``Stuart Little'' Cast Members Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Jonathan Lipnicki, Nathan Lane and Steve Zahn Return to Star in Columbia Pictures' ``Stuart Little 2''.

Entertainment Editors

CULVER CITY, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 15, 2001

Michael J. Fox, Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie, Jonathan Lipnicki, Nathan Lane and Steve Zahn, who starred in the smash hit "Stuart Little," have signed on to star in the Columbia Pictures' family comedy, "Stuart Little 2," the studio announced today.

The film will begin shooting in March under director Rob Minkoff for Columbia Pictures and Red Wagon Entertainment.

A beloved instant classic when it was released in December 1999, "Stuart Little," based on the classic children's book by E. B. White, chronicled the heartwarming adventures of the Littles (Geena Davis, Hugh Laurie and Jonathan Lipnicki), the lovable human family who brings up a mouse, Stuart (voiced by Michael J. Fox), as their own son.

The film charmed its way around the world and proved to be one of the most exciting and unique new franchises at Sony Pictures. Stuart was short in stature but strong at the box office, as the blockbuster earned over $300 million worldwide and a 2000 Oscar(R) nomination for Best Visual Effects. The Stuart Little DVD has been a bestseller since its release in April of last year.

Now, the biggest Little star in Hollywood and original cast members return to the big screen for their second full-length feature film, poised to win hearts once again.

As previously announced, Rob Minkoff ("The Lion King," "Stuart Little") returns to direct "Stuart Little 2," which is being produced by Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher. Jason Clark will executive produce with Minkoff. Bruce Joel Rubin, who wrote the Academy Award(R)-winning screenplay for "Ghost," wrote the screenplay for the sequel. Tony Bancroft (co-director of "Mulan") serves as animation supervisor.

Michael J. Fox, who provides the voice of Stuart Little, most recently starred on the hit ABC series "Spin City" as Deputy Mayor Michael Flaherty and served as the show's executive producer. Fox earned an Emmy, three Golden Globe Awards, two SAG Awards and a People's Choice Award for his performance.

Fox's solid filmography includes the three "Back to the Future" films, as well as "The American President," "The Frighteners," "The Hard Way," "Doc Hollywood," "The Secret of My Success," "Bright Lights Big City," "Light of Day," "Teen Wolf," "Casualties of War," "Life With Mikey," "For Love or Money," "Greedy," "Mars Attacks!" and Woody Allen's "Don't Drink the Water" for ABC.

He will next be seen in "Interstate 60." He also voices the lead role of Milo in this summer's Disney animated feature, "Atlantis: The Lost Empire."

Geena Davis, who plays Mrs. Little, received an Academy Award(R) in 1989 as Best Supporting Actress for her role as offbeat dog trainer Muriel Pritchett in Lawrence Kasdan's "The Accidental Tourist." She was nominated for an Academy Award(R) and a Golden Globe for her performance as Thelma in Ridley Scott's "Thelma and Louise."

She also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress for her role as a political speechwriter in "Speechless," which she co-produced, and as a baseball phenomenon in "A League of Their Own." Making her film debut in "Tootsie," Davis went on to give memorable performances in such films as "The Fly," "Beetlejuice," "Earth Girls Are Easy," "Hero," "Angie" and "The Long Kiss Goodnight."

She currently stars in her own ABC-TV series, "The Geena Davis Show."

British actor Hugh Laurie, who plays Mr. Little, will next be seen playing Vincente Minelli in the ABC-TV Judy Garland biopic "Me & My Shadows." In addition to starring in several hit comedy shows for British television, Laurie has appeared in the films "Peter's Friends," "Sense and Sensibility," "101 Dalmations," "Cousin Bette," "Maybe Baby," "Blackadder Back and Forth" and "That Girl From Rio."

Laurie recently published his first novel, "The Gun Seller," in the United Kingdom and the United States to critical acclaim. He has completed the screenplay of "The Gun Seller," which will be produced by Russell Smith and John Malkovich's company for United Artists.

Jonathan Lipnicki, who plays Stuart's brother, George, made his feature film debut at the age of five in the box office hit "Jerry Maguire." His endearing portrayal of Ray Boyd earned Lipnicki the "1996 Best Child Performance of the Year" award presented by the National Broadcast Film Critics Association. Additionally, his voice was featured in the blockbuster hit "Dr. Dolittle."

Lipnicki was a series regular on the "Jeff Foxworthy Show" and had the starring role in the CBS series "Meego." Most recently, Lipnicki starred in "The Little Vampire," based on the best-selling books by author Angela Sommer-Bodenburg.

Nathan Lane, who lends his vocal talents to Snowbell, the Littles' pet cat who was Stuart's nemesis in the first movie, has been a prominent comedic actor in film, on television and on the Broadway stage for over two decades. In 1996, he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for "A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum." In addition to "Stuart Little," Lane has lent his voice to the highly successful "The Lion King" and its sequel.

He has worked with a number of the industry's finest actors on such films as "The Birdcage," "Mouse Hunt," "Addams Family Values," "Joe Vs. The Volcano," "He Said, She Said," "Ironweed," "Frankie and Johnny," "At First Sight," "Get Bruce," "Love's Labour's Lost," "Isn't She Great" and "Titan A.E." Lane also starred in his own sitcom, "Encore, Encore!," and has guest starred on "Frasier" and "Mad About You."

Steve Zahn, who is the voice of Monte, Snowbell's alleycat buddy, recently starred in the comedy "Saving Silverman" and "Happy, Texas," which premiered at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival and earned Zahn a Grand Jury Special Actor Award for his performance. Zahn will next be seen in "Dr. Dolittle 2," "Squelch" and Penny Marshall's "Riding in Cars with Boys."

Other feature film credits include "Out of Sight," based on Elmore Leonard's best-selling novel, starring George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez; "Hamlet," opposite Ethan Hawke; "Reality Bites"; "You've Got Mail"; "The Object of My Affection," with Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd; the feature adaptation of Eric Bogosian's play "subUrbia"; and "Crimson Tide." Zahn begins shooting Columbia Pictures' "National Security," also starring Martin Lawrence, in March.

"Stuart Little 2" is slated for release in summer 2002.

Columbia Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. SPE is a division of Sony Corp. of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corp.

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