Stories

Who doesn't appreciate an adorable animal? Better yet, who doesn't appreciate an adorable animal that can talk? The truth is that some of film and television's most lovable, colorful characters have been of the furry, feathered, finned, or four-legged variety. We've rounded up 27 of our top talking animals in film Enjoy! 1. Roger Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit denofgeek.com The Real Animal: One last rabbit, though we’ve never seen a rabbit dressed up like this in the wild. The Movie Animal: An animated goofball with one heck of a sexy lady for a wife. Best Quote: “Check the probate. Why, my Uncle Thumper had a problem with his probate, and he had to take these big pills, and drink lots of water.” 2. Dory in Finding Nemo huffingtonpost.com The Real Animal: A Pacific Regal Blue Tang, which is a very long name for a not-very-big fish. The Movie Animal: More forgetful than our Aunt Ada, Dory’s winsomely kooky – though we wouldn’t necessarily pick her to go on a quest with. Still, she pretty much saves the day in the end. Best Quote: “Hey, look. ‘Esc-a-pay.’ I wonder what that means. That's funny, it's spelled just like the word ‘escape’.” 3. Babe bustle.com The Real Animal: A pig. Yes, a smelly, noisy, hairy pig. With trotters. The Movie Animal: One for the kiddies that adults can enjoy, too. His parents may end up pork, but Babe’s got an adaptable spirit that means he can turn his trotter to anything. Including becoming the world’s first sheep pig. Best Quote: “Move along there, ya... big buttheads!” 4. Ted yuppee.com The Real Animal: A bear, though what species of bear is up for debate. The Movie Animal: Think a miniature frat boy and you’ve got a fair picture of Ted. He loves weed. He loves to get drunk. And he loves Flash Gordon. We wish he was our drinking buddy. Best Quote: “I look like something you give to your kid when you tell ’em Grandma died.” 5. Thumper in Bambi pinterest.com The Real Animal: A rabbit. Again. There’s a reason for the phrase ‘go at it like bunnies’, you know. The Movie Animal: The kind of cute that’ll melt even the iciest of hearts. When Thumper laughs, we laugh. When Thumper cries, we cry… Best Quote: “‘Eating greens is a special treat, It makes long ears and great big feet. But it sure is awful stuff to eat.’ I made that last part up myself.” 6. Kermit the Frog in The Muppets women.com The Real Animal: Somewhat smaller, slimier and less attractive than their fuzzy Henson-created counterpart. The Movie Animal: The Frog to end all frogs. Sure he’s little more than a sock puppet, but Kermit is the calm amid the chaos that is The Muppets. He’s also deserving of our sympathy – nobody wants Miss Piggy swooning over them 24/7, right? Best Quote: “Do what I do: imagine the audience naked.” 7. Dug in Up giphy.com The Real Animal: A Golden Retriever, a breed of dog that the internet tells us was originally bred to hunt down ducks and upland game birds. The Movie Animal: Surely everybody’s favorite movie dog, Dug has the ability to talk thanks to a clever contraption around his neck. If our dog could talk, they would be just like Dug. Best Quote: “I was hiding under your porch because I love you.” 8. Donkey in Shrek oregonlive.com The Real Animal: A – let’s face it, pretty stinky – donkey. Full title: Equus Africanus Asinus. The Movie Animal: A wise-ass in more ways than one, Donkey never stops talking. Ever. Which should be annoying, but is actually sort of endearing. Best Quote: “Wow! Only a true friend would be that truly honest!” 9. Baloo in The Jungle Book michaelbarrier.com The Real Animal: A sleepy brown bear, according to Rudjard Kingling’s original tome. The Movie Animal: The friendliest, most upbeat bear you’re ever likely to come across. He also gets to sing one of the best Disney songs ever. “Look for the bare necessities…” Best Quote: “So just try and... relax. Yeah. Cool it. Fall apart in my backyard. 