Channeling his love for the Ents in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, actor Sean Astin is set to help voice a new animated film that revolves around a couple of gophers, some old trees, and a nasty highway developer. Joining Astin will be Giovanni Ribisi, Ron Perlman and Anjelica Huston in Spirit of the Forest, an eco-fairy tale from Fantastic Films International and Dygra Films.

“Astin and Ribisi play two gopher friends whose home is threatened when an evil businesswoman (Huston) plans to tear down their forest to build a highway. With the help of an old oak tree (Perlman), the animals and their friends fight back with a vengeance.”

Said Astin of his decision to sign up for the part, “In ‘Lord of the Rings,’ my favorite element in the story was the Ents, these massive trees getting cut down that fought for their own survival; in ‘Spirit,’ the trees also come to life. It’s another way of telling a story that needs to continue to be told. Progress comes at a price.”

If Spain-based Dygra’s track record is any indication (two previous animated films have won the Spanish equivalent of an Oscar) than Spirit might be one to watch for. The film will premiere first in Spain this September before showing internationally later in the Fall.

via hollywood reporter