If you’re a fan of a little cat and mouse, then you’re in luck – new casting has been revealed for the work-in-progress Tom and Jerry movie.
This time, Michael Peña (Ant-Man, Fury) has been revealed as a cast member for the film. He will play the deputy manager of a posh hotel, Terrance, and act as a rival for Chloe Grace Moretz’s (Neighbours 2) character. Moretz, whose role was revealed last month, plays the newcomer employee who impresses upper management with her skills, which has her locking horns with Peña’s ambitious character, who is vying for their attention.
Moretz’s character, Kayla enlists Tom’s skills to get rid of Jerry. But this is a Tom and Jerry movie we’re talking about here (and there are a couple of hours to fill), so things are easier said than done. Expect the comedy hijinks of the cartoons as Tom strives to capture Jerry.
Although the movie was initially imagined as a fully-animated feature in 2015, things changed. In 2018, the movie was announced as a live-action/2D animated hybrid. Tom and Jerry will be directed by Tim Story and starts filming in Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden this Summer.
The franchise has been going strong since 1940, but its movie record leaves a lot to be desired. The 1992 musical film Tom and Jerry: The Movie is the only theatrical release thus far (the rest being Direct-to-Video features) and was poorly received by critics. Roger Ebert noted that the film lacked the slapstick style of the cartoons and that the story took the focus off Tom and Jerry themselves (not to mention the fact they had voices!).
Saying this here’s hoping that Tom and Jerry provides an experience that stays true to the spirit of the original Hanna-Barbera cartoons while providing something new for modern audiences. The movie is scheduled to hit screens on April 21st, 2021.
