...but is he playing the lead?

David Walliams is to appear in a Hollywood family blockbuster based on the Marmaduke cartoon strip.

He will play Anton, trainer of the Great Dane who has starred in his own series of newspaper cartoons since 1954.

Walliams said: ‘I am absolutely thrilled. The script is hilarious - I shoot it over the summer.’

The film is not expected to be released until 2012 – but it is being tipped as the next Beethoven, with possibilities of sequels.

Although Walliams has appeared in small roles in several British films, this will mark his Hollywood breakthrough.

Published: 2 Aug 2009