Idris Elba in talks to join new comic book franchise

The movie, which is an adaptation of the comics and graphic novel by David Petersen, has been described as “a sort of Game of Thrones with mice”, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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Mouse Guard is set in a medieval world and centres around an order of mice who are the sworn protectors of their realm, seeing off threats from foxes, eagles and other rodents.

Elba, who has played Asgardian Heimdall in five Marvel films, is in talks to voice Celanawe, a reclusive figure who was once a legendary champion and now lives outside of the mouse dwellings. Serkis will star as a villainous blacksmith named Midnight and Brodie-Sangster will play Lieam, one of the youngest members of the Mouse Guard.

The film will be shot using motion capture technology.

Maze Runner director Wes Ball is helming the project, which is due to go into production in spring.

It’s a busy year for Elba, who is currently starring in Turn Up Charlie on Netflix, and will next be seen as the villain in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw, before appearing in Cats, The Suicide Squad and Three Thousand Years of Longing, to name a few.