British wit Ricky Gervais, who has appeared in such kid-friendly fare as Night at the Museum and Stardust, will voice the mild-mannered Mole in the latest Wind in the Willows adaptation.
An independently produced feature, Wind in the Willows will be helmed by Ray Griggs (I Want Your Money), who spoke to Variety about Gervais’ involvement: “It’s a natural fit to have an iconic British actor star in an iconic British tale…I had Ricky in mind for this role from the inception of the project.”
The script, penned by Déjà vu scribe Bill Marsilii, follows Mole, Rat, Badger and Toad as they “join forces to save their land from a sinister plot that threatens to destroy the uneasy truce between the peaceful animals of the Willows and what remains of Mankind.”
In this live-action adaptation, the animals in question will be animatronics created by Peter Jackson’s heralded visual effects company, Weta. Pre-production is slated to begin this year, so expect more casting news in short order.
In the meantime, here’s a look at the poster courtesy of Bleeding Cool.
Are you interested in this latest Wind in the Willows adaptation? Who would you like to see fill out the cast?