I the only freak here who read the 'In a stunning turn of events' line from the news post, remembered the intro from 'the Incredibles' and started cracking up in front of the computer?
I don't know what to think, other than the whole thing is hilarious. The making of this VTD looks more and more like a whole comedy movie in itself – let's hope that's a good thing in the end.
Haha!! I love the movie The Incredibles.
Noooooo!!! Eddie Izzard was so perfect for Reepicheep. I'm too shocked right now to wonder what this new voice will be like.
Noooooo!!!!!!!!!! This cannot happen. Please no! Izzard was so perfect!
No. Izzard was weird. And he hardly gave a performance that was impressive or that made him irreplaceable. I'd rather have Nighy over Izzard any day.
I love, love, LOVE Bill Nighy, I'm a huge fan, but come on! Eddie Izzard was perfect as Reepicheep!
I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I absolutely hate that they are changing this!!!!!! why on earth!!! They are really ruining the movie!!!!!!
I loved Eddie Izzard as Reepacheep's voice in PC!!!! Hopefully Bill Nighy can do just as well! 😐
Don't know what to think at the moment, in a bit of shock, for a second I thought it was April Fools!
agreed. can it be february fools instead?
Bother Eustace, I was thinking of that, too. First I was surprised that they'd recast Reepicheep, because Eddie Izzard was absolutely perfect, but then I figured that they must want to age Reepicheep.
For anyone that hasn't heard Bill Nighy's voice, go watch the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He plays Slartibartfast, and I love his voice (I think that's closer to his actual voice than Davey Jones in the Pirates movies) in that part.
Yeah, when he plays Davey Jones he changes his voice a lot.
Okay, so I've been thinking about this over my lovely dinner of hot dogs and burgers. First off, I was WAY surprised, because I thought Eddie Izzard did an awesome job in PC.
But, I can be optimistic about this. Bill Nighy is a great actor, and I actually like his voice for Reep; I just wish they would have started with him, instead of pulling this switcharoo. *sigh* oh well.
As I mentioned in the forums, Bill Nighy would have been good as a sea monster or merman… get it? Davey Jones? Ha ha, little joke. 😀
I had hot dogs too. It must help the brain think or something. 😉
I couldn't agree more; I wish they had started with Bill rather then recast later on. For me, it's because I actually was getting to like Eddie as Reep a lot.
Totally agree with both of you! I just hope the change isn't too much. The problem is… I'll probably notice it and (if I let it) it's going to drive me batty. Absolutely batty.
Nooo! Say it ain't so!!!
WHAT?…Wait, WHAT?!!!!!
That was totally unexpected, and I am really at a loss for words…Izzard was just..perfect! I mean, I like Mr. Nighy's voice, but Izzard's just fit Reep brilliantly. Well, any theories as to why the cast change, anyone?
NOO!!!!!! WHY ARE THEY DOING THIS!!! I absolutely loved Izzard!!!! He was the best! I love Nighy, but he is not Reep!
Um… before you get your pants in a wad maybe you should give the guy a chance. Izzard was hardly spectacular or irreplaceable. There have been lots of good Reep voice actors in the past and frankly, Reep isn't a hard character to play.
Hmmmmm I hope that he's as good as Eddie Izzard.
It won't ruin the film, but it could ruin the character if he doesn't deliver.
Or it couldn't. Or it could. Wow, profound.
I agree with you, but I'm sure that they put alot of thought into casting Bill Nighy. I mean, we don't know why they recast Eddie Izzard. Maybe some emergency.
I have no opinion on this news, although I think Nighy is a better actor. What shocks me is all the things he's been in, like "He knew he was right," "Love actually," and "I capture the castle." [I've seen only the first]. I never saw "Pirates of the Caribbean."
I honestly don't know what to think; I liked Izzard's voice, but I think Nighy will work out fine. Maybe better, even.
Exactly my thoughts, SavedByGrace. I thought Eddie Izzard was all right, but if Bill Nighy can do better than I'm all for him. I just desperately hope that his portrayal of Reepicheep won't fall flat. That would be such a disappointment. 🙁
220, why is it so shocking that he's been in those movies? Sorry, was just confused by how you worded it there…
Maybe "shocked" isn't the right word. But I felt the same about McAvoy's wife. Like I knew who she was but didn't know I knew her on-screen. I will never forget Nighy as Colonel Osborne in "He knew he was right." He was convincingly loathsome. I see him as a character actor, one who stars in more well-known and better-made stuff. I cannot say the same about Izzard. Nighy is BBC quality. Izzard isn't. Sorry to disappoint Izzard fans.
