Carrey, Carell partner for Dr. Seuss' "Horton"

By Sheigh Crabtree

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Jim Carrey has been cast as Horton and Steve Carell as the Mayor of Who-Ville in "Horton Hears a Who," a computer-animated feature based on Dr. Seuss' classic 1954 children's book.

Carrey previously inhabited the world of Dr. Seuss as the title character of Universal Pictures' 2000 live-action hit "How The Grinch Stole Christmas." "Horton," in pre-production at 20th Century Fox, marks his first animated project. The film is set for release in March 2008.

Horton is an imaginative elephant who knows that a person's a person, no matter how small. The Mayor of Who-ville, meanwhile, is a distinguished figure of a very small size, too small to be seen by the elephant's eyes.

In the story, Horton hears a cry for help coming from a tiny speck of dust floating through the air. Suspecting there may be life on that speck and despite a surrounding community which thinks he has lost his mind, Horton is determined to help.

Dr. Seuss, a.k.a. Ted Geisel, sold more than 200 million copies of his books, and they have been translated into fifteen languages. His widow, Audrey Geisel, will serve as an executive producer of "Horton Hears a Who."

"Geisel had one of the greatest imaginations of the 20th century, and Jim Carrey's extraordinary talents are a wonderful match to Geisel's vision," said Chris Meledandri, president of Twentieth Century Fox Animation. "Steve Carell will not only be bringing his great comedic abilities to the role of the Mayor but also his uncanny gift of finding the humanity in every character he plays."

Jimmy Hayward and Steve Martino are directing "Horton" from a script adaptation written by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio.

Carell, who won the Golden Globe and was Emmy-nominated for his role in the Emmy-winning sitcom "The Office," starred in the blockbuster film comedy "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," and is currently in theaters with "Little Miss Sunshine."

Fox Animation is also currently in production on "The Simpsons Movie," scheduled for release July 27.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter