10 Insane Reasons Actors Didn't Return For Movie Sequels

When it was announced that the long-awaited sequel Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget was finally happening, it was naturally assumed that most of the original voice cast would be returning.

While it wasn't much of a surprise that the wildly problematic Mel Gibson was replaced with the then-controversy-free Zachary Levi, it was more of a shock that Julia Sawalha - who voiced chicken leader Ginger in the first film - had been replaced with Thandiwe Newton.

Following the announcement, Sawalha revealed that she was keen to reprise the role but had been replaced due to her age, with producers feeling that her voice was now "too old" for Ginger. 

Sawalha, who was 51 years old at the time, sardonically stated on social media, "I have officially been plucked, stuffed & roasted," while accusing the production of ageism, given that she wasn't even invited to try out for the part.

It's an especially baffling choice given that Sawalha still sounds great, and moreover, Thandiwe Newton is barely five years younger than Sawalha. 

In reality, would it surprise anyone if Netflix insisted upon a bigger name for the part?