Trivia / Mr. Popper's Penguins

• Adaptation Species Change: Although they were never explicitly identified as such, the illustrations in the original book suggest the penguins in the story are Adélie penguins. In the film though, they are played by gentoos and referred to as such. This quite possibly because gentoo penguins, due to coming from less extreme climates than the closely related Adelies, are much more common in captivity and were thus easier to obtain for the film.
• Awesome, Dear Boy: Jim Carrey states what attracted him to this role more than anything else was the chance to dance with penguins as his hero Dick Van Dyke did in Mary Poppins.
• What Could Have Been: Ben Stiller was originally cast as Mr. Popper. Reportedly, Stiller withdrew from the film after original director Noah Baumbach left. Jack Black and Owen Wilson were considered to replace him, the lead role went to Jim Carrey.

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