The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
- Many of the practical effects used in the climax were achieved without any CGI.
- During the filming of The Emperor's New Groove, David Spade improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
- Before David Spade was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
The Emperor's New Groove is a 2000 American animated comedy produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, directed by Mark Dindal. David Spade voices Emperor Kuzco, a spoiled, self-centered Incan emperor who is transformed into a llama by his scheming advisor Yzma, voiced by Eartha Kitt, and must rely on Pacha, a kind-hearted peasant voiced by John Goodman, to guide him back to the palace and restore his human form. The Emperor's New Groove was the product of one of Disney's most troubled productions โ originally conceived as a serious musical epic called Kingdom of the Sun with songs by Sting, the film was completely overhauled midway through production and transformed into a slapstick buddy comedy.
The result was unlike anything Disney had produced โ a fast, irreverent, fourth-wall-adjacent comedy with Looney Tunes energy that bore little resemblance to the Disney Renaissance formula. Eartha Kitt's Yzma and Patrick Warburton's Kronk became two of Disney's most beloved comedic creations. The film earned $169 million worldwide and has developed a devoted cult following.