'Cause let me tell you something, little britches: if you act like that bee at... Uh-uh. You're working too hard.” 10. Pug in Men In Black fanpop.com The Real Animal: The kind of dog that looks like it’s run into a few too many walls… and then shrunk in the wash. The Movie Animal: The sequel over-used him, but Pug was one of the first Men In Black’s best surprises – an alien that’s taken over a dog that looks like an alien anyway . Love it. Best Quote: “You don't like it you can kiss my furry little butt!” 11. Ape in George Of The Jungle dewanontons.com The Real Animal: A gorilla, which has around 95% of the same DNA as humans. Which explains why they’re alternately so tetchy/horny/hungry the whole time. The Movie Animal: Droll, sarcastic, and not averse to wearing a pinny, Ape is the ultimate sidekick. He’s also voiced by John Cleese, which is nice for us adults. Best Quote: “I aced it all and I stood tall and did it my way…” 12. Mr. Tinkles in Cats & Dogs warnerbros.co.uk The Real Animal: A domestic cat the likes of which you’ve seen coughing up furballs in houses all over the country. The Movie Animal: Mr. Tinkles is the kind of villain you’d find in a Bond movie – fitting, considering a cat was the pet of choice for one such spy-killing villain. With his arch attitude and dastardly plots, Mr. Tinkles is an awesome movie menace. Best Quote: “Evil does not wear a bonnet!” 13. Howard The Duck pinterest.com The Real Animal: Um, a duck. Has a bill instead of a mouth. And webbed feet. The Movie Animal: Howard’s an alien, which instantly makes him awesome. His film’s a not-entirely-successful cult curio, but Howard himself is a wise-cracking flapper that we can’t help loving. Best Quote: “That’s it, no more Mr. Nice Duck.” 14. Mickey Mouse TV Guide The Real Animal: Another mouse, though we’ve never seen one that looks quite like this. The Movie Animal: Probably the most recognizable talking animal on this list, and the logo for Walt Disney Pictures. Mickey’s starred in over 180 long and short films, making him the most prolific Disney character ever. Best Quote: “She likes my body and my mind. In the same place, that is.” (in short Runaway Brain) 15. Blood in A Boy And His Dog horrornews.net The Real Animal: Y’know, man’s best friend, enjoys going for walks, chasing squirrels and howling at the moon. The Movie Animal: Blood sounds like a scholarly intellectual… except he’s a dog. Which means as well as being a telepath, he’s on a constant hunt for food – and in particular popcorn. Best Quote: “I'd certainly say she had marvelous judgment, Albert, if not particularly good taste.” 16. Po in Kung Fu Panda themeraider.com The Real Animal: A massive bear native to China. Loves bamboo. Like, a lot. The Movie Animal: Son to noodle-shop-owner Mr. Ping, Po is a wannabe warrior whose clumsiness generally gets in the way of him ever doing anything right. Until that is, he learns to kick animal behind. Best Quote: “The Sword of Heroes! Said to be so sharp you can get cut just by looking at - ow!” 17. Horse singers in Three Amigos! youtube.com The Real Animal: Horses again. They’re generally accompanied by flies and the rotting smell of sun-baked feces. The Movie Animals: The amigos discover, quite by accident, that their horses have the ability to sing – which comes in handy when you’re sitting around a campfire with nothing to do. Best Quote: “Good Night, Ned!” 18. Timothy Q Mouse in Dumbo behindthevoiceactors.com The Real Animal: The last mouse on this list, we promise. The Movie Animal: A little critter with a massive heart, Timothy Q Mouse is a force of nature, single-handedly helping Dumbo become the “ninth wonder of the universe” by teaching him to fly. Whatta fella. Best Quote: “You all oughta be ashamed of yourselves. A bunch of big guys like you, pickin' on a poor little orphan like him. Suppose you were torn away from your mother when you were just a baby…” etc 19. Steve in Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs imdb.com The Real Animal: A Vervet monkey that lives in Africa. It likes eating bird eggs and young chicks, as well as grasshoppers and termites. Charming. The Movie Animal: The coolest monkey you ever did see, equipped with a Speak and Spell thought translating device that lets Steve verbalize the inner workings of his brilliant mind. Best Quote: “Gummi bears!” 20. Skipper in Madagascar awn.com The Real Animal: A penguin. A bird that lacks the ability to fly. Yawn. The Movie Animal: Spotlight-stealing CGI penguin Skipper, a lovable paranoid commando obsessed with getting back to the homeland – no matter what the cost. Best Quote: “Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.” 