Flanimals on film
Hollywood confims movie version
Ricky Gervais’s Flanimals children’s books are to be made into an animated Hollywood movie.The comic will voice the lead character, the Puddloflaj, a spherical purple creature on a mission to change the world. He said: ‘It will be great to play a short, fat, sweaty loser for a change. A real stretch.’
The script will be written by Matt Selman, who has previously worked on The Simpsons, and be produced by Chris Meledandri, who also produced The Simpsons Movie and Ice Age.
The movie has been a long time coming. Gervais first announced he was poised to make an $80million film of his creations in 2004, and it took until early last year for publishers Faber & Faber to confirm that the rights had been sold.
Meanwhile, Gervais will also lend his voice to SpongeBob SquarePants.
He said: '"I've turned down about 25 films this year because I'm too busy but there are some things that you say yes to without thinking.
Writing on his blog, he added: ‘It's just a little cameo in a ten year anniversary special. I record it this week and do a few little bits and pieces for the documentary, too.’
Published: 29 Apr 2009
