MARMADUKE movie gets its voice cast
Yes, 20th Century Fox has made a MARMADUKE movie. Yes, that Marmaduke – the lovable Great Dane star of the titular comic strip. Marmaduke is best explained as “exhibit[ing] many characteristics not typically displayed by dogs.” Thanks, Wikipedia! As someone who has always had dogs that don’t exhibit the typical canine characteristics, Marmaduke has never thrilled me. I have spent my entire life living with dogs the size of polar bears who behave as if they are human beings, and yet Marmaduke does not speak to me.
Marm is part of the Winslow clan, an everyfamily of nuclear proportions. Traditionally, the Winslow family consists of dad Phil, mom Dottie, oldest Barbara (who goes by “Barbie”), and kid brother Billy. As of now, Lee Pace has been cast at Phil and Judy Greer as Debbie (I am assuming this is their renamed Dottie). For the film, it looks like the Winslow kids will be Barbara (Caroline Sunshine), Brian (Finley Jacobsen), and Sarah (Milana and Mandy Haines).
But those clever kids at Coming Soon did some poking around and pulled up a bevy of the voice casting for the film: “Amanda Seyfried voices ‘Mazie,’ Jeremy Piven is ‘Bosco,’ Ron Perlman plays ‘Chupadogra,’ Christopher Mintz-Plasse (aka ‘McLovin’) is ‘Guiseppe,’ while Black Eyed Peas singer Stacy ‘Fergie’ Ferguson is ‘Jezebel.’ Steve Coogan voices ‘Raisin,’ George Lopez is ‘Carlos’ and Damon Wayans Jr. provides the voice for ‘Thunder.’” So, doggone it, who are all these characters? I can confirm that Bosco is a dog, as the project’s IMDb page lists Frank Topol as his owner. That’s the way to sniff it out! I’m also willing to put down money that Chupadogra is a canine, and that Jezebel is some sort of minxy pup (potentially a poodle). I see a love triangle.
The MARMADUKE film will be a mix of live action (the Winslows) and CG-animation (most likely, all the pups), much like other cartoon adaptations, like ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS and GARFIELD. The film, directed by Tom Dey (SHANGHAI NOON, FAILURE TO LAUNCH) has already been shot and is set to be released on June 4, 2010.
The “Marmaduke” comic strip was created by Brad Anderson and Phil Leeming in 1954 and continues to syndicate today. I don’t read it. My dogs, however, do.
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