Considering the strike-when-the-iron’s-hot approach most comedy stars have to their careers, attaching themselves to every project in town as soon as they have a big hit (Zach Galifianakis, we’re looking at you), Seth Rogen’s been relatively restrained in his choices. In the three years since “Knocked Up” made him a star, he seems to have prioritized working with interesting talent (Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Greg Mottolla, Michel Gondry, Sarah Polley) over a fast buck. Except, of course, when it comes to his voiceover work.
Since 2007, Rogen has appeared has voiced a staggering seven computer-animated characters, in “Shrek the Third,” “The Spiderwick Chronicles,” “Horton Hears A Who!” “Kung Fu Panda” (and next year’s sequel), “Monsters Vs. Aliens” and Greg Mottola’s upcoming “Paul” and, according to Heat Vision, he’s just signed on for an eighth. Dreamworks have snapped up the actor for the animated feature “Boo U,” which follows a ghost who’s sent back to haunting school; “Beetlejuice” meets “Billy Madison,” if you will. Rogen will play ‘a lead character,’ which we’re assuming is the central ghoul, although it’s slightly unclear.
The film marks Rogen’s fourth picture with Dreamworks Animation, but his first with director Tony Leondis, who was behind the entirely forgettable “Igor” a few years back. It’s unclear when this’ll hit screens (although it will be in 3D, as if it needed to be said), but it’s unlikely to be until 2013, with Dreamworks already lining up “The Croods,” “Madagascar 3” and “The Guardians” in 2012. Rogen meanwhile, will be seen next spring in “The Green Hornet” and the cancer dramedy “Live With It.”
He also seems to have picked up a thing or two from his time in the animation world: when we spoke to his writing partner Evan Goldberg at Comic-Con, he revealed the existence of a top secret CGI animated project called “Sausage Party,” written by Rogen and Goldberg, and also involving Jonah Hill and “Monsters Vs. Aliens” director Conrad Vernon. Read more about that one here.