The Gerbil Jerks are minor characters featured in the 2016 Disney animated feature film Zootopia.
Background[]
Development[]
Originally in an early version of Zootopia, the gerbil jerks were going to be minor antagonists in the film where they were portrayed as obstacles taunting Nick Wilde running over his tail with their car where they were to use his tame collar to shock him, giving Nick an obstacle throughout the film. However, their roles were cut when the script was reworked with Judy Hopps as the main protagonist in the final version of the film instead of Nick. Although their roles were cut in the final version of the film, they somehow made a cameo in one scene in the final version of the film albeit with a background role.
Appearances[]
Zootopia[]
Although the gerbil jerks' roles were cut in the final version of the film, they do make a cameo appearance in the beginning of the film. In the final version of the film, they can be briefly amongst the many passengers walking by during the part where Judy Hopps exits the Zootopia Central Station. Unlike in the early drafts in the film, they were not portrayed as troublemaking antagonists who serve as obstacles to either Judy Hopps or Nick Wilde in any scene where they appear. Their designs used in the final version of the film are based on their designs seen in concept art.
Additionally, in the teaser trailer for Zootopia, two of the gerbils identical to the gerbil jerks can be seen amongst the many incidental mammals walking past by Nick Wilde throughout the film's teaser.
Zootopia+[]
In the episode "So You Think You Can Prance", the models for the Gerbil Jerks were recycled for two unnamed Gerbil Hosts, despite having their roles limited to cameos in the final version of the original film. In the episode, they serve as audition announcers during the audition sequence. Like in the original Zootopia movie, these gerbils were not given intentional antagonistic roles, unlike from what was seen in the early draft of the original Zootopia film.
In the English closed captions for the episode, the Gerbil Hosts were identified as "Gerbil Jerks", treating them as if they were characters who were supposed to appear in the original Zootopia movie who somehow appeared in Zootopia+, which might imply that the Gerbil Hosts use the same models as the former.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The gerbils' designs were later recycled for the Lemmings in the final version of the film.
External links[]
