James McAvoy, John Boyega, Olivia Colman, Nicholas Hoult and Gemma Arterton are among the actors who’ll be voicing the BBC’s animated miniseries of Watership Down.

The four part series is based on Richard Adams’s novel and will be broadcast in the UK on BBC One probably next year and released on Netflix internationally.

Set in the idyllic rural landscape of southern England, the tale follows a band of rabbits on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, toward a promised land and a more perfect society.

James McAvoy will lead the cast as Hazel with s X-Men co-star Nicholas Hoult as Fiver.

Ben Kingsley is voicing General Woundwort, John Boyega will be Bigwig, Gemma Arterton is Clover, Miles Jupp plays Blackberry, Freddie Fox is Captain Holly, Olivia Colman is Strawberry, and Anne-Marie Duff will voice Hyzenthlay.

Can anything better the original animation, voiced by Richard Briers?