Universal Studios announced its voice choices for the new 3D feature, Despicable Me, which is the studio’s first film from billion-dollar animation producer, Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment.  Meledandri has animated such films as the Ice Age franchise, Robots, and Horton Hears a Who! 

Steve Carell (Get Smart, The Office, The 40-Year Old Virgin) will voice the lead character, a villain named Groo who plans to steal the moon with the help of his evil mom, voiced by Julie Andrews (Shrek series, The Princess Diaries series, The Sound of Music). Other members of the cast include:

• Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, How I Met Your Mother);
• Kristen Wiig (Saturday Night Live, Ghost Town);
• Will Arnett (Horton Hears a Who!, Arrested Development, Ratatouille, Blades of Glory);
• Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the upcoming Bedtime Stories);
• Jemaine Clement (The Flight of the Conchords); and
• Jack McBrayer (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, 30 Rock).

Chris Meledandri’s new production company will be Universal Studios key supplier of family and animated films.  Universal has agreed to finance and distribute a number of films from the new company, the first being Despicable Me in 2010.

 —Jessica Delli Santi