NBC’s My Name is Earl star Jason Lee is set to star as David Seville in the CG/live-action hybrid film Alvin and the Chipmunks for Fox 2000 and Fox Animation. The script is written by Jon Vitti. Tim Hill will direct. The film is based on the 1950s cartoon series about chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, who wreak havoc in Seville’s world while often singing in three-part harmony on such tunes as The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) and The Witch Doctor.
According to Daily Variety, filming starts March 28th for a planned Christmas 2008 release. Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and Janice Karman of Bagdasarian Productions are producing; Karen Rosenfelt and Michele Imperato Stabile exec producing.
Hill co-wrote and directed Fox’s Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties and directed Disney’s Max Keeble’s Big Move and Sony’s Muppets from Space. In addition to creating more than 20 shows for Nickelodeon, Hill was the head writer on SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie.
