Zachary Levi (star of NBC's action comedy series Chuck) has signed on to star opposite the computer-generated singing rodents of Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakuel.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Betty Thomas is directing the follow-up to Fox 2000 and Regency's 2007 hit Alvin and the Chipmunks, which grossed $217 million in North America.

Levi will play the cousin of Jason Lee's character and gets tangled up with the tiny animated threesome. Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler and Jesse McCartney again will provide the chipmunks' voices.

Also new to the franchise will be the Chipmunks' rivals, the Chipettes -- Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor -- who were introduced in the 1980s animated TV series.

No production date has been set.