WHAT!?! Eddie Izzard was perfect as Reepicheep! Now I'm getting a little worried
Because of a voice actor shift? Give me a break. These things happen all the time in between movies and TV seasons, especially in voice acting. Usually the audience doesn't even notice the alteration. Everybody is messing their britches like this is going to ruin the movie. The movie may suck, but it won't be because Eddie Izzard got replaced.
Nor will the character suck for that matter.
Destrier, what do you have against Eddie Izzard?
And you're right that it probably won't ruin the character. For example, Caspian is (supposed to be) three years older, just like Reepicheep. Doesn't your voice change in three years? Ben Barnes will probably change his voice a bit. As long as the voice (of Reepicheep) sounds similar (has the same quality and tone, if not pitch or volume, etc.), I really don't care if it's exactly the same as PC. I thought Reep's voice in PC was terrific, but really it's not that bad if it changes a little in VDT. It's not like they suddenly recast Lucy or Edmund or something! Or worse- Aslan!!! THAT would be horrible!
My initial reaction was "WHAT? NO!!!" On an impulse, I'd say that the whole movie will be ruined…. But I know better than that (I think?). I just hope Bill Nighy can give lots of expression. But I wonder what happened!
Me too. I really wonder why they changed Izzard. He was such a great Reepicheep
NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! I just lost all of today's previous happiness. How could this happen? Eddie Izzard was the best imaginable person who could voice Reepicheep 'ever was. I can't believe they've pulled this… I'll see if I can confirm this… I'm creeped out right now.
It's AslansLily. 😉 What do you mean "confirm"? It's been confirmed … from Nighy's own mouth. IMDB hasn't been updated though.
wow! that's interesting. wonder what caused the change. I liked Eddie Izzard but I think Bill Nighy is a good actor, so I'm looking forward to seeing it. just hoping for the "average" audience to understand its the same mouse.
what the?……
ok i dont have any particular issues with the switch in actors– Eddie Izzard was good and Bill Nighy i believe will do well. HOWEVER i do have a problem with the voice of Reep being so obviously different in PC and VODT.
if they're gonna go with Nighy he better sound a good deal like Izzard or people will think its a different warrior mouse. the general public identified a cutesy kickarse mouse with a specific voice, many dont know him by name. you switch the voice and you'll end up confusing the general public, most will wonder if it was the same warrior mouse from the previous film or its a different mouse.
I think they'll know. Reep will be the only mouse on the ship, and his personality is so distinct that I don't think the audience will confuse him. And I bet the main characters in the movie will show that they remember him, and say something like, "Oh, it's Reepicheep!"
Yeah, I'm not too worried about that.
Of course I could be wrong. 😉
Well. This IS surprising.
While I liked the actual voice of Reepicheep in PC, and had no reason for wishing to have Mr. Izzard replaced, I do hope this signals a turnaround for Reepicheep's character itself in VDT- i.e. no more laughs at the expense of about-to-be-killed enemies or less intelligent creatures (Pattertwig). Reepicheep should NOT NOT NOT be like that. He is a chivalrous mouse.
I can't say what I think about Mr. Nighy, as I haven't seen him in anything. But I'm optimistic.
Ditto. I hope to see in Reepicheep this time around the dignified and fanatically honorable mouse I met in the books. No more of this 'I shall treasure it forever as a sign of my huge humility' business.
My first thought was, "NOOOOO!!!!" But now that I've stopped to think about it, I think they may have changed voices to make Reepicheep sound a bit older. I guess only time will tell if he'll make a good Reep or not…
I did not see that coming…
This is going to be really weird. I hope Bill Nighy tries to sound like Eddie Izzard at least. I'm not feeling godd about this, but we'll have to see.
Wow, big shock here. I'm not really sure what to think. I think I will give no opinion until they show him as Reep and then I will see what I think. Keep the story of Aslan alive!!!
I knew I recognized his name from somewhere! Wow this will be some voice change… My first reaction was NO! Because I felt that Izzard's performance was brilliant but Nighly is a talented actor so we will just have to see. I am more curious about the change of actors. It is so unexpected!
Woah! That's a shocker. It has to be because they want to age his voice, it's the only reason I can think of why they would pick someone with such an age difference.
I'm not mad at Nighy or anything, just really suprised.
This is quite a concern continuity-wise. All the same Billy Nighy is a great actor, so maybe there won't really be anything to worry about.
NOOOO!!! THE SUN IS DARK IN MY EYES!!!!
Well, don't be going and parting your clothes to find the readiest way to your heart. I think Mr. Nighy will do a good job. I only hope he doesn't do his funny pompus accent (Stormbreaker) or his Davey Jones accent (Pirates of the Caribbean). Maybe Eddie Izzard backed out, has anyone thought of that! Perhaps for reasons we don't know, Mr. Izzard was unavailable so they had to replace him.
