Biel, Johnson Join Planet 51
Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Voice Roles in New Line Animated Movie
New Line Cinema has lined up an all-star cast for its upcoming flick, Planet 51, made by Ilion Animation. The film comes out July 24, 2009.
According to Variety, Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long and Seann William Scott have joined the voice cast for Planet 51, New Line Cinema/Ilion Animation's first foray into 3-D CGI animated movies.
Dwayne Johnson Plays Stranded Astronaut In Planet 51
This flick was formerly called Planet One, back when it was a collaboration between Handmade Films and Ilion. The name of the flick has changed, but the premise and storyline essentially remains the same.
Dwayne (don't call him "The Rock") Johnson will play Charles "Chuck" Baker, a dashing NASA astronaut who lands on a distant planet, complete with green, bug-eyed aliens. However, these aliens live in a picture-perfect 1950's world, complete with backyard barbecues, suburban bungalows, and an all-encompassing paranoia of alien invaders. Baker, and a sympathetic alien teenager named Lem, must find a way to get Baker's spaceship back, escape the authorities, and help him return home.
There's as yet no word on Biel, Long and Scott's roles in this flick. It's likely that Long, who has been riding high with the Mac vs. PC commercials for Apple, and last summer's Live Free or Die Hard, will get the plum role of Lem. Biel will probably be a green-skinned love interest for Lem, and Scott will be the hapless comic relief.
Joe Stillman (Shrek, Shrek 2) penned the script and the Madrid-based Ilion is doing the animation grunt work. Jorge Blanco (co-creator of the video game series Commandos) is directing Planet 51, with assistance from Javier Abad and Marcos Martinez.
New Line Cinema Will Distribute Planet 51
Handmade Films (which was founded by former Beatles guitarist and Monty Python fan George Harrison) is still on board, but they've added New Line's promotional muscle. According to Handmade's Guy Collins, getting New Line was essential if they wanted the lucrative North American market.
“New Line is one of the most successful marketing forces in the business and the perfect partner to board this blockbusting animation,” said Collins in the film's press release. “With (New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO Bob Shaye's) team on board we are looking to see Planet 51 as one of the top box office successes of 2009, combining massive merchandising potential with its unique concept to a global market.”
“We have made an enormous effort to create this truly amazing world of Planet 51 that will put Ilion Studios at the forefront of computer-generated animation," added Ignacio Perez Dolset, producer and CEO of Ilion Animation Studios. "We are thrilled to be partnering with New Line, and with their talent and expertise are sure that Planet 51 will be a phenomenal success and a unique animation experience for cinema-goers world-wide."
Whether Planet 51 becomes a blockbuster remains to be seen, but the film's producers are venturing into treacherous territory with their A-list cast. Justin Long earned his voice acting stripes playing Alvin in the surprise hit Alvin and the Chipmunks, and Johnson has proven he's a better actor than the films he appears in.
However, Jessica Biel's better known for her physical assets than her vocal talent; will her fans pay to see her disembodied voice? Scott's resume features such unfortunate flicks like Dude, Where's My Car? and The Dukes of Hazzard.
High-priced talent can help put an animated film over the top (Toy Story, Shrek the Third), or their massive salaries can help drive a flick into the hole (Sinbad and the Legend of the Seven Seas, The Ant Bully, Bee Movie).
Ilion hopes to be done Planet 51 by March of 2009, and New Line has scheduled the flick for a July 24th theatrical release.
Fun Fact: Dwayne Johnson recently finished work on the live-action TV show revival of Get Smart, opposite Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.
