Los Angeles-based Highland Film Group has boarded animated feature *Pierre The Pigeon-Hawk* for sales as it emerged that Howie Mandel has joined the voice cast.

The company plans to launch pre-sales around the time that Cannes takes place, either physically or virtually.

Luis Guzmán, Paul Blackthorne, Jamal Trulove, Evan Ross and Ashlee Simpson have also joined the project. Previously announced cast are Nick Cannon, Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Coolidge, and Kenan Thompson.

CAA Media Finance handles US rights to Pierre The Pigeon-Hawk, which the filmmakers said is being produced and directed remotely and is currently in pre-production at India’s Toonz Media Group studio in New Zealand.

John D. Eraklis directs and produces alongside Cannon’s Ncredible Entertainment and Ciaran Crampton and Chase Muratore’s Sugar Water Entertainment, which is providing financing in partnership with Toonz Media Group. Michael Goldman, Trulove and Delbert Whetter serve as executive producers..

The New York-set story musically driven story centres on a forbidden love between a hawk and a pigeon.