I was waiting for you to come up with something like that, GlumPuddle.
Lol! I'm sorry, glumPuddle, I feel for you. But it could still turn out all right. Maybe we'll like Bill better.
I don't think Fox/Walden would recast Reep just to age his voice 3 years. That just doesn't make sense. I immediately thought that the reason could be scheduling conflicts, but I checked Izzard's imdb page and he has no other feature films coming up in the near future. Most likely Izzard walked or was asked to leave because of creative differences with the director, or issues with Izzard's contract/pay.
it doesn't matter he doesn't look the same as eddie izard but he sounds a little similar and a better deeper voice which sounds actually better do you agree
I fastfowarded to the clip on YouTube and took a listen. I like his voice better than Izzard's, but it remains to be seen what his voice will sound like after the editing is done.
I don't mind at all. Reep never did sound chivalrous. He sounded more blood-thirsty. I don't know if they will have a similar sounding voice, but I won't mind if they don't.
Yeah, I hope Reepicheep doesn't taunt anyone before he kills them in this movie. I didn't like it, and I don't think it reflected Reep's character well.
It only matter to me for continuity's sake. But if the voices sound similar than im totally ok with it. If fact, if it just sounds like an older Reep than that would be ideal. After all, unlike some of you, I want Dawn Treader to just be very epic. And a silly sounding mouse wont accomplish that.
That makes sense: it's been three years in Narnia, and mice don't live all that much longer – he'll be an old mouse by this time.
i dont know why so many people r happy with this
Reepicheep was cute in PC, but I felt the movie interpretation strayed too far from books'. Nighy is a wonderful actor, and I doubt his performance will be in any way worse than Izzard's. Hopefully, he'll capture that honorable, gentlemanly side PC's Reep omitted.
Wow. Very interesting. I wonder why… Personally, I don't think it's a big deal. Nighy is a great, well known, tried and true actor. I think he'll do a great job. People who don't know about the switch probably won't even notice.
no… this cant be… i wuz just doing my homewurk and sumthing ITCHED me 2 check on narniaweb 4 news. and this is wat i got… AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
tho now that i heer hiz voice… i tdusnt seem so bad.
it sort ov makes sense they cast 4 a "deeper" voice since 3 years hav past.
lik he sed: THANK YOU ALFRED NIGHY!!! 🙂
NNNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
Nooooooooooo
Hm…Interesting. I did like Izzard's portrayal quite a lot, more than I'd expected. All my issues with the character were solely directed toward the scriptwriters *Grr*. But I don't mind this switch; I'm going to keep hoping. I offer my congratulations to Mr. Nighy for getting such a special part. Can't wait to see how he does!
This totally sucks! Eddie Izzard was not just the voice of Reepicheep he was the PERSONALITY! I am so sad to see him replaced 🙁
I SO AGREE!
OK. did any of you actually watch the video? It doesn't sound like Nighy knows very much about the role. "Brigadier or Filed Marshall? … Second in command to "Prince" Caspian"????
BTW, When did David Frost get so old? Makes me feel old myself. 🙂
It's kinda of funny that people are stilling calling him Prince Caspian. It's not like his first name is 'Prince'! 😉 When are people going to understand that Caspian is a king now?!
I dislike actor changes; but I'm glad they picked someone who seems really good to replace Izzard. Nighy was awesome as Slartibartfast in Hitchhiker's Guide. And while I did like Izzard as Reep, I wouldn't say he was epic or irreplaceable.
OH NNNOOO!!! I can't stand it when there is a change in main actors! Of everything I've heard about VDT so far, this is the most disappointing to me. However, I'm willing to give Nighy a chance. *trying to think positive* Actually, I kinda like his voice, but in my opinion his voice seems a bit deep for a mouse.
I agree about depth, I thought Izzard was too deep. In the books Reep is decribed as chirrupping and squeaking in high pitches, as only a mouse would. That was the whole character of Reep, the littlest warrior with a tiny voice but valour and courage bigger than any other.
Where the sky and water meet,
and the waves grow sweet,
doubt not Reepicheep,
there is utter east.
I don't really think I high pitched voice as described in the book would work.
Izzard was excellent, yes. But I will definitely give Nighy a chance, I like him too.
