History Trivia / TheLorax

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Some storyboards feature ConceptArt of an early version of the Once-ler (see [[https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2006-10/31/7351041-10-1.jpg&width=640&height=480&autosizefit=1 here]], [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/17232zz.JPG early here]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/6044zz.JPG here]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/12422zz.JPG here]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/12424zz.JPG here]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/6046zz.JPG and here]]) which was almost completely covered by clothing, except his eyes. One version depicted him as a strange, humanoid yellow creature with pink hair.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[https://images2.bonhams.com/image?src=Images/live/2006-10/31/7351041-10-1.jpg&width=640&height=480&autosizefit=1 Some]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/17232zz.JPG early storyboards]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/6044zz.JPG feature]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/12422zz.JPG concept art]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/12424zz.JPG of an]] [[http://www.thegremlin.com/Website%20Images/ZZ/6046zz.JPG early version of the Once-ler]], which was almost completely covered by clothing, except his eyes. One version depicted him as a strange, humanoid yellow creature with pink hair.

!!Book and TV special
* TalkingToHimself: Both the Once-ler and the Lorax are voiced by Bob Holt.

!!Movie
* AccidentallyCorrectWriting: In the film, the main villain is charging people for clean air mainly because of their overly polluted air and smog. In recent years, an "oxygen bar" in Delhi gives Indians a gulp of fresh air, and even later than that, China began selling bottled air as well. Low air quality has given a business opportunity to entrepreneurs offering pollution-free oxygen at a price.
* BillingDisplacement: The film's opening credits start with the three characters from the book in order of importance (Danny [=DeVito=] as the Lorax, Ed Helms as Once-Ler, and Zac Efron as Ted) and the rest following. [[NeverTrustATrailer The trailer on the other hand]] plays up Zac Efron and Taylor Swift, Ed Helms, and gives Danny [=DeVito=] an "AndStarring".
* CutSong: There are a few on the soundtrack, as well as some alternate versions of "Thneedville" and "Everybody Needs a Thneed".
* ExecutiveMeddling: According to WordOfGod, this is the reason that "Biggering" never got animated in the movie, likely because they thought that it would be too dark for the audience and cause the movie to sell less. Other elements like Ted's motivation and the "buddy picture" feel were also imposed against the producers' will.
* IronyAsSheIsCast: Despite Ted and Audrey being voiced by Creator/ZacEfron and Music/TaylorSwift respectively, their characters never sing a note. To make it even more ironic, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itYh7v6VrS8#t=2m12s demo version of Thneedville actually had a verse that Ted would sing, which was later cut out of the finished version]].
* MultipleLanguagesSameVoiceActor: Creator/DannyDeVito voiced the titular character not only in English, but also in Italian, German, Spanish (both Latin American and European), and Russian.
* TheOtherDarrin: In the Italian dub, Creator/DannyDeVito replaces his regular voice actor Giorgio Lopez as the Lorax.
* TheOtherMarty: In the Latin American Spanish dub, Jesse Conde was cast as the Lorax, and he even recorded the dialogue in advance. However, Creator/DannyDeVito, the Lorax's English voice, was eventually cast to dub over Conde's lines before the release.
* RealLifeRelative: In the Latin American Spanish dub, Creator/ArturoMercado voices the Once-ler, while his son Creator/ArturoMercadoJr plays the younger version of the Once-ler.
* SameVoiceTheirEntireLife: The Once-ler's younger and older selves are both played by Creator/EdHelms.
* StuntCasting: Taylor Swift voicing Audrey, a character who wasn't even in the source material.
* ThrowItIn: According to the DVDCommentary, Creator/DannyDeVito ad-libbed the "That's a woman?" line when the Lorax meets [[LadyLooksLikeADude Aunt Grizelda]].
* TwoVoicesOneCharacter: In quite a few foreign release (including Latin Spanish), the Once-ler's younger and older selves are played by two separate actors.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** There was originally a different song that served as Once-ler's villain song titled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpgUQYARIsw Biggering]]" instead of "How Bad Can I Be". It wouldn't have been out of place in a rock opera, and was a fair amount darker and less goofy than the final product, showing that greed and pride were the reasons Once-ler went as far as he did. It was scrapped reportedly because Illumination found it too dark for the film.
** The Once-ler was once going to be a non-human character. Designs ranged from [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/06/looking-for-once-ler-early-sketches.html?m=0 things looking out of]] ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' to versions resembling [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/07/looking-for-once-ler-early-sketches.html?m=0 pre-existing Seuss characters]] like the Grinch or the guy who didn't like ''Literature/GreenEggsAndHam''. It was later decided he would be a human, so the audience can be closer and relate to him (which, ironically, was already damaged by giving him a face at all).
** Ted's motivation was originally getting something called a "Whosit", rather than wanting to impress Audrey (who apparently didn't exist at that point).
** According to a demo of "Thneedville", the big blue sky painting originally didn't exist; the citizens were exposed to the smog-covered sky and aware of it. Also, there was a hill named after the city's founder (presumably the Once-ler), which was the only place that always stayed the same, but was soon going to become a pizza chain.
** [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/06/ohare-and-air-factory-early-sketches.html?m=1 O'Hare]] was originally named "Oxy" ([[MeaningfulName as in "oxygen"]]) and underwent several designs. [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/06/looking-for-ted.html?m=1 Ted]] also had several versions, some of which weren't as close to his book version. He also was seen with many strange accessories (such as giant gloves and unicycle/self-walking chairs, probably the "Whosits" mentioned above).
** Concept art and cut songs from the soundtrack imply early versions of the film where completely different and more darker and more somber, ''Biggering'' in particular.
* WordOfGod: On the DVD and Blu-ray commentary, it is mentioned that after "How Bad Can I Be?", 5 years have passed.

