The Penguins Strike Back

Ironic. George Miller agreed to direct Justice League: Mortal for Warner Brothers if they bankrolled Mad Max 4: Fury Road. In addition, he and the studio had already agreed to make the Happy Feet sequel. Cut to almost three years later, Justice League became mortal (aka it died), Fury Road is being produced under independent investors with WB distributing and Happy Feet 2 is moving forward.

Say what you will about the first two discussed films, but another dancing penguin movie was guaranteed. Back in November 2006, it held its own against the mega-hit Bond reboot Casino Royale earning just under $200 million stateside and nabbed the “Best Animated Film” Oscar that year. Yes, George Miller is an Academy-Award winning filmmaker. Toddlers across the U.S. were dancing their little feet off. Case in point: my then two year old niece.

Now THR posts that Elijah Wood and Robin Williams are in talks to reprise their respective roles of Mumbles, the dancing penguin lead, and comic-relief Ramon. What else would they have cast Williams as? The sedated penguin? Both actors are expected to travel to Australia at the start of next year to record their voice tracks.

WB has already set a November 8, 2011 release and the motion capture work has been said to have already taken place.