The Big Picture

Illumination’s new animated feature, Migration, is a fun and thoughtful family movie with a talented voice cast. The story follows the Mallard family as they decide to take a vacation and encounter interesting characters along the way. Elizabeth Banks and Kumail Nanjiani discuss the surprising depth and relatability of the film, as well as their nervousness before filming certain projects.

Illumination’s new animated feature, Migration, is flying into theaters just in time for the holidays. If you’re looking for something that’s going to appeal to the whole family, consider checking out this original story that stars a talented vocal cast, including Elizabeth Banks, Kumail Nanjiani, Danny DeVito, Michael-Keegan Key, Awkwafina, and more. Written by The White Lotus’ Mike White, it’s little wonder Collider’s Tania Hussain found it “fun and thoughtful alongside a steady stream of quirky, laugh-out-loud moments.”

As the seasons change, the Mallard family is content to enjoy the peacefulness of their quaint New England pond as other birds head to warmer locales — or at least Mack Mallard (Nanjiani) is content to keep his family safe in familiar waters. When a migrating family stops by their pond and regales the Mallards with tales of warm and glittering waters, Mack’s wife Pam (Banks) puts her foot down. It’s time to take flight. She wants their kids, Dax (Casper Jennings) and Gwen (Tresi Gazal), to experience life, and with some convincing from Uncle Dan (DeVito) Mack reluctantly agrees to head for Jamaica. Though the trip doesn’t go as planned, the Mallards meet plenty of interesting characters on their adventure, both less savory characters and birds of a feather.

In an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Banks and Nanjiani reveal just how similar Migration and Banks’ R-rated blockbuster, Cocaine Bear, really are. They talk about the challenge of recording efforts for animation, what about the movie is going to surprise audiences, and why you’re going to love it if you’re a fan of National Lampoon’s Vacation. They also talk about which projects made them the most nervous before stepping on set, if Banks is planning on directing again, and why Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a dream role for Nanjiani. Check it out in the video above, or you can read the full transcript below.

Migration A family of ducks try to convince their overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime. Release Date December 22, 2023 Director Benjamin Renner , Guylo Homsy Rating PG Writers Benjamin Renner , Mike White

COLLIDER: So this movie about a Cocaine Bear did very, very well at the box office and I think people have spoofed it with, like, Cocaine Shark and other things.

ELIZABETH BANKS: So many things.

Related ‘Cocaine Bear’ Review: Elizabeth Banks Goes All-In With Absurdity, Violence, Humor, and Nose Candy Starring Keri Russell, Alden Ehrenreich, Margot Martindale, and of course, a cocaine bear, ‘Cocaine Bear’ is exactly what it sounds like.

I am curious, though, with the success of the film, have you actually talked to the studio about what more can we do with the cocaine genre and movie?

BANKS: I mean, the studio is always interested in replicating success. I don’t know that we’ve hit on the exact thing, but, of course, I’m open to anything.

KUMAIL NANJIANI: I like to think of this movie as Cocaine Ducks.

BANKS: Yeah, it could be with just a few F-bombs thrown in.

NANJIANI: And also, they’re like, “We should go to Jamaica!” That’s a very…

BANKS: A slightly crazier bad guy and we would get there really quickly. We’re certainly acting like we’re all on drugs.

NANJIANI: And that chef, definitely.

BANKS: Oh, he’s definitely on something.

What’s really funny is, I said to Benjamin, so you have a chef and a kitchen, you’re basically playing a little bit in Ratatouille land…

BANKS: Very Ratatouille, those sections, yeah.

How nervous were you to take that on? You’re playing in the Ratatouille world, and he actually talked all about it.

BANKS: Also, The Little Mermaid has a great scene with the chef and a crab. I mean, these are classic animation tropes, honestly. The greatest danger that the animals are in is that we are gonna eat them.

NANJIANI: Chicken Run.

BANKS: Yeah, I mean, have you seen these? That’s the peril that they’re all worried about.

NANJIANI: Do you remember when Chicken Run came out, Burger King had a tie-in where they had their chicken nuggets shaped like the airplane that the chickens are building to get out, which I thought was really taunting them, like, “We killed you and turned you into the shape that you used to try and escape.” Love Burger King.

[Laughs] Have it your way.

Elizabeth Banks Felt Like the New Girl on ‘Mrs. America’
Image via FX

So I want to ask a different question besides Migration, a little curveball. You both have done really cool stuff in your career. What is the most nervous you’ve been the night before the first day of filming for whatever project it was, like, “Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m gonna have to do this?”

BANKS: I know what mine was.

NANJIANI: What was it?

BANKS: Well, it’s interesting. This is probably a lie, actually, I’ve just realized. I’m gonna say my original answer that came into my head, which is Mrs. America — Cate Blanchett and Margo Martindale, two acting idols of mine, and Tracey Ullman. I had to go to set and act with them in Toronto, and they had already all been working, and I kind of flew in the night before.

