i was juting thinking if they gave the role to an Australian, then repicheep would sound really funny.

=)) i was juting thinking if they gave the role to an Australian, then repicheep would sound really funny.

I suppose we can always look on the bright side. They could have gotten anybody!

Oooh, I like this bit of casting. Normally I would be worried about consistency, but as I generally try to forget that the PC film ever even happened, the fact that Izzard isn't on board doesn't worry me in the slightest. Reep didn't come across much in PC, struck me as very bland in general, and I was worried as to how he would function in the much more demanding VDT role. Nighy is an accomplished actor and I'm sure he'll add the the prestige of the returning company.

If we only get a decent, faithful script this time, I suspect to be happy with VDT.

=)) i was juting thinking if they gave the role to an Australian, then repicheep would sound really funny.

I suppose we can always look on the bright side. They could have gotten anybody!

Hey! At least they did'nt let me do it!

I personally am not worried at all and am looking foward to it.

For that voice test, I don't think Nighy as Davy Jones is perhaps the best comparision, but I actually thought it sounded fairly normal coming out of Reep's mouth, not completely jarring or "WHOA!". And like other people have said, at least it's Bill Nighy, who you have to admit is pretty talented. They seem to want to kick it up a notch, which is always a good thing.

For that voice test, I don't think Nighy as Davy Jones is perhaps the best comparision, but I actually thought it sounded fairly normal coming out of Reep's mouth, not completely jarring or "WHOA!".

Agreed on both counts . I did notice a fair bit of confusion in some of the NarniaWeb and NarniaFans news-story comment sections as to what Bill Nighy's voice actually sounds like (even though there was an accompanying video of him speaking) as most people seem to only know Bill Nighy as Davy Jones in POTC, and therefore assumed that is what he actually sounds like.

As Valiant_Lucy above pointed out, and im sure plenty of other people have pointed out, Davy Jones sounds absolutely nothing like Bill Nighy does normally. In fact, Bill Nighy's voice is so far removed from that of Davy Jones that you wonder why they even decided to cast him as a gruff scottish-voiced sea captain in the first place - why not just get an actor with a naturally gruff scottish voice?

And that in itself probably tells you two important things - firstly that Bill Nighy is a fantastically talented vocal performer who is easily capable of modifying his voice to suit a role. And secondly, that Bill Nighy's performance as Davy Jones is about so much more than just the way his voice sounds - that there are much greater subtleties to his vocal performance - and that the overall qualities he brought to the role far outweighed the fact that he isn't naturally gruff or scottish, allowing the casting directors to easily overlook that fact when casting him for that role.

(admittedly he also did all the motion capture work for Davy Jones too, something which he obviously didn't do for Reepicheep, which would probably of been another big reason why they might of cast him as Davy Jones in spite of his accent, but we'll ignore that fact for now! )

Not sure if I'd use the term "blood-thirsty," but Reepicheep is always wanting a fight, and a little quick-tempered and reckless. Lewis says quite clearly that it was very unusual for Reep to advise anyone not to fight. This is indisputable. Not open to interpretation. Here's a list I made....

In PC, Reep wanted to storm Miraz’ castle that very night.

When Reep meets Doctor Cornelius, he says, “And any Dwarf - or Giant - in the army who does not give you good language shall have my sword to reckon with."

Trumpkin describes Reep as someone who can kill with looks.

"If anyone present wishes to make me the subject of his wit, I am very much at his service - with my sword - whenever he has leisure." [Translation: "If you laugh at me, I will kill you."]

The mice stabbing Telmarine feet at the battle.

On letting the pirates go: "And we ought to have given her chase and boarded her and hanged every mother's son of them."

When Eustace says he wants to lodge a disposition in the British council, Reep, naturally, interprets that to be a weapon of some kind.

When Caspian and the gang first see Pug and his slavers, it is of course Reep who reminds them, "We have our swords."

When captured by Pug: "Coward! Poltroon! Give me my sword and free my paws if you dare."

Lewis writes: "For his mind was full of forlorn hopes, death-or-glory charges, and last stands."

Caspian has to forbid Reepicheep from fighting DragonEustace.

At the end of the sea-serpent battle: "It was so unusual for the Mouse to advise anyone not to fight that, even in that terrible moment, every eye turned to him."

When told about the invisible people, Reep's first comment is "I wonder, do they become visible when you drive a sword into them?"

To the invisible Dufflepuds: "And if it is anything against her Majesty's honour or safety, you will wonder to see how many we can kill before we die."

... All this is the reason Reepicheep throwing his sword away and saying "I shall need it no more" is one of the most powerful character moments in the entire series. The essence of VDT is the longing for one's true home and the joy of finding it. Reep has clearly found something better than life. His heart's true desire, better than any death-and-glory charge.

it is true that Reepicheep will be older.....he might not live as long as humans and he is on his way to Aslan's country.....

excellently put glumPuddle . I hope they keep that spirit about Reep better in VoDT...

apologies if you guys have known this already, but i asked this over at facebook and Narniafans confirmed that Reep will be older in Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

Steele Sheen: great report! i am so sharing this
btw, did they mention why Bill Nighy took over as Reep's voice instead of Eddie Izzard?

Chronicles of Narnia: They've made Reep a bit older in this one. Animals, as you know, have different life spans than humans do.

so there you have it. they made Reep older for VODT, to coincide with his going over to Aslan's country, although there was no such indication of a "passing away" in the book due to his age, he was just ready-- and deserving-- to go join Aslan. i'm expecting Reep to have a slightly different voice then, older but perhaps the same undertone as Eddie Izzard has. knowing Bill Nighy, he can pull that off easy.

That's really interesting, thank you for sharing!

After a few days I feel a lot better about the recasting. I think Bill Nighy is a great actor (though I agree: why did they not cast a REAL Scot for Pirates? ) and I'm sure he'll do a fantastic job.

I don't think they are going to tone down Reep's "bloodthirst". As gP's pointed out quite thoroughly (thank you for the list! ) it would change the character unrecognisably, and I just don't think they're going to do that, even if they have changed the actor playing him!

so there you have it. they made Reep older for VODT, to coincide with his going over to Aslan's country,

Who on NF posted that it's because Reep ages? I think that may have just been speculation.

Reep will look older, but I don't think that was the reason he was recast.

I think Bill Nighy is a great actor (though I agree: why did they not cast a REAL Scot for Pirates? )

They didn't cast a real Scot because they didn't want Davy Jones to be Scottish; originally he was supposed to be Dutch but Bill Nighy said he couldn't do a Dutch accent and would rather be Scottish instead. And thus follows, "Why didn't they cast a Dutch actor?" I don't know.

Anyway, off topic here. Ignore me.

~~

For that voice test, I don't think Nighy as Davy Jones is perhaps the best comparision, but I actually thought it sounded fairly normal coming out of Reep's mouth, not completely jarring or "WHOA!". And like other people have said, at least it's Bill Nighy, who you have to admit is pretty talented. They seem to want to kick it up a notch, which is always a good thing.

I know that's not what his voice sounds like in real life. It was meant as a joke, nothing more!