It was recently announced that Columbia Pictures will team with Frederick Warne & Co. for a live-action/CG Peter Rabbit movie based on the books by Beatrix Potter. Now, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Domhnall Gleeeson (Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Revenant) will play Mr. McGregor, the villainous farmer who is constantly trying to cook the rabbits who eat his vegetables. This will be the second English children’s author-related project for Gleeson, who is portraying Winnie-the-Pooh author A. A. Milne in the biopic Goodbye Christopher Robin.
James Corden has been set to voice the lead role of Peter, and Rose Byrne will star in the live-action female lead role of Bea. Daisy Ridley and Elizabeth Debicki have also joined the voice cast.
The Peter Rabbit movie will be directed by Will Gluck and made at Animal Logic, the Australian based animation and visual FX production studio. Animal Logic previously created the animation for the global blockbuster The LEGO Movie. Will Gluck (Olive Bridge Entertainment) and Zareh Nalbandian (Animal Logic Entertainment) are both attached to produce the feature, with Doug Belgrad serving as Executive Producer. The screenplay is by Rob Lieber with revisions by Gluck. Jodi Hildebrand of Olive Bridge and Jason Lust will also serve as executive producers.
With this film, Columbia and Frederick Warne will bring Beatrix Potter’s beloved character Peter Rabbit to a new family audience. Frederick Warne has been Beatrix Potter’s publisher since its publication of “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” in 1902 and is the home of Peter Rabbit and the Beatrix Potter brand. Sony Pictures Entertainment will create and execute a worldwide licensing and merchandising program in connection with the new Peter Rabbit movie, in association with Warne.
Production on Peter Rabbit is due to commence in January 2017, and is due for worldwide release in April 2018.
The film will be made at Animal Logic in Sydney with the support of the Australian Government through Screen Australia and Screen NSW and in collaboration with Sony Pictures Animation. Lauren Abrahams will oversee the project for the studio.
