It’s fast approaching Thanksgiving across the pond, which might explain while the news supply is slowly drying up to a trickle as Hollywood types stop spinning stories about how we should appreciate our families to go and shout at their own over stuffed turkey (or tofurkey) dinners. But given the scheduling of movie ad campaigns. Universal is already looking forward to Easter, with the first poster for live action/animation hybrid Hop arriving online.
The plot, should you be concerned with such things when making a decision whether to see a movie that also features Russell Brand voicing a rock star-wannabe Easter Bunny, finds slacker Fred (James Marsden) accidentally running down the hopping holiday critter while out driving. Feeling guilty, he takes him in and also agrees to shoulder some of the Bunny’s responsibilities. Naturally, they’re mismatched roommates, but it’s not long before both learns a lesson about growing up.
While it feels like we've seen almost the whole film just reading that, we’re cheered by the fact that the producers of Despicable Me are shepherding it to the screen and by the rest of the cast, with Hugh Laurie, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, Big Bang Theory’s Kaley Cuoco and even David Hasselhoff listed. Who can hate the Hoff? So we’re ready to stop wishing myxomatosis on the cutesy main character and embrace the idea, even if it does sound like The Santa Clause set in a different season.
If there is a worry at this point, it’s the presence of Alvin & the Chipmunks director Tim Hill. And even he proved he can make something that the kids like, since the singing rodents hauled in the cash and have generated one sequel already, with another on the way.
Hop leaps into cinemas on April 1 next year.