▁that ▁the ▁film ▁would ▁be ▁un related ▁to ▁the ▁TV ▁series ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name , ▁but ▁added ▁that ▁that ▁could ▁always ▁change . ▁In ▁early ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁ 2 0 th ▁Century ▁Fox , ▁the ▁studio ' s ▁new ▁distrib utor , ▁and ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ▁announced ▁a ▁release ▁date ▁of ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁and ▁a ▁new ▁pair ▁of ▁writers , ▁Michael ▁Col ton ▁and ▁John ▁Ab oud . ▁Bened ict ▁C umber batch ▁and ▁John ▁M alk ov ich ▁joined ▁the ▁cast ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁M alk ov ich , ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁offered ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Dr . ▁Oct av ius ▁Br ine ▁three ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years ▁before ▁the ▁film ' s ▁release , ▁told ▁an ▁audience ▁at ▁the ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁Com ic - Con ▁that ▁he ▁thought ▁that ▁it ▁" was ▁a ▁fun ny ▁idea " ▁to ▁use ▁his ▁voice ▁for ▁an ▁oct opus . ▁ ▁Release ▁On ▁May ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁film ' s ▁release ▁date ▁was ▁moved ▁back ▁to ▁November ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁from ▁its ▁initial ▁March ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁date , ▁switching ▁places ▁with ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ' s ▁other ▁film ▁Home . ▁Jeff rey ▁Kat zen berg , ▁Dream Work s ▁An imation ' s ▁CE