Don’t call it Porg-gate yet, but the voices of the divisive cutesy alien critters from Star Wars: Episode VIII— The Last Jedi have been revealed. Apparently, these denizens of the planet Ahch-to will emit screeches that fall somewhere between monkey and seagull. Or do the Porgs sound like seals trying to impersonate those animals?
On Monday, MovieWeb noticed a few Instagram posts circulating the web in which industrious Star Wars fans got their hands on some toy Porgs ahead of the Force Friday release of all the new Last Jedi products on September 1. In one video posted by a user named “toy fiend” the sound emitted by a Porg can be clearly heard, and it might be cute, from a certain point of view.
Whether or not the Porgs sounds were actually created using real animals sounds remains to be seen. But, if they were a blend of the cries of terrestrial animals, there would be a precedent for that. Original Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt used re-modulated bear noises to create Chewbacca’s voice, and whale noises for various other sound effects.
Unsurprisingly, Burtt is still the lead sound designer for the Star Wars films, meaning there’s a very high chance that he created the sound design for the Pogs, too. But can the Porgs speak English, too? It’s rumored that one of the toy Porgs will say “do it! do it!” If true, it’s not totally clear if this reflects exactly how the Porgs will behave in the actual movie.
Cutesy or cuddly creatures have a rocky relationship with Star Wars movies. Some fans still contend that Ewoks ruined Return of the JedI, while others are still furious by the inclusion of the “funny” Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars: Episode I— The Phantom Menace. Right now, the impact the Porgs will have on The Last Jedi is just as mysterious as Rey’s parents. Porg pre-sale numbers are also unclear at this time.
The Last Jedi will hit theaters on December 15.
