Dolittle (2020)
Trivia
The film was originally going to be released on May 24, 2019 by Universal Pictures, but was moved to April 12, 2019 to avoid competition with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). It was later pushed back again to January 17, 2020. This concerned many because January is when studios have historically released films they feel will fail. The report that the film went through almost a month of reshoots and rewrites supported this concern.
Robert Downey Jr.'s first non-Iron Man role since The Judge (2014).
Originally Randy Newman was the first choice to score the film, seeing how his uncle Lionel Newman had involvement with the original Doctor Dolittle (1967) film.
The film's cast includes five Oscar winners: Rami Malek, Jim Broadbent, Emma Thompson, Octavia Spencer, and Marion Cotillard; and three Oscar nominees: Robert Downey Jr., Ralph Fiennes, and Kumail Nanjiani.
in April 2019, Jonathan Liebesman and Chris McKay carried out extensive and costly reshoots for Universal.
When the film rights went up for auction, several studios went to bid before Universal Studios got the rights. Among them were Sony and 20th Century Fox, with the latter having previously produced three films based on the Dr. Dolittle series.
This is Robert Downey Jr.'s fifth film with Tom Holland. The other four being Captain America: Civil War (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) And Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent, Frances de la Tour and Carmen Ejogo have starred in the Wizarding World franchise (Harry Potter and Fantasic Beasts,) as Sybill Trelawney, Tom Riddle/Voldemort, Horace Slughorn, Olympe Maxime and Serphina Picquery, respectively.
Robert Downey Jr.'s director on Chaplin was Richard Attenborough, who also appeared in the 1967 film version of Doctor Dolittle.
Principal production commenced mid-February in 2018. Live action scenes began filming in Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria in May 2018, with further location filming at South Forest, Windsor Great Park and on the Menai Suspension Bridge in North West Wales, in June 2018.
Robert Downey Jr. and Tom Holland are both members of the Marvel Avengers team. Robert Downey Jr. being "Iron Man" and Tom Holland is "Spider-Man".
In April 2019, it was reported the film had undergone 21 days of reshoots following poor test screenings. Director Jonathan Liebesman helped to oversee the filming alongside writer Stephen Gaghan while Chris McKay helped write new material, after it became clear from first cuts that the comedy and computer-generated elements of the film were not coming together as well as the producers had hoped.
Tom Holland's 2nd time voice acting in a theatrical film, after Spies in Disguise (2019).
Universal Pictures' fourth live action/CGI hybrid film after Casper (1995), The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000), and Hop (2011).
Originally titled "The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle," it was shortened to just "Dolittle" In August 2019.
Jim Broadbent previously played the titular character in the Hit Entertainment series Percy the Park Keeper (1996), which is also about a man who can communicate with animals.
Emma Thompson's 2nd Voice Acting performance in a live action film, after Beauty and the Beast (2017), as well as her 2nd time voice acting in a theatrical film that's not from Disney, after Missing Link (2019).
Robert Downey Jr.'s birthday is April 4th, one day after Eddie Murphy's whos is April 3rd who played the character in Doctor Dolittle (1998) and Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001).
Ralph Fiennes and Jim Broadbent were both part of films from Aardman Studios. Fiennes was in Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005), and Broadbent was in Arthur Christmas (2011).
Both Rami Malek and Michael Sheen have starred in the Twilight series
Stephen Gaghan chose to direct this movie instead of The Division.
Selena Gomez's first voice acting performance in a theatrical film outside of the Hotel Transylvania franchise since Horton Hears a Who! (2008).
Octavia Spencer's 2nd voice acting performance in a film, after Zootopia (2016).
Craig Robinson's 5th time voice acting in a theatrical film, after Shrek Forever After (2010), Escape from Planet Earth (2013), Sausage Party (2016) and Henchmen (2018).
This is Emma Thompson and Kumail Nanjiani's first collaboration since Men in Black: International (2019).
Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Jim Broadbent, Frances Del La Tour and Ralph Ineson all appeared in the Harry Potter franchise as Professor Sybil Trelawney, Tom Riddle/Voldemort, Professor Horace Slughorn, Madame Olympe Maxime and Amycus Carrow respectively.
In the original 1967 movie the animals were provided by legendary Exotic Animal Trainer Ralph Helfer who owned the Africa U.S.A. Ranch at 8237 Soledad Canyon Road, Acton, California.
Jim Broadbent and Harry Collett have worked together before. They lent their voices to the 2016 animation Ethel & Ernest (2016). Collett played young Raymond and Broadbent his father Ernest.
This is Kumail Nanjiani and Craig Robinson's first collaboration since Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015).
In the original movie Chee-Chee was Judy the Chimpanzee.
