Dreamworks Animation may just have landed its next big franchise. Today the studio announced a star-studded cast for “Rise of the Guardians,” an animated adaptation of William Joyce’s upcoming novel, “The Guardians of Childhood.”
Inspired by characters from children’s fables, “Guardians” turns each of the well known tall tales into a group of heroes with their own special powers. The group is made up of Jack Frost (Chris Pine), North a.k.a. Santa Claus (Alec Baldwin), Bunnymund a.k.a. the Easter Bunny (Hugh Jackman) and Tooth (Isla Fisher). The movie will chronicle their first team up when they join together to stop Pitch a.k.a. The Boogeyman (Jude Law) from destroying the hopes, beliefs and imagination of kids across the globe.
“Guardians” will be directed by Peter Ramesey (“Monsters vs Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space”) and co-directed by William Joyce (producer, “Robots”). The project is being written by Pulitzer-Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire (“Rabbit Hole”) and executive produced by the always busy Guillermo Del Toro as well as Michael Siegel.
These are the first animated roles for Pine and Law, but their co-stars are old hats at this stuff. Baldwin is credited on “Cats & Dogs” and “Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within.” Fisher worked on “Horton Hears a Who!” while Jackman’s resume includes “Happy Feet” and “Flushed Away.”
“Rise of the Guardians” will be released nationwide in 3-D on Nov. 21, 2012.