Disney’s Lady and the Tramp remake is set for a release on Disney+ in November, and the anticipated movie will star a rescued shelter dog from Arizona named Monte. When it came to casting the titular Tramp in the updated version of the animated classic, the filmmakers did some scouting at HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix where they met the friendly pooch.
While the breed of the “shelter mutt” is unknown, his charming personality wound up securing him the role. “When he arrived at the shelter he was super friendly, he greets people right away, he gives kisses, he loves attention, he knows ‘sit’ and he knows how to walk well on a leash,” says HALO CEO and president Heather Allen.
“He was adopted from us in April of 2018, and we knew that the people that were meeting with him were considering him to be a Hollywood star, but we didn’t know for what,” Allen explains, noting they were certainly aware of his potential. Although some of the puppies from the shelter have been used in TV commercials, Allen also says this is the biggest role one of their dogs has ever snagged that’s seen in her 25 years working there. Certainly, the casting will soon make Monte one of the most famous dogs in the world. “This isn’t just some obscure movie,” she adds, pointing out how everyone knows Lady and the Tramp, a childhood staple.
While Monte will be portraying Tramp on-screen, the animal will be voiced by Justin Theroux. Starring opposite Theroux will be Tessa Thompson as the titular Lady, joining other dogs voiced by Sam Elliott, Ashley Jensen, Benedict Wong, and Janelle Monae. Kiersey Clemons, Thomas Mann, and Yvette Nicole Brown also star. Like the original animated movie, the new Lady and the Tramp will follow the romance between an upper-middle-class cocker spaniel and a downtown stray mongrel. Charlie Bean is directing using a screenplay written by Andrew Bujalski.
Lady and the Tramp is just the latest of many animated Disney classics to be recently remade. Updated versions of Aladdin and The Lion King both hit the big screen earlier this year, and Disney doesn’t seem to be getting off of this train anytime soon with The Little Mermaid set for a release next year. News of Lady and the Tramp getting the remake treatment next isn’t exactly surprising, given that it seems to just be a matter of time for every animated Disney movie.
You can watch the new Lady and the Tramp when it premieres on Disney+ on Nov. 12, 2019. That will not-so-coincidentally be the same day the streaming service first launches, making this movie one of the biggest selling points. Certainly, Disney is hoping to bring in as many subscribers as possible upon launch to become an instant competitor in the streaming market. Given their library of content and new movies like Lady and the Tramp coming to the service, Netflix might soon be in trouble. This news comes to us from AZCentral.
