Samuel L Jackson, Jeff Goldblum, Abigail Breslin and Leonard Nimoy have joined the voice cast of Triggerfish Animation Studios and Cinema Management Group’s (CMG) 3D film Zambezia.

Richard E Grant, Jim Cummings, Jennifer Lewis and Jeremy Suarez are also on board the project, billed as South Africa’s first 3D animated feature and currently in production in Cape Town.

The story follows an ambitious young falcon who must rally to defend his sanctuary community on the edge of the Zambezi waterfalls in Africa.

Wayne Thornley is directing from a screenplay by Andrew Cook, Anthony Silverston and Raffaella Delle Donne. Greg Becker and Claire Becker of Wonderful Works serve as executive producers with Mace Neufeld and CMG head Edward Noeltner.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have these amazingly talented actors give life to our colorfully animated bird characters in Zambezia,” said Edward Noeltner, whose CMG is handling international sales. “They certainly add a vibrant emotional richness to the film as well as many laugh out loud moments.”

CMG has sold the film in more than 25 territories and licensed rights in Cannes to Bloomage in South Korea, Praessens in Switzerland, Film House in Israel, Blancica in Venezuela and Pictureworks in India.

Noeltner is also handling sales on Triggerfish Animation Studios’ 3D animated feature Khumba, currently in production in Cape Town.