Why Mondo Gecko From TMNT: Mutant Mayhem Sounds So Familiar To MCU Fans
If Seth Rogen puts his producing credit to a project, chances are it will have some familiar faces and voices thrown into the mix. This guarantees you'll be doing the Leonardo DiCaprio finger meme in no time. Such is the case regarding the beautiful new take on those heroes in a half shell, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." Leaning away from the ninja element for a change and more into what makes these turtles real teenagers, "Mutant Mayhem" boasts a wild selection of talent, including Ice Cube, Jackie Chan, Post Malone, and even Rogen himself (we knew Bebop sounded familiar).
Among this eclectic cast is someone who manages to become the film's biggest scene-stealer after taking on the part of Mondo Gecko. The wild-eyed, skateboarding oddball who immediately pals up with Michelangelo (Shamon Brown Jr.) drops some brilliant one-liners that stick long after the movie's over, coming as no surprise given who's responsible. As it turns out, the Gecko who believes humans have "gots to geeyoo" and is a master at "slappin' the bayass" is Paul Rudd. It's certainly a change of pace for a guy better known for saving worlds and dimensions as Ant-Man to want to overrun one with mutants. Honestly, is there anything he can't do? Well, when it comes to voicing animated characters, certainly not.
Paul Rudd was a career-obsessed weatherman in Monsters vs. Aliens
In what might be one of the few occasions in Rudd's career where his character was intended to be a total tool, he joined Seth Rogen in the massively overlooked DreamWorks film, "Monsters vs. Aliens." While Rogen was center stage as one-eyed wobbling world saver, B.O.B., Rudd took the mic as Derek Dietl, a career-obsessed weatherman and love interest to the film's leading hero, Susan Murphy aka Ginormica (Reese Witherspoon).
Sharing the characteristics somewhere between Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast" and the husband from "The Bee Movie," Dietl has his world rocked quite literally when his fiancee finds herself growing 50 feet into a destructive giantess. Sadly, it's something that Derek can't get past, and he calls off the wedding — only to try and get back in her good graces when Susan saves the day with her freakish friends. As far as Rudd's vocal work goes, this is certainly one of the smaller roles, but a great one from the star, and one he'd have no trouble managing given his news reporting expertise in "Anchorman."
Paul Rudd was the Dark Lord, Darren in Sausage Party
Continuing his track record of being an unlikable character in animated form, Paul Rudd was one of the many comedy comrades that joined Seth Rogen in the R-rated CGI animated movie, "Sausage Party." The film saw Rogen as a brave sausage blowing a conspiracy among his foody friends wide open, proving all that's beyond the aisles was death made of slicing, dicing, and other heinous injuries.
Rudd played one of the few humans in the film, stepping in as Dark Lord Darren, who was feared among Frank and his friends for disposing of expired produce and any major spillages. Well, what else is a supermarket manager supposed to do? It was a far cry from the likable types Rudd has been associated with over the years. Given that the film ended with him and Douche (Nick Kroll) being blown sky high, the chances of seeing them in the long-anticipated TV sequel series, "Sausage Party: Foodtopia," seem slim. Then again, this film ends with sausages and buns doing the dirty in one of the most graphic love scenes ever put on screen. Literally, anything can happen.
Paul Rudd was the untameable Jericho in Bob's Burgers
If you're going to think up an imaginary friend, giving it Paul Rudd's voice is a winning ingredient. That's the same tactic applied by Tina Belcher (Dan Mintz) in "Bob's Burgers" Season 6, Episode 10 – "The Horse Rider-er," when she's forced to give up the steed that's a figment of her imagination, much to Jericho's disappointment. Fitting right into the odd but awesome world of "Bob's Burgers," Rudd has a great time as Jericho and brings even more laughs when he realizes Tina has to send him back to her cerebral stable so she can go on to ride real horses. Of course, that doesn't pan out, and Tina welcomes Jericho back to run wild and free once more by the end of the episode.
Like so many other cameos that have come and gone in the show, Rudd is a welcome addition and one that comes back for more in "Bob's Burgers: The Movie." Galloping in only for a brief time during another of Tina's daydreams, it's great to hear Rudd as the chipper horse imparting some wise words to the eldest Belcher girl before galloping off into the ether. Ride free, Jericho, you magnificent denim-short-wearing beast.
Paul Rudd got his head in the game as Scott Lang in What If...?
While the MCU's time on television has had its ups and downs, one show that felt unanimously favored was the animated anthology series "What If...?" Diverting from the dimension of the MCU we know and love, the show posited various questions with the fifth episode asking, "What If... Zombies?!" It saw Paul Rudd reprise his role of Ant-Man, with Scott Lang trying to stay as alive as he could be, albeit as a decapitated head in a jar. Them's the breaks, right?
Besides Rudd battling an undead rabble of superheroes, the episode also included Evangeline Lily, Mark Ruffalo, Paul Bettany, Sebastian Stan, and the late Chadwick Boseman. Following its popularity, Marvel later announced that a "Marvel Zombies" show was in the pipeline, aiming for release in 2024. There was no confirmation of whether it would carry on from the "What If...?" episode, but it would seem sensible to reunite the characters that survived and perhaps have another catch-up with that limbless Scott Lang eventually.