Steve Buscemi, Anika Noni Rose join 3D Khumba

Additionally, Anika Noni Rose, the voice of "Princess Tiana" in Disney's USD250 million dollar-grossing film The Princess and the Frog, joins the team as Lungisa, Khumba's mother and wife to Fishburne's character, Seko. Rose, a Tony Award winner, is also known for her starring work in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls, the HBO series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and numerous other film and television projects.

Golden Globe and SAG Award-winner Buscemi plays the colourful vagabond character "Skalk" in Khumba and holds the lead in HBO's series Boardwalk Empire. His work on Boardwalk Empire has also earned him two Emmy nominations. Buscemi has appeared in numerous films, including Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs and Trees Lounge, which marked his full-length feature film directorial debut. He has provided the voices for characters in many animated features including Pixar's Monsters, Inc., Paramount Pictures' Charlotte's Web as the voice of "Templeton" the rat, Sony Pictures' Oscar-nominated animated film Monster House, and Columbia Pictures' Hotel Transylvania as the voice of "Wayne". Buscemi will next be heard reprising his role as the voice of Randall Boggs in Pixar's Monsters University the sequel to Monsters, Inc. Buscemi and Rose's deals were brokered by WME and Ned Lott on behalf of Triggerfish Animation.

In search of the magic waterhole

Khumba tells the story of a half-striped Zebra (Austin) who is blamed for a severe drought by his superstitious herd. He leaves his home in search of the magic waterhole where legend has it the first Zebras got their stripes. Teaming up with an overprotective, sassy wildebeest (Devine) and a self-obsessed ostrich (Grant), this plucky young zebra meets an array of wacky characters in an unforgettable adventure through the Great Karoo to earn his stripes.

The original story was penned by Triggerfish writers Raffaella Delle Donne and Anthony Silverston in consultation with Jonathan Roberts, co-writer of The Lion King. Silverston is also the director. Stuart Forrest of Triggerfish Animation Studios (Zambezia) produced the feature. The film is represented internationally by Edward Noeltner's Cinema Management Group.