Robert Downey Jr. an animal whisperer in ‘Dolittle’
Robert Downey Jr. is surrounded by animals in the poster for “Dolittle.”
Robert Downey Jr. moves from the super techie Iron Man to the guy who talks to animals in “Dolittle,” which is set for release on Jan. 17. In an Instagram post, Downey promised, “Ello Butty, check back tomorrow (9a PST) for the official #DolittleMovie trailer … Ta-ra love,” punctuating the post with emojis of different animals.
Publicity materials describe Dolittle: “He’s just not a people person.”
A Universal project, Dolittle is based on the character from the 1920s series of children’s books by Hugh Lofting. Stephen Gaghan, who won an Oscar for writing Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic,” will direct the film based on a script he wrote, with an earlier draft by Tom Shepherd.
A double treat from Karen Gillan this Christmas
Karen Gillan, Nebula in “Guardians of the Galaxy,” will have a very happy Christmas with the release in December of two of her movies.
The Scottish actor/filmmaker posted on Instagram recently her photo with fellow members of the “Jumanji: The Next Level” cast, Jack Black, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Kevin Hart. Gillan’s post read: “Cover of @totalfilm magazine! Jumanji: The Next Level is coming to you THIS CHRISTMAS! #jumnaji #the next level #rubyroundhouse
“Jumanji” was first released in 1995 with the late comic great Robin Williams in the lead.
Karen Gillan (third from left) and her “Jumanji: The Next Level” costars on the cover of Total Film magazine
Gillan also promoted on Instagram another upcoming movie slated for release in December: “Are you all ready for @willsmith to turn into a pigeon?! Spies in Disguise is out THIS CHRISTMAS! I play a character called Eyes alongside @djkhaled who plays Ears. They are quite the pair! #spiesin disguisemovie @tomholland2013 @rashidajones”
The computer-animated spy comedy film is produced by Blue Sky Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It features the voices of Smith, “Spider-Man” Tom Holland, Ben Mendelsohn, Rashida Jones, Khaled and Masi Oka, aside from Gillan.
In the story, the highly famous super spy Lance Sterling (Smith), who is relied upon to protect the world from grave threats, depends in turn on the technical smarts of young scientist Walter Beckett (Holland) for great gadgets to accomplish his missions. But Sterling is turned into a pigeon when he accidentally swallows Beckett’s newest invention, the “biodynamic concealment.” The super spy has to find out how he can save the world, as a small animal, from cybernetic madman Tristan McFord.
