Director Ang Lee's upcoming adaptation Life of Pi has added new cast members Gérard Depardieu, Irrfan Khan and Adil Hussain, reports Variety.

The actors join the relatively-unknown lead actor Suraj Sharma. Gérard Depardieu will portray a chef while Irrfan Khan will play the adult version of Suraj Sharma's character, Pi. Adil Hussain will appear as Pi's father and Bollywood star Tabu is still in talks for the role of Pi's mother.

The story centers on Pi, who becomes shipwrecked with four animals - a Bengal tiger, a hyena, a zebra and an orangutan - after his parents' boat carrying zoo animals sinks. Ang Lee will direct from a script by David Magee, which was adapted from Yann Martel's 2001 best-selling novel of the same name.

Life of Pi will begin production sometime early next year.