Selena Gomez, Kumail Nanjiani booked for 'Voyage of Doctor Dolittle'

March 27 (UPI) -- Robert Downey Jr. announced on social media Tuesday who will be lending their voices to various animated critters in his movie The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle.

"I am most pleased to announce the stellar voice cast joining me on The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle," Downey Jr. wrote in a Facebook post. "Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Kumail Nanjiani, Selena Gomez, Craig Robinson, Carmen Ejogo, Tom Holland, Marion Cotillard, Frances De La Tour and John Cena."

Downey Jr. will play the titular hero who communicates with animals in the Universal Pictures movie, which is inspired by the 1920s children's books by Hugh Lofting. The role was previously played on the big screen by Rex Harrison and Eddie Murphy.

Stephen Gaghan is directing the latest film based on a script he wrote from an earlier draft penned by Tom Shepherd.