I say, "NOOOOOO" only because one of my pet peeves is switching actors for a part in the middle of a series. I think if it would've been a battle between Nightly and Izzard for PC, I wouldn't have had an opinion. I liked Izzard's voice just fine, and I'm sure I'll like Nightly…I just HATE changes of a cast in the middle!
totally agree. i actually really like Nighy's voice, and perhaps dont mind them changing Reep to him as long as he can put off a great performance. i just dont like it when they have to change stuff. but oh well. i always tell myself, "well, thats business", everytime they do it.
i am not to overly angry since we not really gonna see them in the film just hear the voice.
No. No. Noooo!! I hate it when the continuity is all messed up in movies. I hope they don't sound too different… :S
Ugh. Why did they need to change him??
Oh. This is . . . I don't understand. It seems so strange just to randomly change the voice of a character – why? WHY?
On the plus side – Bill Nighy is one of my favourite actors, I agree with the previous posters, he has an amazing voice. I was always slightly indifferent to Eddie Izzard. But surely stick to to one guy.
Here's hoping Nighy can pull off the humour/wisdom so well that no one'll notice!!
In terms of continuity its a disaster. They are probably making Reepicheep an older mouse. Izzard was ok but he had to deal with some very badly written dialogue.
Okay….that was a shock….let me just recover…
NOOOOOO! It can't beee! Eddie was perfect for the voice of Reepicheep. I just hope that Bill at least puts on a voice that is very similar to Eddie's 😐
Okay, um…I guess I am just confused what to think. I loved Reepicheep's voice in PC and I understand why they would change his voice if he grew older on us, but three years come on.
No one's voice is going to change so much in three years. Unless they are also going to change the amount of years between PC and VODT (please don't)to 6 or 7 years at least I don't see how the audience will believe that his voice changed. Although maybe they will conclude that he was like a young boy in PC and his voice finally cracked and gave way to a deeper voice in Dawn Treader. Well, I won't probably notice the voice change( I don't notice the voice change when I watch PC or LWW in French.) but I am a bit confused why they are changing. Also, I believe others would notice even if I didn't.
Yea, I think he'll do a better job.. 🙂
Interesting. Curious as to why the change, but we may never know. I liked Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep, but I can look forward to hearing Mr Nighy.
I wonder why the change? I really liked Eddie Izzard as Reep, and I'm kinda disappointed that they changed the voice.
But at least Bill Nighy doesn't sound too different.
boy, thats a dissapointment. i loved Izzard as Reep. i wonder what happened? perhaps he couldnt do the movie anymore. well, i guess this guy's voice is cool, i just dont like the idea of Reep being british now. *sigh* oh well, i shouldnt let this bother me. i'm just gonna trust and hope. its all we can do right now anyway.
WHY?! Why are they recasting Reepicheep?! I don't get it! Was Eddie Izzard being a jerk so they recasted him which is was happened with the guy that played Rhody in Iron Man. I liked Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep! Why the change?! Well I hope Mr. Nighy does a good job with his voice. His and Eddie Izzard's voice do sound kind of similar. Except Mr. Nighy's is a bit richer, in my opinion anyway. But man, this is weird! Do you think Bill Nighy could have said a bogus comment for some unknown reason?
Woah! I wasn't expecting that at all!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!! EDDIE IZZARD WAS THE PERFECT REEEPICHEEP! HIS VOICE SUITED HIM PERFECTLY! WHY SO MANY CHANGES?!
They can't replace the reepicheep voice! LOL! Nooooooooooooooooo!
I liked Izzard as Reepicheep, but it's not the end of the world if he isn't. I think that a very small portion of movie-watchers (otherwise known as Narnia fanatics such as ourselves) will recognize a large difference in voice and be weeping and moaning… but that the majority of the audience will just be like, "He sounds a little different- so what?" I hope that Nighy does sound a little bit like Izzard though. If production changes his voice too much, then people might be like, "Yeah, he looks like Reepicheep and he acts like Reepicheep but he doesn't SOUND like Reepicheep! As long as they don't give him an accent other than the British one, or give him wrinkles or large eyes (he has beady eyes) or cut off his tail again (that bit was so cheesy) I will be at least satisfied.
I totally agree with you
I really loved Eddie Izzard as Reepicheep, and I would rather they keep him, just for the continuity. But since you don't actually see the actor's face, just their voice, I can live with it. Actually, I really like Bill Nighy…he's a brilliant actor, and so I'm kind of hovering between "ok" and "EPIC WIN". I think I'll go with "EPIC WIN" for now. I like being positive. 😀
Bah! This is not good news. Nothing against Bill Nighy, but I'd strongly prefer continuity.
I too prefer continuity. Oh well. He seems to have a nice voice though.
I'm not really disappointed. I think it might turn out to be a good change (I personally didn't care for Izzard's voice as Reepicheep).