Steve Carell In Universal's Despicable Me
Chris Meledandri Directs Illumination Entertainment/Universal Film
Nov 13, 2008
Steve Carell is once again hooking up with Illumination Entertainment's Chris Meledandri to work on another 3-D CGI animated film. But this time, it's for Universal Animation Studios.
According to Variety, Carell is set to voice the lead character of Despicable Me, a villain named Groo who plans the ultimate heist: a plot to steal the moon. He's helped by an evil mother (voiced by Julie Andrews) but opposed by 3 orphan girls, who have come under his care and refuse to leave.
Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother), SNL cast member Kristen Wiig, Will Arnett (Monsters vs. Aliens), Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder), controversial comedian Russell Brand, Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords), and Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) have also signed on to voice roles for the flick.
Despicable Me reteams Carell with Meledandri and other members of the Horton Hears a Who crew, including writers Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Meledandri was the executive producer for the hit flick – as well as both Ice Age films and Robots – while he was the head of 20th Century Fox's animation unit. In 2007, Universal lured him to their side of the tracks in order to jump-start their animation division.
Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin will take the director's chair for Despicable Me, as will co-director Sergio Pablos, who conceived the idea for the flick. Meledandri will produce the film, along with Janet Healy and John Cohen.
Universal says it will fully finance the film, although that may change depending on how the markets fluctuate.
Despicable Me Up Against A Lot of Animated Films
Despicable Me faces some ferocious competition when it comes out in 2010. That year will be packed with some impressive animated films, including Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 3, the Mouse House's own Rapunzel, and three films from DreamWorks Animation: How to Train Your Dragon, Shrek Goes Fourth and another animated flick revolving around a villain, Ben Stiller's Master Mind.
The Universal film would do well to avoid the summer months, when Toy Story 3 and Shrek Goes Fourth battle it out for the "Best CGI Franchise" award.
Universal Wants to Be Animation Powerhouse
Universal Pictures, after seeing Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks Animation's box office numbers for the past few years, is pushing hard to get into the CGI animation game. It has The Tale of Despereaux scurrying into theatres on December 19th, with Curious Sullivan and the Sony Playstation game adaptation The Legend of Spyro in 3D coming in 2009.
As for Meledandri, he's also looking to produce a CGI animated adaptation of Dark Horse's Emily the Strange (also due in 2010) as well as the Ricky Gervais project Flanimals (due in 2009).
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