Bill Nighy is swapping romantic comedies and prestige dramas for prehistoric adventure – joining Hayley Atwell and Maisie Williams in the voice cast of a new animated family film about a young dinosaur stranded 65 million years in the future.
Bill Nighy is swapping romantic comedies and prestige dramas for prehistoric adventure – joining Hayley Atwell and Maisie Williams in the voice cast of a new animated family film about a young dinosaur stranded 65 million years in the future
The British actor, 76, best known for Love Actually and his Oscar-nominated performance in Living, will lend his voice to The Last Dino alongside Hayley, 44, and Maisie, 29.
Directed by Federico Milella, the computer-generated animated feature is due to be presented to international buyers at the American Film Market in November, ahead of a planned theatrical release across several territories in 2027.
The film follows Rex, the son of the King of Dinosaurs, who is unexpectedly transported 65 million years into the future, where his species has become extinct and the rules governing his former world no longer apply.
In his new surroundings, intelligence matters more than physical strength, while his royal status carries little significance.
Determined to return home, Rex joins forces with an unlikely group of companions on a journey that forces him to reconsider his understanding of friendship, family and belonging.
The story follows the young dinosaur as he discovers that the people who support him can become just as important as those he has left behind.
The screenplay has been written by Ben Smith, whose previous credits include the animated family adventure StarDog and TurboCat.
The film is being produced by Luxembourg-based animation company Fabrique d’Images, in collaboration with Belgium’s Freaks Factory, British company Terrible Lizard Productions and Broadvision Perspectives India.
The production has also received support from Film Fund Luxembourg and Wallimage, the regional audiovisual funding organisation in Wallonia, Belgium.
International sales are being handled by Global Constellation, part of Vuelta, which has already secured distribution agreements covering several major markets.
Fabien Westerhoff, of Global Constellation, said: “The Last Dino combines irresistible slapstick comedy with heartfelt storytelling in a hugely entertaining time-travelling adventure for the family. At its core is a universal message about embracing our differences, finding our tribe and discovering where we truly belong. We’re delighted to present the film to buyers at AFM ahead of its international theatrical rollout in 2027.”
For Bill, the project adds another family-oriented production to a career spanning more than five decades across film, television and theatre.
He became internationally recognised for his performance as ageing rock star Billy Mack in Richard Curtis’s 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually, which also featured Hugh Grant, 66, Emma Thompson, 67, and Keira Knightley, 41.
Bill also played Davy Jones in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, while his other notable films include About Time, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and its sequel.
His portrayal of a terminally ill civil servant in the 2022 drama Living earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.
The film, adapted by Kazuo Ishiguro, 71, from Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru, marked another significant dramatic role for the actor.
Hayley, meanwhile, is best known for portraying Peggy Carter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Captain America: The First Avenger.
She subsequently reprised the character in Agent Carter and several Marvel films, establishing Peggy as one of the franchise’s recurring characters.
Hayley has also appeared alongside Tom Cruise, 64, in the Mission: Impossible franchise, playing Grace in Dead Reckoning and The Final Reckoning.
Her work in the action series has brought her to a new audience beyond her appearances in Marvel productions and British period dramas.
Maisie rose to international fame playing Arya Stark in HBO’s fantasy drama Game of Thrones, which ran for eight seasons and became one of television’s most widely discussed series.
Her portrayal of the youngest Stark daughter, who trains as an assassin and becomes central to the battle against the Night King, earned her widespread recognition.
Since the series ended in 2019, Maisie has appeared in projects including The New Mutants and The New Look, the Apple TV+ historical drama about the fashion industry during and after the second world war.