Eugenio Derbez is set to bring Speedy Gonzales to the silver screen.
The 54-year-old Mexican star will voice the legendary animated mouse, which was created by Warner Brothers in 1953 and made famous in their Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons, in a movie adaptation currently under development with the film studios.
Eugenio is delighted to be cast as the "superhero" mouse and thinks he is the perfect man for the job because he was such a huge fan of the character growing up and even joked they share the same "big ears".
Speaking about playing the character known as ‘The Fastest Mouse in all Mexico’, he told Deadline: "In Mexico we grew up watching Speedy Gonzales. He was like a superhero to us… 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."
Speedy was voiced by the late Mel Blanc from 1953 until his death in 1989. The voice actor was also behind a number of Warner Bros. biggest characters including Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Daffy Duck, and even Speedy’s original partner-in-crime in the earlier version of the cartoons, Sylvester the Cat.
Dylan Sellers will produce the title – which has been given the provisional name of ‘Speedy’ – through his Rivers Edge Films and Derbez and Ben Odell through their 3pas Studios.
The little mouse who dons his yellow sombrero is set to be a heroic figure in the movie, much like the historical figure and English outlaw Robin Hood, whose story has been retold in cinema and cartoon format and who is famed for stealing from the rich to give to the poor.
Sellers revealed: "We see this as an origin story of the great master, like a Robin Hood character, who ultimately ends up taking from the rich and giving to the poor… the world needs Speedy more than ever."
Eugenio Derbez to voice Speedy Gonzales in new movie
