Stars sign up for Igor

With Hollywood's passion for the animated movie undiminished, the Weinstein Company has announced details of its latest project, with an impressive cast lined up for behind-the-mic acting duties.

The company's next animated feature marks a departure from the fluffy animals of films like Over the Hedge or Madagascar, and aims instead to plough the rich Hollywood furrow that is mad science.

Christian Slater (True Romance, Mobsters, Broken Arrow) is set for the title role of Igor, the hunchbacked assistant with aspirations to be recognised as an evil genius in his own right, while John Cleese (Frankenstein, Valiant, A Fish Called Wanda) will play the megalomaniacal Dr Glickenstein, with Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs, Big Fish, Monsters Inc) voicing the genetically altered lab rabbit Scamper.

In a move that subverts conventions of the mad science genre Slater's character becomes increasingly disenchanted with his role as the subservient dogsbody and plans to put bona fide Evil scientist Dr Glickman in his place by winning the Evil Science Fair.

Harvey Weinstein told comingsoon.net: "Christian, Steve and John all have such entertaining voices that will perfectly articulate each character and add to the incredible excitement already surrounding this film."

Titles related to this article

Related/similar articles

• Kline walks the red carpet (30 September 2004)
• Wallace & Gromit make Oscar longlist (18 November 2005)
• Heathers director baffled by Ryder's sequel confirmation (4 July 2009)
• Director Tony Scott answers your questions (15 July 2009)
• Palin turned down move to Hollywood (27 November 2009)