Wes Anderson's first foray into the hand-crafted world of stop-motion, Fantastic Mr. Fox,** **has been chosen to open this year's Times BFI London Film Festival on October 14.
Anderson is thrilled to have secured the festival's prestigious opening berth, taken last year by Frost/Nixon. "Fantastic Mr. Fox is a British film - based on a Roald Dahl book, set in the UK, produced in the UK - and so I'm especially pleased to have been invited to be the opening night movie of this year's festival."
Adapted by Anderson and Noah Baumbach from Roald Dahl's book and boosting a seriously impressive voicecast, **Fantastic Mr. Fox **looks like a strong pick which, along with Coraline, bookends a fine year for stop-motion animation. Judging by the stills released so far - not to mention Anderson's trademark quirkiness - his animation debut will have a look and feel all of its own.
In case it's been a while since you read the Dahl classic, the titular Mr. Fox (voiced by George Clooney) is a sly critter who gives up his chicken-thieving ways to settle down with wife (Meryl Streep) and son (Jason Schwartzman). However, a less-than-fantastic return to poultry-rustling endangers not just his family but the whole animal community, leaving them trapped underground while three farmers with evil intent, Boggis, Bunce and Bean, work out how to dig them out.
The Times BFI London Film Festival runs from October 14-29. For all the latest on the festival click hereto visit the BFI website.**
Fantastic Mr. Fox** is out across the UK on October 26.