Speedy Gonzales, the fastest mouse in all of Mexico, is primed to make a beeline for the silver screen, with Deadline reporting that Warner Bros. has hatched an animated feature film based on the enduring motor-mouth.
A staple of the Saturday morning cartoon roster during the mid-1960s, the charismatic Looney Tunes mouse is now bound for cinema – oversized sombrero and all. Mexican filmmaker and actor Eugenio Derbez will lend his vocal chords to the racing rodent, who was originally brought to life by voice acting legend Mel Blanc during Speedy Gonzales‘ heyday.
No word yet on a director to take the reins, though we understand that Dylan Sellers along with producers Derbez and Ben Odell will help steer the animated feature during development. Drawing attention to the cartoon’s Mexican heritage, here’s what Derbez had to share with Deadline:
“In Mexico we grew up watching Speedy Gonzales. He was like a superhero to us, or maybe more like a revolutionario like Simon Bolivar or Pacho Villa. He watched out for the little people but with a lot of bravado and a weakness for the ladies. I’m really excited to be bringing this character to the big screen. And besides being Mexican— my full name is Eugenio Derbez Gonzalez and I have big ears. The casting couldn’t be better.”
Arriba! Arriba! Andale! Andale! A Speedy Gonzales animated feature is officially in the works at Warner Bros., but do you feel the studio’s decision to resurrect a dormant classic can find success? And perhaps more importantly, will we see Sylvester the Cat star opposite the hyper-active mouse as his arch-nemesis? Time will tell.