* UnderminedByReality: The numerous corporate tie-ins, many of which made no effort to be ecologically friendly. The Mazda tie-in is probably the worst offender, as even though Mazda claimed to be ecologically friendly, it turned out that their cars actually scored worse than their competitors when it came to emissions. Just to drive home the hypocrisy this was actually a thing the villain does in the movie itself!
-->'''[[Radio/WaitDontTellMe Peter Sagal]]''': I am the Lorax. I speak for a fee!

* ImageSource: For TookALevelInJerkass.

* AccidentallyCorrectWriting: In the film, the main villain is charging people for clean air mainly because of their overly polluted air and smog, In recent years, an "oxygen bar" in Delhi gives Indians a gulp of fresh air, and even later than that, China began selling bottled air as well. Low air quality has given a business opportunity to entrepreneurs offering pollution-free oxygen at a price.

* FanNickname: Post FaceHeelTurn Once-ler is often referred to as "Greed-ler", though mostly when he's shipped with someone.

* ExecutiveMeddling: This is generally agreed to be the reason that "Biggering" never got animated in the movie, likely because they thought that it would be too dark for the audience and cause the movie to sell less.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Despite Ted and Audrey being voiced by Zac Efron and Taylor Swift respectively, their characters never sing a note. To make it even more ironic, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itYh7v6VrS8#t=2m12s demo version of Thneedville actually had a verse that Ted would sing, which was later cut out of the finished version]].

* PlayingGertrude: Creator/JennySlate, who voices Ted's mother, is actually only ''5'' years older than Creator/ZacEfron.

* ThrowItIn: According to the DVD commentary, Danny [=DeVito=] ad-libbed the "That's a woman?" line when the Lorax meets [[LadyLooksLikeADude Aunt Grizelda]].
* UnderminedByReality: The film's numerous corporate tie-ins screw up the message quite spectacularly. The Lorax speaks for the trees, and Mazda!

** In the Latin American Spanish dub, Memo Aponte Mille was considered to voice Ted before actor and singer Alfonso Herrera was eventually selected.

* ExecutiveMeddling: This is generally agreed to be the reason that "Biggering" never got animated in the movie, likely because they thought that it would be too dark for the audience and cause the movie to sell less. A song criticizing humans for being greedy bastards was removed by a few greedy bastards... ironic.

* RealLifeRelative: In the Latin American Spanish dub, Arturo Mercado voices the Once-ler, while his son Arturo Mercado Jr. plays the younger version of the Once-ler.

* IronyAsSheIsCast: Despite Ted and Audrey being voiced by Zac Efron and Taylor Swift respectively, their characters never sing a note.
** To make it even more ironic, the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itYh7v6VrS8#t=2m12s demo version of Thneedville actually had a verse that Ted would sing, which was later cut out of the finished version]].

** There was originally a different song that served as Once-ler's villain song titled "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpgUQYARIsw Biggening]]" instead of "How Bad Can I Be". It wouldn't have been out of place in a rock opera, and was a fair amount darker and less goofy than the final product, showing that greed and pride were the reasons Once-ler went as far as he did. It was scrapped reportedly because Illumination found it too dark for the film.
** The Once-ler was once going to be a non-human character. Designs ranged from [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/06/looking-for-once-ler-early-sketches.html?m=0 things looking out of]] ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' to versions resembling [[http://ericguillon.blogspot.com/2016/07/looking-for-once-ler-early-sketches.html?m=0 pre-existing Seuss characters]] like the Grinch or the guy who didn't like ''Literature/GreenEggsAndHam''. It was later decided he would be a human, so the audience can be closer and relate to him, which was already damaged by giving him a face.

** There was originally a different [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpgUQYARIsw song that served as Once-ler's villain song]] instead of How Bad Can I Be. It wouldn't have been out of place in a rock opera, and was a fair amount darker and less goofy than the final product, showing that greed and pride were the reasons Once-ler went as far as he did.