It sounds like George of Brad Peyton and Dwayne Johnson's RAMPAGE isn't the only gorilla making plans of heading to the big screen, as it's just been announced that Sam Rockwell is joining the cast of THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, a live-action/CG hybrid which centers on a silverback gorilla who lives in a mall.
Having just been nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar thanks to his powerful role in THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI, Rockwell will star as the voice of Ivan the gorilla alongside Angelina Jolie in the Disney film based on the Newbery Medal-winning HarperCollins-published book of the same name written by Katherine Applegate.
With a script written by SCHOOL OF ROCK and NACHO LIBRE scribe Mike White, THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN will tell the tale of a silverback gorilla named Ivan who lives in a cage in a shopping mall along with an elephant named Stella (Jolie) and a stray dog called Bob. Ivan does not remember life before the mall, but when a baby elephant named Ruby enters and Ivan finds himself taking care of her, he begins to rediscover his previous life and concocts a plan to take the baby elephant away from their abusive owner.
Brooklynn Prince, who starred in the indie drama THE FLORIDA PROJECT will lend her vocals to the Ruby character while Ariana Greenblatt, of the Disney Channel’s Stuck in the Middle, will round out the live-action members of the cast.
Hot off the heels of winning awards at the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG Award events (as well as several others), Rockwell recently concluded his role as President George W. Bush in Adam McKay's untitled biopic of former vice president Dick Cheney where he stars opposite Christian Bale.
Be sure to bring a box of tissues to THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, folks. I've got a feeling that THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN isn't going to fool around when doling out emotions as Ivan uncovers his forgotten, maternal past.