Piven Plays A Mad Scientist

Jeremy Piven is not family friend, so what's he doing in a new CG-animated comedy? Playing a mad scientist of course.

The movie is Igor, the story of the famous lab assistant. In this version, he has dreams of striking out on his own to become a scientist and win first prize at the Evil Science Fair. Will he also have to attend Evil medical school?

The Hollywood Reporter says both Piven and Molly Shannon have been hired to provide voices for the movie. Jeremy Piven will voice Igor's nemesis Dr. Schadenfreude while Shannon plays a giant indestructible monster invented by Igor. Her name is Eva.

They join a cast already composed of Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, and Christian Slater.

Igor is the latest computer animated acquisition for The Weinstein Company. Earlier this year they released low-budget computer animated affairs like Hoodwinked, and earned enough money off them to justify a lot more. It's being made by the Exodus Film Group, directed by Anthony Leonidis from a screenplay by "American Dad" writer Chris McKenna.

Josh Tyler