James Corden says critics who claim Beatrix Potter would not like Peter Rabbit film are 'snobby'

Critics said the rabbit comes across as a bully in the film

James Corden has hit back at critics who suggested Beatrix Potter would dislike the film adaptation of her book The Tales of Peter Rabbit, branding them “snobby”.

Corden, who provides the voice for the much-loved character, said the film is primarily about “acceptance” so could not understand those who viewed it as “anything other than positive”.

His comments come after it was suggested the rabbit comes across as a bit of a “bully” in the film and that the author would not have approved.

It is the first time the character will be featured in a film as creator Potter had previously denied permission for all those who asked for the rights, including Disney.

Now the Potter Estate has given permission for Sony Pictures to make the film, but not everyone feels it has done the book justice.

Speaking at the London premiere of the film, Corden told the Press Association: “Those mixed views I have never have understood, really.

“I sort of felt some reticence about doing it when I got offered it simply because of what it means to so many people in this country and across the world.

“But then when [permission was given by] the Beatrix Potter estate, who have turned down I think maybe over 20 proposals, even Walt Disney at one point wanted to make a Peter Rabbit film and they felt it didn’t capture the essence of the character and this script did.”

Some have said that the film changes the essential character of the rabbit.

Matthew Dennison, who wrote a biography of Beatrix Potter, called Over the Hills and Far Away, said the author would not have approved of the film, telling The Guardian: “Peter Rabbit emerges as a bully, and there really isn’t any evidence for that in the story.”

He added: “[The author] was not exactly possessive, but she had a very clear idea in her head of how the books should be.”

A particular scene which has drawn criticism features Peter and his rabbit pals pelt the nephew of his arch-nemesis Mr McGregor, Tom (Domhnall Gleeson), with blackberries, despite him being allergic to the fruit. The victim starts to have an allergic reaction but stops it with an Epipen.

The movie moment has led to calls to boycott the movie from allergy sufferers who fear it makes light of the condition, which can be life-threatening.

Kids with Food Allergies Foundation wrote on their Facebook page: “Making light of this condition hurts our members because it encourages the public not to take the risk of allergic reactions seriously, and this cavalier attitude may make them act in ways that could put an allergic person in danger.”

Sony Pictures, who are behind the movie said in a statement that it should “not have made light of Mr McGregor being allergic to blackberries”.

But the host of The Late Late Show who voices the character, said: “What I love most about what Will [Gluck, the writer and director] has done and I think the Beatrix Potter estate responded to is there are so many small vignettes across the film that he has taken from all of those books.

“At its core, at its actual core, what the film is about, aside from all the big comic set pieces and the brilliant soundtrack and the animation is wonderful, what the film is actually about is acceptance.

“It’s about going, ‘people will look different to you and sound different to you and be different to you and actually if you accept your differences you will find lots of similarities’.

“What people do is go, ‘I’m going to put up a wall and this is mine and that is yours and you don’t come in here’, and actually what you should do is open your arms and go, ‘well I don’t look like you or understand you but perhaps we can find some common ground’.

“That is what the film is actually about, so anyone who is being what I would consider snobby about such an experience, I can’t find anything that can be anything other than positive in such a message for young children.”

Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, who voices Cotton-Tail, also said she believed Potter would have been pleased with the results.

“I think she would be thrilled, I think it shows all of the character that we know and love in a different sort of setting and there are bits that the original books are animated within and it’s beautiful.”

Peter Rabbit is released in UK cinemas on 16 March.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.