James Corden, Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Debicki hop into Australia for Peter Rabbit movie

PETER Rabbit is hopping off the page and into cinemas with an Australian-made movie that will star James Corden, Rose Byrne and Elizabeth Debicki.

James Corden is perfectly cast as the mischievous Peter Rabbit. Picture: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images.

PETER Rabbit is hopping off the page and onto the big screen in an Australian led live-action animation movie project.

James Corden will be the voice of Beatrix Potter’s beloved, mischievous bunny while Rose Byrne will appear on screen as Bea.

Announced overnight, Peter Rabbit is a co-production between Australian studio Animal Logic (The LEGO Movie, Happy Feet) and Sony Pictures Animation (Hotel Transylvania, Sausage Party).

Children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter in a 1908 image.

Rose Byrne will appear in live action as Bea — a character likely based on Peter Rabbit’s creator. Picture: Universal Pictures.

Corden, whose hugely popular Carpool Karaoke segment has made his US late-night talk show a hit, will be joined in the voice cast by Daisy Ridley, best known as Rey from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and rising Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager, The Kettering Incident).

Peter Rabbit has been hopping about the pages of Potter’s books for over 100 years. Picture: Supplied

Will Gluck, who directed Byrne in the 2014 remake of musical Annie, will direct.

The involvement of Gluck, Corden (who also starred in 2014 fairytale musical Into the Woods) and Byrne suggests there could be a musical element to the Peter Rabbit film, but plot details are for now being kept under wraps.

As will rising Australian star of The Kettering Incident, Elizabeth Debicki. Picture: Foxtel.

Everyone’s new favourite Star Wars heroine Daisy Ridley will lend her voice to Peter Rabbit. Picture: Disney.

Production will begin in January in Sydney, with the film due for an April 2018 release.

Potter’s character first appeared in the 1902 book The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

Her children’s tales are said to have sold more than 150 million copies worldwide.

The film is backed by Screen Australia and Screen NSW and, according to a statement released by the production, will employ over 600 people in specialised animators and VFX artists, live action crew and and support staff.

International film production in Australia is said to have injected around $420 million into the economy in 2015.

Animal Logic is also still in production on next year’s animated The LEGO Batman Movie.

Corden with Adele in his popular Carpool Karaoke from The Late Late Show. Picture: Craig Sugden/CBS via Getty Images.

Originally published as James Corden, Rose Byrne, Elizabeth Debicki hop into Australia for Peter Rabbit movie