MANILA, Philippines - In Land of the Lost, Will Ferrel plays Dr. Rick Marshall, a scientist who finds himself in an alternate universe inhabited by fearsome creatures, such as Sleestaks (reptilian animals) and dinosaurs. During his quest to escape from this dangerous world, Rick is accompanied by his research assistant Holly (played by Anna Friel) and a prickly survivalist named Will (Danny McBride). Excerpts from Ferrel’s interview:
What did you think when you first walked onto the Land of the Lost set?
“When I was a kid, Land of the Lost was my favorite show, just because it was — in the landscape of Saturday morning cartoons — it was so unique. It was a live-action show and kids were in it, these creatures, these Sleestaks and dinosaurs. Every week was a different adventure. I couldn’t wait. I loved it so much. So to get a chance to bring that to the big screen was huge.”
Most movies with dinosaurs are adventure dramas. Can you talk about the comedy aspect of this film?
“It’s a movie that has all the action and all the special effects and yet at the same time, a really interesting and kind of different comedy. It’s this combination you haven’t seen before and kind of don’t expect. You don’t know what to expect with each kind of twist and turn. That’s what made it so fun to work on.”
For Will Ferrell fans who like more adult comedy, will this movie satisfy them?
I think so. My fans expect a certain tone, I think it’s going to be satisfying for them.