Get ready to meet the Mallards in theaters this holiday season. In Illumination’s new family animated movie Migration, a family of ducks decides to leave the safety and comfort of their little pond bubble to set off on an epic adventure that takes them through New York City in hopes of reaching Jamaica. You know, heading south for the winter. Along the way, the Mallards meet a bunch of quirky characters, who are all voiced by celebrities you’ll definitely recognize.
Celebs like Elizabeth Banks, Kumail Nanjiani, Awkwafina, and Danny DeVito all lend their voices to the new comedy from Illumination, the production company behind other family favorites like Minions, Despicable Me, Sing, and The Secret Life of Pets. The script is by Mike White, who’s behind HBO’s wildly popular series The White Lotus and the 2003 comedy School of Rock, so you know can expect lots of laughs and probably a few twists.
Director Benjamin Renner told Animation Scoop that he did a lot of research to make sure the actors lending the voices really “connected” to their characters. “I always made sure they had this connection with who this character is,” Renner explained. “Kumail Nanjiani has a stand-up comedy sketch where he’s always complaining about new things. He loves a routine. I thought, ‘That’s perfect.’ When we gave him the script he was like, ‘Yeah. That’s me. That’s exactly me.’ Elizabeth Banks is the opposite. She wants to try new things and is open to new experiences. And same — she was like, ‘Yeah. That’s me. I’m that exact person.’”
Based on the trailers for Migration alone, they seem like the perfect fit for these bird personas. Here’s who else you can expect to hear in Migration.
Kumail Nanjiani voices Mack, the anxious and overprotective Mallard dad.
Nanjiani voices the Mack, the very cautious patriarch of the Mallard family who is more than happy to never leave their safe New England pond. Albeit reluctantly, Mack eventually agrees to migrate with his family to go on one heck of a vacation together. The Big Sick actor told UPI he believes his character “slowly” became more anxious once he became a father. “He’s found a way to suppress his essential nature,” Nanjiani said. “As he had kids, I think he slowly became more and more neurotic.”
Elizabeth Banks voices Pam, the Mallards’ quick-witted mom seeking adventure.
Banks voices Pam, the matriarch of the Mallard family who desperately wants more from life and is eager to show their kids what the rest of the world has to offer. In an interview with NBC Insider, Banks, a mom of two herself, said she relates to her character as a parent. “For me… I’m at that moment where I’m trying to push them out of the nest in a responsible way, where I want them to feel a greater sense of independence,” she told NBC Insider about her own family. “It’s frankly always a test of your parenting, you know. Have I taught them not to run into traffic? Have I done a good enough job where they can go be in the world and be safe on their own?”
Danny DeVito voices the Mallards’ grumpy, wise-cracking Uncle Dan.
DeVito supplies lots of laughs in Migration as Uncle Dan, who joins the rest of the Mallards on their journey south, even though he would have preferred to hang back at the pond. “Uncle Dan is a tough character, he’s kind of stuck in the mud,” the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor said in a recent interview with reporter Leah Klett.
Awkwafina voices Chump, leader of the New York City pigeon gang.
Awkwafina voices a character named Chump, the head of a New York City pigeon gang the Mallards meet on their journey. In an interview with LIVE with Kelly and Mark, the Crazy Rich Asians actress joked that she and Chump “look similar” and are alike in that they’re both from New York. “[Chump] is rough around the edges, but once we get to like you, you can trust us.”
Keegan-Michael Key voices Delroy, the homesick Jamaican parrot.
Key puts on a heavy Jamaican as Delroy the scarlet macaw parrot in Migration. Delroy is locked up in a cage inside a Manhattan restaurant and tells the Mallards all about a terrifying dish called duck a l’orange. He’s homesick and wants to go home to Jamaica, and eventually breaks free to join the Mallards on their migration. The Wonka actor, who’s also lent his voice to The Super Mario Bros Movie as Toad, told The Movie Times “it was so much fun” to play with that dialect for the movie.
Carol Kane voices Erin the heron.
Kane voices Erin the heron, who thinks the Mallard kids are just so adorable, she could gobble them up like a little fish. No she won’t. Or will she? Erin ultimately becomes friends with Mallards, so our guess is she resisted. You’ll recognize Kane’s voice from her roles in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Princess Bride, Taxi, Scrooged, and Addams Family Values.
David Mitchell voices Googoo, the yogic leader of a duck farm.
Mitchell voices a bird named Googoo, a yogic leader of a duck farm. Googoo leads his fellow birds through breathing and stretching exercises. The British comedian and actor is as best known as part of the comedy duo Mitchell and Webb and creating and starring in the British sitcom Peep Show. Mitchell’s voice has appeared in an episode of Rick and Morty and even Peppa Pig as Police Officer Panda.
Tresi Gazal voices the Mallards’ daughter Gwen and Caspar Jennings voices son Dax.
Caspar Jennings, who’s had voice roles in the Sing movies, and newcomer Tresi Gazal lend their voices to the youngest characters in Migration, the Mallard kids. Jennings plays Dax, their confident and fearless teenage son and Gazal voices Gwen, Dax’s younger sister who’s described “innocent and lovable” and, spoiler alert, she’s “too shy to poop in the sky” like other birds.
Migration premieres in theaters on Friday, Dec. 22.
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