NANJIANI: Oh, that feeling.

BANKS: I hate that feeling. It’s like I’m the new girl. I have no idea what the energy is and the vibe.

NANJIANI: They all have in-jokes.

BANKS: Yeah, exactly. I showed up and I was really nervous. I was like, “I’ve got to know all my lines. I cannot not know my lines in front of these acting goddesses.” And then I got there, and they were, like, singing show tunes and it was so fun, and I was like, “Oh, this is going to be no problem.” But man, I went so prepared to that set.

NANJIANI: Well, that’s great, isn’t it? To me, that’s what it is. The preparation defeats nerves, so I always really prepare. I never sleep the night before a new job no matter what the job is, and it’s not always nerves, sometimes it’s excitement. But also, sometimes you’re playing a character and you haven’t really played anything like that before and you show up, and you’re like, “I’ve done so much work, and what if after the first three takes, they’re like, ‘Can you do a different approach?’” To me, that’s terrifying.

I can’t even imagine. I could never do what you guys do, and I give you all the credit in the world.

‘Migration’ Is the Griswold Family Vacation of Animation

Jumping back into Migration, I really enjoyed this movie. I’m being very sincere with you, it was a real surprise.

NANJIANI: You thought it was gonna suck?

No, I’ve seen a lot of whatever-animated movies and this is not one of those whatever-movies. I will strongly endorse this one. What are you guys really looking forward to seeing?

NANJIANI: I think that. I think it’s gonna surprise people that it’s deeper than a lot of other animated movies, and it looks absolutely gorgeous. It’s really funny, but the way it looks, it’s one of the best-looking movies I’ve ever seen.

BANKS: I also think it’s surprisingly relatable as a family adventure movie. They’re kind of the Griswolds in one sense in that everything’s hilarity-ensuing and things are going wrong left and right, but the dynamic within the family is just very real. I think we did a good job of it’s not overly saccharine or too jokey. It’s just like just the right balance.

NANJIANI: It really feels like a real family, all five of us do.

Well, the other thing I really liked about it is there were no dumb jokes. All the jokes felt earned.

NANJIANI: Yeah, that’s great.

BANKS: No cheap shots.

NANJIANI: So which cartoon do you think had a lot of dumb jokes?

‘Migration’ Stars Reveal the Effort in Recording Efforts
Image by Illumination Studios, Universal Pictures

I don’t want to pick out any movies. I’m not gonna say. [Laughs] I can only get myself in trouble and I’m realizing, “Oh, wait, there are cameras on me. Perhaps I should hold this one back.” I will just move on to something else and talk about efforts.

NANJIANI: Oh my god.

Do you enjoy recording efforts?

NANJIANI: That’s the worst. I think at the end where they’re like, “Just do a bunch…”

BANKS: Scream!

NANJIANI: When you go you have the sheet, and at the end it just says “efforts.” It’s one word, but you know it’s gonna take so long.

BANKS: It’s an hour.

NANJIANI: It’s so much work, different levels, screaming…

BANKS: Screaming, jumping, kicking, sighing. There’s so many – crying.

NANJIANI: Yeah, “Just do a scream. Okay, now do a short scream. Now do a really long scream. Okay, now split the difference.”

BANKS: Also, like no context, you know what I mean? We don’t know where we’re going to put it in the movie. You’re like, “But where would this go?” “We’re not sure, we just want you to do it.”

NANJIANI: Yeah, “Is it a happy scream or a scared scream? Angry scream?” “Yes. Do them all.”

Last question for both of you individually — I’m a fan of when you’re directing, do you know if you’re directing anything? I looked on IMDb and I saw some stuff, but I wasn’t sure.

BANKS: I don’t know when I’m directing, when anyone will see my efforts again, but I promise I will direct again. Well, I hope.

NANJIANI: You will. Of course you will.

BANKS: I mean, now that I’m saying it I’m probably jinxing it.

NANJIANI: No, no, no, no.

When the movie is successful, they let you make another.

BANKS: Well, I’m hoping that somebody lets me make another something.

NANJIANI: All your movies have been great.

Kumail Nanjiani Is Living His Dream in ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’
Image via Sony Pictures

Individual question for you — I said at the beginning you have done some really cool stuff in your career, but what does it mean to be in the new Ghostbusters movie?

NANJIANI: It means the most to me because it truly was my first favorite movie. I don’t just remember the first time I saw Ghostbusters, I remember the first time someone told me about Ghostbusters. I watched both of those, one and two, over and over and over and over. I can recite both of those entire movies. I love the cartoon, the animated, the real Ghostbusters. So, for me, it’s truly, truly a dream come true.

Who do you play? What’s the role?

BANKS: Can you say?

NANJIANI: Oh, I don’t know what I can say. I don’t think I could say.

I don’t want to get you in trouble.

NANJIANI: I know. They’re so strict about these things.

Migration is in theaters now.

Get Tickets