After picking up the rights way back in 2011, DreamWorks Animation is finally moving forward with a feature adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s children’s book series Captain Underpants. An initial voice-cast for the project was announced on Tuesday, with many talented comedians in the line-up.
Popular stand-up comic Kevin Hart and up-and-comer Thomas Middleditch (HBO’s upcoming Silicon Valley) will lend their voices to the lead roles of George and Harold, two fourth graders who hypnotize their mean school principal into becoming a selfless superhero named Captain Underpants. Ed Helms has signed on to voice the Captain, while Nick Kroll (FXX’s The League) will voice the film’s villain, named Professor Poopypants. Finally, Jordan Peele (Comedy Central’s Key & Peele) will voice Melvin Sneedly, one of George and Harold’s classmates.
Monsters vs. Aliens helmer Rob Letterman will direct the film from a script adapted by Nicholas Stoller (The Muppets). “These actors are some of the funniest around today,” said Letterman in a press release. “Letting them loose with these characters is sure to be a hysterical ride.”
Pilkey’s series began in 1997 and consists of ten books, with three more installments planned through 2016. Though immensely popular with its elementary-school audience, the series has also drawn a considerable amount of controversy (the books were among the nation’s most-challenged in 2012) for humor that some censor organizations claim makes it inappropriate for the series’ young target demographic. However, DreamWorks will likely be careful to ensure that the mild scatological humor on display throughout the series never crosses any kind of line that would make securing a G-rating difficult.
No release date has yet been set for the film, which Damon Ross will oversee for DreamWorks.
Have you read any of Pilkey’s Captain Underpants books? If so, what do you think about this voice cast? Let us know in the comments section!