Los Angeles, Nov 6: Hollywood stars Hugh Laurie and Emilia Clarke are set to voice star in “The Amazing Maurice”, the big-screen adaptation of bestselling author, the late Terry Pratchett’s book.
The voice cast for the animated feature also includes the likes of David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton and Hugh Bonneville, reported Variety.
Pratchett’s book, which was published in 2001, is part of his iconic Discworld series.
“The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents” is a take on the popular folk tale about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. It won the Carnegie medal that recognises the best children’s book in the UK.
The story follows a streetwise ginger cat who has the perfect money-making scam. He finds a kid who plays a pipe, and also befriends his very own horde of talking rats. When they reach the stricken town of Bad Blintz, their con game goes awry.
Toby Genkel and Florian Westermann will co-direct the film.
The movie is being produced by Sky, alongside Germany’s Ulysses Filmproduktion and Hamburg-based animation outfit Studio Rakete, and the UK’s Cantilever Media, and Sheffield-based animation company Red Star Animation.
It is being made with the support of the Pratchett estate and is produced in association with Pratchett’s production company Narrativia.
The film will be released by Sky Cinema in the UK in 2022.
Pratchett, who died in 2015, wrote 41 novels as part of the Discworld series. (PTI)