McAvoy, Laurie, Nighy for 'Arthur Christmas'

The cast of forthcoming Aardman Animations picture Arthur Christmas has been announced.

James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Ashley Jensen will all lend their voices to the 3D CG-animated film from the Wallace & Gromit studio.

The movie takes place on Christmas Eve night and tells the story of Santa Claus's secret high-tech operation carried out beneath the North Pole that allows him to deliver presents across the world in one evening.

McAvoy will voice the title character Arthur, Santa's well-meaning but accident-prone youngest son - who is the only member of the family still enchanted by the festive holiday - while Laurie will play older brother Steve, who oversees operations with regimented precision.

Broadbent and Staunton will voice Santa and Mrs Santa respectively, and Nighy will play Grandsanta - a 136-year-old who dislikes the modern world and has a rocky relationship with Steve.

Jensen rounds out the cast as Bryony, a lowly elf from the Giftwrap Battalion who is keen to impress with her bow-tying skills.

The Day Today's Peter Baynham and The League of Gentlemen's Sarah Smith have written the script, while Smith is also on board to direct the Sony Pictures Animation-produced picture.

Arthur Christmas is scheduled to be released on November 23, 2011.