It's been over a decade since Tangled became a Disney classic, and now director Nathan Greno is back with something completely different. His new Netflix film, Swapped, is a body-swap comedy with an all-animal cast, but don't let the fun premise fool you—Greno says the movie has a deeper emotional core.
In an exclusive interview with Collider, Greno revealed that Swapped was always about empathy. "The idea from the beginning was to tell a story about empathy, and to tell a story that deeply resonates with an audience, especially for where we're at right now," he explained. "People are quick to see differences in one another. So, while we didn't want to make a message movie, the idea was to make a big, fun, entertaining roller coaster of a film that makes you think about things on a deeper level."
Greno wanted to avoid the typical "human becomes an animal and learns a lesson" trope. Instead, he and his team leaned into the animal kingdom to explore scale and perspective. "How does the smallest creature in the valley relate to the largest one?" he asked. "Scale in animation is not the easiest thing to do." The team drew inspiration from nature documentaries to capture how audiences instinctively understand size and movement.
The voice cast is stacked: Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther), Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Fargo), and Tracy Morgan (30 Rock) bring the characters to life. Temple, in particular, surprised Greno with her emotional depth. "There were scenes I didn't realize were as emotional. I was getting choked up as she was doing them," he said. "She brought so much to it that she had to take a break. That changed everything."
For Temple, Swapped is a milestone. It's her first lead role in an animated feature, and she had to fully inhabit her character across the entire film. "I was thrilled by the script. I loved it," she said. "It's actually my first animation film."
If you're looking for more to watch this weekend, check out our May 1 Binge Guide: 3 Netflix Shows to Devour This Weekend or dive into 'North of North' for another great binge option.
Swapped is now streaming on Netflix. For more exclusive interviews and entertainment news, stay tuned to ShowtimeSpot.
