Justin Long, Dustin Hoffman, and Kevin Kline are lending their voices for the animated film, The Tale of Despereaux for Universal Pictures.

The film is based on the Newberry Medal winning novel by Kate DiCamillo. The Hollywood Reporter says Despereaux is the tale of three misfits, a banished mouse, a rat who likes the light, and a young servant girl with cauliflower ears; their fates are intertwined with a princess. Long will voice Despereaux, the noble mouse with oversized ears; Hoffman will portray the goodhearted rat that thinks it's human and likes the light; and Kline will portray the king's royal cook who is banished.

Mike Johnson is directing The Tale of Despereaux, which has a 2007 release scheduled.