The-Croods-PosterWith a voice cast led by Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, and Ryan Reynolds, DreamWorks’ The Croods is shaping up to be a very prominent animated feature this year.

We saw a great new trailer for the spring blockbuster before the end of last year. And now the studio have released the first TV spot for the film, giving us a great thirty-second look at what we have coming our way in a few months’ time.

And it doesn’t hurt one bit that it’s set to the opening of Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra.

“Surviving in a volcanic world is tough enough, but caveman Grug gets a rude awakening when an earthquake forces him to leave behind the only world he knows. With his family in tow, he ventures out into the volatile world in search of a new home. The situation becomes even more complicated when Grug’s family–but in particular his eldest daughter–become smitten with a nomad they encounter on their dangerous journey. This quirky, imaginative stranger’s search for ‘tomorrow’ is at odds with Grug’s reliance on the traditions of yesterday.”

Joining Cage, Stone, and Reynolds for the voice cast are Catherine Keener, Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman.

Chris Sanders (How to Train Your Dragon, Lilo & Stitch) and Kirk De Micco (Space Chimps) are co-directing the film, with the duo also penning the script together.

It’s very early days yet, but given the studio’s prominence as an animation house, and given the footage we’ve seen so far, I think there’s a good chance that The Croods will be a contender this time next year for Best Animated Feature when the Oscars come around once more.

The Croods will be released in the UK and US on 22nd March. Judging by what we’ve seen so far, it’s going to be a lot of fun. Here’s the first TV spot to prove it.

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