Sneak Peek: Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez at RIO Movie Preview
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- Category: Interviews
- Created: Wednesday, 02 February 2011 18:39
- Published: Wednesday, 02 February 2011 18:39
- Written by Lupe Haas
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Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and George Lopez flocked to the 20th Century Fox lot for an advance preview of RIO, a 3D animated film in which the stars showcase their singing abilities.
Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and George Lopez lend their voices and musical talents to RIO as feathered friends along with Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro (300) and Tracy Morgan (30 Rock). In RIO, Blu (Jesse Eisenberg), a domesticated Macaw who never learned to fly, travels to Rio de Janeiro to mate with the only other surviving Macaw named Jewel (voiced by Anne Hathaway). Once in Brazil, Jewel and Blu are on the run from animal smugglers with help from a group of wise-cracking and smooth-talking city birds.
Ice Age: The Meltdown and Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs director Carlos Saldanha screened five scenes from RIO in 3D on the Fox Studio lot in Los Angeles last week, with Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, and George Lopez in attendance to introduce the clips and discuss their experience on the film. Clearly, the director enjoyed leaving the prehistoric age of the Ice Age franchise for the tropical setting of Brazil, his native homeland.
The important characters and setting in RIO are set up in the clips previewed. The vibrant colors jump off screen with the help of 3D but the most impressive clip had to be the film opening. In the jungle, Blu, as a baby Macaw, awakens to singing birds and animals in a catchy tune that certainly puts you in the mood for the Carnival-type experience you are about to see. The color palette of the scene is amazing. The remaining clips are equally filled with vibrant colors and interesting characters. The sneak preview certainly leaves you feeling like a trip to Rio de Janeiro is in order. 
We also get a glimpse of Jamie Foxx and Anne Hathaway's singing debuts in RIO along with will.i.am, Jermaine Clement, and Tracy Morgan. Also present during the RIO presentation was the iconic Brazilian composer Sergio Mendes who composed RIO's music and helped the actors find their singing voices for their characters.
While Grammy award winner Jamie Foxx is no stranger to music, RIO is his first animated film as a voice actor and singer. His first animated project as a feathered sidekick did pose a bit of a problem for the physical actor. "You're not actually on film. It was challenging but cool," according to the Academy Award winner. Jamie was blown away by the footage he saw during the presentation and happy the film didn't cater to children alone with "dumbed down" humor.
Anne Hathaway also sings her little heart out as Jewel which marks her first time singing for the big screen. "Singing has always been something I've love to do," said the co-host of this year's Academy Awards. I've never thought about doing it professionally. I always fell more into acting." She adds that she never thought she would actually ever sing but then again, she never imagined herself doing "a lot of things" including hosting with James Franco at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. "Anything is possible," she joked.
We are introduced to George Lopez's character Bobo The Toucan but his musical talents are not showcased. When asked by CineMovie if he sings in RIO, Lopez was quick to fire back. "I'm not going to let them all sing and me just sit there with a big nose flying around." He turned to Carlos and asked for his opinion on his singing. "You sang beautifully," replied the RIO director. George also reveals his favorite show tune from RIO. "I also rock out and throw in a "The Girl from Ipanema" to charm my wife to allow me go to Carnavale. It's so bad that it works." Carlos disagreed. For the closing sequence in RIO, Carlos promises a grande finale with all the characters singing which he refers to as "fantastic."
The sneak peek of RIO certainly peeked our interest for the final product. RIO will be released April 15, 2011.
Also announced during the RIO event at the Fox Studios was the partnership between between Rovio and Twentieth Century Fox. ANGRY BIRDS, Rovio’s blockbuster smart phone and tablet game, and RIO, are joining forces to create a new game, ANGRY BIRDS RIO. Read more about it.