Things are moving right along with the Clifford the Big Red Dog movie. On Tuesday it was announced that the upcoming movie from Paramount had added Monty Python icon John Cleese to the cast and today, there’s even more casting news. Kenan Thompson, Rosie Perez, and David Alan Grier are all joining the film.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Thompson, Perez and Grier have all signed on for the project, though as was the case with the announcement of Cleese as well as Sienna Guilory and Izaac Wang yesterday, it’s not clear what roles they will be playing.
Directed by Walt Becker, Clifford the Big Red Dog will draw inspiration from the Norman Bridwell books of the same name which follow a giant dog and his owner, Emily Elizabeth. The movie will see Emily (Big Little Lies Darby Camp) struggling to fit in both at home and at school. That all chances when she finds a small red puppy who she believes is destined to become her best friend. What she doesn’t see coming, however, is Clifford’s massive growth spurt, taking the little red pup and turning him into an enormous canine. The sudden change attracts the attention of a genetics company, forcing Emily and her Uncle Casey (Good Omens’ Jack Whitehall) to go on the run with Clifford through New York City.
The film, whose screen play is being penned by writing duos Jay Scherick and David Ronn and Annie Mumolo and Stan Chervin, is set to being shooting in New York next month. Jordan Kerner and Scholastic Entertainment’s Iole Lucchese are producing.
The film is just the latest Clifford offering set to bring the classic character to life for a new audience. Amazon Prime and PBS Kids are also developing a new television series based on the property.
“There is something enduring in Clifford’s gentle, loyal spirit that touches fans even after they become adults,” series executive producer Iole Lucchese, said in a statement last year. “We see it in tributes on social media and in fan art, and of course, in every parent who grew up with Clifford and now shares their love of him with their preschoolers.”
What do you think about the latest casting news for Clifford the Big Red Dog? Let us know in the comments below.
