Work is hell, unless it’s providing voices for a fun animated feature, and it was just announced that comedic actors Rob Riggle, Brian Posehn, and Kumail Nanjiani have signed on to star in the stop-motion animated flick Hell & Back. The three funny men join current cast members T.J. Miller and Nick Swardson, both of whom have done animated work in the past — Miller for, among others, How To Train Your Dragon, and Swardson for Disney’s Bolt.
Written and directed by Tom Gianas and Ross Shuman, the story revolves around two guys who must rescue their friend after he’s dragged into hell. Though specific details on the plot are scant, Variety reports that Riggle will voice a 20-year-old who’s easing into adulthood, to the disappointment of his pals Augie and Remy.
The deal is the latest animated role for the former Daily Show correspondent, whose beautiful man voice will soon be heard in Universal’s The Lorax, set to release this March. Posehn, who previously did voice work for the animated TV series Mission Hill, will play an aging metal head stuck in the ‘80s — a fitting role for the real-life hardcore heavy metal fan — while Nanjiani will lend his pipes to an employee of hell named Sal the Devil. I’m a big fan of both Riggle and Posehn, so it’s great to see them working together on a project. Stay tuned for more news on the animated feature, now in pre-production.
Do you think Hell & Back‘s premise sounds funny? Are you looking forward to it?