Kenneth Branagh is all set to be a nasty, weird little goblin man, Deadline reports, as news breaks that the actor and director is set to voice the title role in A24’s upcoming fantasy comedy Goblin. Written and directed by newcomer David Mikalson, the film will focus on an “anatomically correct” mythological creature, brought to life by practical puppet effects and now, apparently, voiced by the same tones were once lent, with an abundance of classically trained dignity, to Hamlet, Hercule Poirot, and that one cackling, racist bad guy from Wild Wild West.
Branagh joins the film shortly after A24 decided to bet heavy on Mikalson, who’s made his name as a short film creator operating outside the Hollywood system. (He was apparently working in Kentucky on a proof-of-concept short for the film, which picked up attention after his representatives started circulating the script, when A24 decided to say screw it and jump the line by tossing $6 million his way to get the thing made.)
Goblin is being described as a “raunchy” buddy comedy that pairs its title character up with a human companion. (Skyler Gisondo, lately of The Righteous Gemstones and his stint as Superman‘s affable fuckboy take on Jimmy Olsen, is reportedly in talks to play said human foil for Branagh’s character.) The film has been described as “Ted meets E.T.,” which is the sort of mash-up thinking we might generally find repulsive. But the idea of seeing a little green puppet dude crawling around with his tackle out, while being voiced by an Oscar winner (for writing, but still), does carry some degree of perverse appeal. (Also, we’re just a sucker for anything that traffics in practical puppet effects and nasty lil’ dudes, and especially when it comes from someone who’s a general outsider to the usual—and more usually restrained— apparatus of making movies.)
