What does Shawn Mendes have in common with a crocodile? Well, he voices one in the upcoming film Lyle, Lyle Crocodile.
The first trailer dropped Wednesday, giving fans their first glimpse of Shawn as Lyle, a beloved scarf-clad croc. The trailer opens with Constance Wu‘s character, Mrs. Primm, discovering a singing Lyle in a bubble bath — and while she’s suspicious of the big, bipedal crocodile, her son Josh, played by Winslow Fegley, isn’t.
“What was really amazing was that Lyle as a character only sings, so I felt really comfortable playing his character,” Shawn tells People of his new movie role. “I was able to do what I do best, plus I relate to his story and his character so much it felt natural.”
“When I was approached to help make the music for the adaptation of such a classic book, it was a no brainer and just such a fun departure from what I am used to,” added the Grammy winner.
“Making music for a film like this with them was such an inspiring process,” Shawn says of working on the film. “The hardest part though is that when you are singing for a film instead of your own album, you really have to ace the nuances of the emotion behind every lyric and every note and match it to how the character will be portraying it on screen. That was a learning experience.”
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, based on the beloved children’s book, centers on Lyle’s friendship with Josh. Although the crocodile cannot talk, he helps Josh come out of his shell and adjust to New York City life. Unfortunately, some people believe Lyle shouldn’t be around people and try to capture him.
The film includes original songs from Shawn and is set to debut in theaters, October 7.
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