Though it could have ended up as one of those movies that Robert Downey Jr. develops in his free time from the Marvel Universe, but never quite gets around to making, The Voyage Of Doctor Dolittle is getting ever closer to setting sail. The likes of Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen, Emma Thompson, Tom Holland (insert obligatory "not that one, the other one" gag here) and Ralph Fiennes are all joining the film.
Stephen Gaghan is directing this one for Universal after re-writing a script that began life with Tom Sheppard. The new film will adapt the work of Hugh Lofting, who created the eccentric doctor who claims he can talk to animals for a series of children's books in the 1920s. The cameras should be rolling later this month in London with Universal eyeing an April 2019 release date.
Banderas, Holland, Thompson and Fiennes are confirmed, at least, with Sheen in talks. Pirate Rassouli (Banderas) will be a major thorn in Dolittle's side, while Sheen is circling the role of sidekick Mudfly. As for the other three, they're all lending their voices to different animals.
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