Steve Carell will take the lead character of Groo in new 3D CG animation Despicable Me, which will mark the first film from producer Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment, a family film unit set up at Universal.
Meledandri was previously head of Fox Animation, and was most recently responsible for Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears A Who! which, of course, starred Carell. Like that film, Despicable Me boasts a cracking cast, with Judd Apatow favourite Jason Segel, Saturday Night Live stalwart Kristen Wiig, the notorious Russell Brand, Flight Of The Conchords' Jermaine Clement, Jack McBrayer (Kenneth from 30 Rock), Arrested Development's Will Arnett and everyone's favourite musical matriarch Julie Andrews all lending their voices.
Carell will play the detestable Groo, who, aided by his evil mother (Andrews), plans to steal the moon from the sky, until a trio of orphans land in his care and threaten to scupper the plot.
The idea for the film was hatched by co-director Sergio Pablos, but Meledandri was attracted to the film because his sons, apparently, always love the evil characters in family films.
The film will be written by Paul and Ken Daurio, who wrote Horton Hears A Who!, while Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud will share directorial duties with Pablos.
Despicable Me is set for release in 2010.