Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment are joining forces to turn the Dr. Seuss children’s book, The Lorax, into a 3-D animated feature.

Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax was published in 1971, but has a timely “green” theme. It is narrated by a greedy businessman who, despite warnings from the  tree-loving Lorax, strips the forest of all the Truffula trees to manufacture clothing. The results are catastrophic as all the animals leave and the wilderness is destroyed.

The film will be directed by Chris Renaud (storyboard artist for Ice Age: The Meltdown), Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio (who co-wrote the screen play for Horton Hears a Who).

The picture is already slated for a March 2, 2012, release, which falls on the birthday of Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) who died in 1991.

—Jessica Delli Santi