Following the trend of classic books and cartoons finding their way to the big screen, everyone’s favorite pic-a-nic basket stealing bear is making his way from the animated forest of Jellystone to a theater near you.
Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to Hanna-Barbera’s Yogi Bear, and will be turning the cartoon into a feature film that combines live-action and CG.
Currently in talks to be part of the film are Anna Faris, Dan Aykroyd, and Justin Timberlake.
Faris will play the role of a filmmaker making a nature documentary who roams through Jellystone park to catch the antics of Yogi, and Timberlake could likely be the voice behind Boo Boo, Yogi’s faithful sidekick.
Aykroyd will be providing the voice of Jellystone’s main attraction, Yogi Bear himself.
This is not the first voice-over role for either Aykroyd or Timberlake. Aykroyd was the voice of Chip in 1998’s Antz and Timberlake lent his voice to Artie in 2007’s Shrek the Third.
Warner Bros. hopes to move forward with Yogi in December. Filming is to take place in New Zealand, with Eric Brevig directing and Donald De Line producing.
