JUSTIN
LONG AS THE VOICE OF A LEADER IN
“WALKING WITH DINOSAURS: THE 3D MOVIE”
The
film blends a gripping adventure with a story about family and friendship. Patchi encounters the lovely Juniper, a
female Pachyrhinosaurus from another herd and there is an immediate connection,
which develops into a close bond. But it is unlikely that the pair will be able
to stay together because of herd protocol, which means that Juniper won’t be
able to choose her own mate. Other fascinating creatures in the film include
pterosaurs, gigantic flying reptiles that once soared through Earth’s skies,
and Edmontosaurus, huge duck billed dinosaurs.
According
to actor Justin Long, who voices the role, Patchi has “an insatiable curiosity,
as many runts do. It does get him into
trouble, but in the long run it helps him evolve and become the leader he was
meant to be.”
“You
meet Patchi when he is a hatchling—a young Pachyrhinosaurus. He is the runt of
the litter, but he makes up for it in spirit and heart. He has a big heart and
he goes on an epic journey of self-discovery. I used to have a dog like Patchi
actually. We named him Biggie Smalls, because he was big in attitude, but small
in size. Patchi reminds me a little bit of Biggie and of myself. When I was a kid,
I was the runt of the litter. I was really tiny. I was four feet ten inches
going into high school, I weighed 89 pounds and I played (American) football.
Patchi eventually grows into his heart and proves himself over the course of
the movie. I relate to him very much. Over the course of the movie, you learn
that sometimes one’s own will and perseverance can overcome any physical
shortcomings,” relates Long of his personal experience.
The
story is set towards the end of the Age Of The Dinosaurs, when there were many
different species of dinosaurs on the Earth, but also birds and insects. The
film centers on a family of Pachyrhinosaurus (thick nosed lizard), which, as we
discover, were huge herbivores, with horns, a frill and a beak.
Long
has this fascination with dinosaurs and further shares that “I can confirm that
I was obsessed with dinosaurs. I just
don’t know where that obsession comes from and why kids love them so much.
There’s obviously the appeal of them being larger than life. They’re like
monsters. Kids are fascinatedby monsters and things that scare them.They feel
like they were born out of the imagination. But when you’re a kid and you learn
that they actually existed and you can read about them and see their bones, it
is amazing.”
Justin
Long’s career began when he was a member of Vassar College’s comedy troupe,
‘Laughing Stock’. His first movie role was in 1999’s “Galaxy Quest.” This was followed by the teen horror film,
“Jeepers Creepers” and continued with films that include “Dodgeball: A True
Underdog Story,” “Accepted” and “The Break-Up.” The versatile actor starred in
the hit action film “Live Free or Die Hard” opposite Bruce Willis. His other credits include “Funny People
Serious Moonlight,” “Going The Distance,” “The Conspirator,” “10 Years,” “Drag
Me to Hell,” “After.Life” and “He’s Just Not that Into You.”
Bigger and more immersive than
anything that had gone before in 3D, “Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D Movie” is
set to amaze with its dazzling visual effects shot in real environments when it
opens January 8 in cinemas nationwide.
“Walking With Dinosaurs: The 3D
Movie” is a major new blockbuster presented by 20th Century Fox and Reliance
Entertainment in association with IM Global. A BBC Earth and Evergreen
production in association with Animal Logic.