New Photos: Disney's Zootopia

These are a little late going up but we've got new characters stills from Disney's Zootopia featuring the voice talents of Ginnifer Godwin and Jason Bateman. Directors Rich Moore (Wreck-It Ralph) and Byron Howard (Tangled) announced their cast of characters that will inhabit the world of Zootopia releasing in theatres next March.

(Photos: Disney)

Up first is Mayor Leodore Lionheart who believes anyone can be anything in Zootopia. Voiced by the formidable J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), let's already agree not to get on his bad side.

 Next up, we have Assistant Mayor Bellwether, the overburdened and overstressed assistant of Mayor Lionhart. This simple sheep is voiced by comedian and actress Jenny Slate (Obvious Child).

 
The Zootopia Police Department is led by Chief Bogo who has to uphold the law in the metropolis and as well as deal with the department's first bunny Judy Hopps. Idris Elba, who's got enough experience with these tough guy roles, voices his first animated character with Zootopia. He's also voicing a character in Disney's Finding Nemo sequel, Finding Dory.

Also part of the Zootopia PD is Officer Benjamin Clawhauser, the receptionist and a cheerful cheetah who enjoys doughnuts a little too much. Clawhauser is voiced by actor Nate Torrence.

 
The aforementioned first bunny on the police force is Judy Hopps who is determined to prove herself (despite her shady partner) on a missing mammal case. Judy is voiced by actress Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon A Time).

Judy's proud parents, Stu, a carrot farmer, and Bonnie Hopps, are delighted to see their daughter join the Zootopia Police Department. Stu and Bonnie are voiced by good friends Don Lake and Bonnie Hunt, who has been a Disney/Pixar favorite.

The story moves forward in Zootopia when Mrs. Otterton shows up at the police station looking for her missing husband. Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help) voices the part of Mrs. Otterton.

When the Zootopia PD only have 48 hours to crack the case of Mr. Otterton, wily fox Nick Wilde is paired with Judy to solve it. Jason Bateman voices Nick, whose loyalties are always known.

The very untrustworthy Duke Weaselton, a smaller level crook, may sound familiar to many of you. The Disney regular (Wreck-It Ralph, Frozen) Alan Tudyk previously played the Duke of Weaselton in the monster hit, Frozen.

The fastest sloth working at the DMV? Surely you're kidding me. Nope, Flash the sloth is the speediest at the Department of Mammal Vehicles. A story artist at Disney, Raymond Persi, voices the character.

Anytime the citizens of Zootopia should need any advice, they should head to the local Zen retreat for some knowledge. Comedian and actor Tommy Chong voices the very enlightened Yak, Yax.

One of the smallest animals in Zootopia, Finnick the fennec fox, is most suspicious of everyone. Actor Tommy Lister who is 6'5" in real life voices the character.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing in the movie?

Trailer Time: Stoker, Life of Pi, Identity Thief, and Pitch Perfect

This upcoming 2013 English film debut by director Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and produced by Ridley Scott and the late Tony Scott has an interesting story. The script written by Wentworth Miller (Prison Break) was on the 2010 Black List of best unproduced screenplays.  Young India's (Mia Wasikowska) father passes away and her mysterious Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) moves in with her and mother Evelyn (Nicole Kidman).  Sound familiar?  Comparisons to Hitchcock's Shadow of a Doubt (one of my favorite Hitchcock films) aside, this looks highly interesting and I can't wait see it.  Going on top of my list of must-see films for next year.

The latest international trailer of Life of Pi promises to be a visual treat.  Based on the best-selling book by Yann Martel and directed by Ang Lee, the new trailer shows us more of Pi (Suraj Sharma) and Richard Parker the tiger and their ardous journey on the high seas.  We also see glimpses of Pi's life in Pondicherry at his family zoo.  The trailer opens with the adult Pi (Irrfan Khan), with a curly mop,  telling Rafe Spall about his incredible story.  Parts of the trailer come very close to how I imagined it when I was reading the story.  Eagerly awaiting this in November.

Also coming in 2013, Identity Theft features two big comedic talents in Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.  Bateman is Sandy Bigelow Patterson whose identity is stole by McCarthy and decides to go to Florida to get it back and teach her lesson.  Little does he know who he's dealing with.  The trailer is bit low on laughs but high on gags.  Directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), the film is due to release this coming February 2013.

So Anna Kendrick can also sing, good to know.  Produced by Elizabeth Banks, Pitch Perfect brings the a cappella college scene to life that features a Glee type competition scenario (but without the annoying Mr. Schue).  The hilarious Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp and Brittany Snow are also part of the cast.  I should resist this film but I always have this absurd urge to watch anything featuring actors singing.  Jason Moore who directed the very funny Avenue Q on Broadway makes his directorial debut with this film that opens this October.  

Casting News Roundups

• It's a big one this time!  In the morning, when I first I read it, I got excited but thought, well, it's just at a rumor stage at this point.  But no, all day long, more and more news outlets were picking up the story and when I finally saw it confirmed through a press release on IMDB and Variety, I was practically giddy.  What is it?  Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat, Ali G) will play Freddy Mercury in the new biopic on his life.  Peter Morgan (The Last King of Scotland, The Queen) is writing the screenplay which will go into production in 2011.  Aww, I want this movie tomorrow.  Great move by Cohen.  Biopics are awards gold for most actors, could we be seeing Sacha Baron Cohen up on the podium for this?  
• They last starred together in The Object of My Affection and it was a big hit.  Hoping to duplicate the success, Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston are a couple in Wanderlust who only want to escape the city life and try something new.  Malin Akerman (Watchmen, 27 Dresses) is the latest to join the cast.
• Yet another movie for Jason Bateman, I'm happy for him but when is the Arrested Development movie being filmed?  For now, no Michael Bluth but we can watch him play a married man who trades bodies with his lazy best friend, Ryan Reynolds in The Change-Up.  Olivia Wilde (Tron Legacy) is the female lead.  ETA: They are now announcing that Leslie Mann (17 Again) is starring opposite Bateman and Reynolds.  What's up with the change? Is Olivia in or not of the movie?  No answers released yet.