I’m not sure whether to be worried or exhilarated by the thinking and rethinking that Tinker Bell the Movie has received. The project has been tooled, retooled and then retooled again. It started with the poor quality of the original animation. The project was scrapped and restarted. Then John Lasseter came aboard during the Disney Pixar merger. Lasseter is a huge fan of Tinker Bell and he ordered another overhaul of the project. Now, there’s another change.
Tinker Bell Has a New Voice
Brittany Murphy was originally given the part of the voice of Tinker Bell. It would have been the first time the fairy’s voice would be heard in a Disney animated movie (Julia Roberts gave the fairy her voice in the live-action feature Hook). In all her previous appearances, she speaks in chiming sounds that Peter Pan understands, but no well does.
But Murphy is now out and a new voice will be giving Tinker Bell her sound. The voice of Mae Whitman. Who is Whitman? She’s an actress that worked on The Jungle Book 2, but she’s likely best known for her role on Avatar: The Last Air Bender (a show my husband and daughter both enjoy). Still not placing her? Think back to the feature film “Independence Day” – remember the President’s daughter?
Yep.
That’s Mae Whitman.
The Fairy Line
The Fairy Line is already a money maker for Disney from their line of books to shirts and sheets and more. Tinker Bell and her fairy friends are very appealing. I wasn’t sold on Brittany Murphy as the voice and I’m sure Whitman will be just fine. I just hope the film lives up to all the retooling and it’s not a case of too many chefs in the Pixie Hollow kitchen.
Related Blogs:
Tinker Bell – There’s Something About Her
Do Disney Princesses Hurt Self-Image in Little Girls?
Tinkerbell Gets a Voice for New Film