Dreamworks Animation has rounded up interesting actors to provide voices for their upcoming 3D fantasy film RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, based on an upcoming book series called “The Guardians of Childhood” from writer/illustrator William Joyce (a concept artist on TOY STORY).
Jude Law, Hugh Jackman, Alec Baldwin, Isla Fisher and Chris Pine will lend their vocals to the tale of familiar public domain characters. Guillermo del Toro is exec producing, and Peter Ramsay is co-directing with Joyce.
The synopsis: When an evil spirit called Pitch becomes bent upon taking over the world by inspiring fear in the hearts of kids everywhere, a group of our greatest heroes—Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Jack Frost—band together for the first time, determined to stand in Pitch’s way. More than a collection of storybook subjects, “The Guardians” are also a band of superheroes, who possess their own special powers. Now joined in opposition of a common foe, the Guardians heed the call and combine their powers to defeat Pitch and protect the world from his campaign of fear.
Law will be the villain Pitch, Baldwin as Santa Claus, Fisher as the Tooth Fairy, Jackman as the Easter Bunny and Pine as Jack Frost.
The first book should be released later this year, and the movie is slotted for November 2, 2012. The project, which has been kicking around since the 90s in some form or another, most recently had Leonardo DiCaprio heading up the feature’s voice cast.