21. Remy in Ratatouille commonsensemedia.org The Real Animal: A disease-infested rat, the likes of which populate the sewers and waterways of just about every city in the world. The Movie Animal: Adorable, house-proud Remy, whose desire to cook completely baffles the rest of his clan – but whose drive pushed him on to bigger and better things. Best Quote: “If you are what you eat, then I only want to eat the good stuff.” 22. Rango uproxx.com The Real Animal: A chameleon, which has the nasty habit of disappearing before your very eyes. They also like staring… The Movie Animal: Rango, who wears the coolest shirt ever (a nod to Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas ) and lives in the Wild West. Oh, and he’s voiced by Johnny Depp. Best Quote: “I couldn't help but notice you noticing me noticing you.” 23. Mumble in Happy Feet pinterest.com The Real Animal: Another Penguin, this one an Emperor Penguin, the tallest and heaviest of all penguins. Not exactly something to brag about. The Movie Animal: Cuddliest, happy, clappiest of all penguins, Mumble’s equipped with some of the coolest dance moves we’ve seen on screen since Saturday Night Fever. Best Quote: “It’s just like... singing, with your body.” 24. Aslan in The Chronicles Of Narnia thesun.co.uk The Real Animal: Lion. King of the pride lands. Sleeps a lot. Yada yada yada. The Movie Animal: Aslan, also known as ‘the Great Lion’ because essentially he’s Narnia’s version of God. Which is pretty damned cool if you ask us. Best Quote: “Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley. Beaver also mentioned that you planned on turning him into a hat.” 25. Sid in Ice Age pinterest.com The Real Animal: A sloth, the laziest of all creatures and, weirdly, genetically related to armadillos and anteaters. The Movie Animal: An endearingly clumsy Chatterbox, Sid would annoy the hell out of you if you had to put up with him in real life. As a movie character, though, he’s hilarious – a lisping, accident-prone try-hard with a brain the size of a grape. Best Quote: “Look, the Tigers are just playing tag with the antelope... With their teeth…” 26. Stuart Little imdb The Real Animal: A teeny tiny little mouse. The Movie Animal: Stuart, who doesn’t let his diminutive stature get in the way of having great, walloping adventures. Best Quote: “I'm so happy! I... I feel 10 inches tall!” 27. Pongo in 101 Dalmatians imdb The Real Animal: A black-and-white dog. Likes walks. Hates being left alone. The Movie Animal: Pongo, the patriarch in a family of Dalmatians, and not adverse to going on a cracking adventure in search of his kidnapped kids. He also refers to his owner as a pet, which of course is exactly how a dog would think. Best Quote: “It was plain to see that my old pet needed someone, but if it were left up to Roger, we'd be bachelors forever. He was married to his work writing songs. Songs about the romance of all things. Something he knew absolutely nothing about.” 28. Milo And Otis YouTube The Real Animal: A tabby cat and a fawn pug, both of which live for food, sleep, and excretion. The Movie Animal: This cuddly twosome comes courtesy of Japanese cinema, and find themselves going on an adventure when they’re separated. Too cute for words. Best Quote: “Want some more dinner? Remember, you're eating for eight now!” 29. Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio Wikipedia The Real Animal: A cricket – yeah those annoying things that sky-bomb you when you’re in the garden, then play strings all night when you’re trying to sleep. The Movie Animal: Not just a cricket, but also Pinocchio’s conscience, Jiminy’s a chipper little fellow with some really natty togs. Best Quote: “You buttered your bread. Now sleep in it!” 30. Tigger in The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh cornel1801 The Real Animal: Well, technically a tiger – largest of all cats according to our sources. The Movie Animal: The bounciest, most optimistic stripy animal out there. Even better, Tigger’s even got his own song. Best Quote: “T-T-F-N! Ta-ta for now!” Credits: gamesradar Which talking animals in film are we missing? Let us know in the comment section below. And, if you LIKE this story, please SHARE this story on Facebook with your friends.