With Dreamworks Animation mired in making endless sequels and spin-offs to its own movies, it’s nice to see them planning a flick that’s actually based on something different. However it’s not quite original, as EW reports that they’ve announced Mr. Peabody And Sherman, about characters who first appeared in the Rocky & Bulwinkle & Friends cartoons.
Robert Downey Jr. will take lead voice duties, playing genius talking dog, Mr. Peabody. The original cartoons saw Peabody and his pet boy Sherman using The WABAC Machine to travel through time and discover new things about historical figures. Rob Minkoff (The Lion King, The Forbidden Kingdom) will direct from a script by Jeffrey Ventimilia and Joshua Sternin.
Minkoff commented, “Mr. Peabody is this genetic anomaly. He does have brothers and sisters, all of them non-speaking, no super-smart dogs. He’s an outcast, but has overcome it by being so great at so many things.”
As yet the role of Sherman is yet to be cast, with the film due in cinemas in 2014.