We know charm fountain Bryan Cranston can play menacing. We've seen him do it on Breaking Bad and for a few other roles. He'll be channelling that side in a slightly more family friendly fashion for The One And Only Ivan.
Adapted from Katherine Applegate and illustrator Patricia Castelao's 2011 tome by Mike White, the story follows a silverback gorilla (the titular Ivan, a CG character to be voiced by Sam Rockwell), who lives in a cage at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain, and rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he's seen and about his friends Stella (Angelina Jolie, who is also producing), an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home – and his own art – through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it's up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Cranston will be part of the live-action cast, playing the mean owner of the mall who is cruel to his animal performers. He'll be seen alongside Ariana Greenblatt. Thea Sharrock is directing the movie, which is still awaiting a release date. Next up for Cranston will be Wes Anderson's Isle Of Dogs, due on 30 March.
Keep up to date with all the latest movie news, click here to subscribe to Empire and have the latest issue delivered to your door every month.