Everyone's favorite 12-year-old criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl, will make his silver screen debut in 2019. He is expected to face off against an acting legend.

Enter Dame Judi Dench

Artemis Fowl is going up against one of the most influential actors of all-time: Dame Judi Dench. Throughout her 60-year career, Dench earned numerous acting awards such as a Tony Award, two Golden Globes, and seven Olivier Awards for her work.

Dench will play the incomparable Commander Root who is the leader of the fairy police force. However, Dench's Root is not the only character that has their eyes on Fowl.

Josh Gad Is Diggums

Dench will reunite with her Murder on the Orient Express co-star Josh Gad. The Frozen voice actor was cast as Mutch Diggums. In the Artemis Fowl franchise, Diggums is a two-faced dwarf who aligns with the fairies but also keeps a close eye on his agenda.

Diggums' passion for stealing can also get the dwarf into trouble, especially with Commander Root's fairy police force.

Artemis And Friends

Joining Dench and Gad in the cast is 12-year-old newcomer Ferdia Shaw who beat 1,000 fellow young actors for the title role.

Lara McDonnell and Nonso Anozie will round out the principal cast. McDonnell is expected to portray Captain Holly Short who will have to do everything in her power to please Commander Root.

Meanwhile, Anozie will portray Butler, Artemis Fowl's loyal servant. Actor-director Kenneth Branagh is expected to direct the live-action fantasy film.

Behind-The-Scenes Drama

The casting announcement for Disney's Artemis Fowl is years in the making. When the film was initially announced in 2013, Artemis Fowl was supposed to be a combined project backed by both the Walt Disney Studios and the Weinstein Company.

Walt Disney Studios removed disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein from the project. Before Branagh was brought on board to direct, Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal were also attached to the project as producers. It is unknown if the duo is still attached to the film.

Disney's Artemis Fowl will be focused on the first two novels in the Artemis Fowl series. Created by author Eion Colfer, the film follows the journey of the 12-year-old criminal mastermind who is passionate about supernatural forces. Fowl's fascination with magic is transformed into obsession once he kidnaps Captain Holly Short and blackmails her into taking him to the fairy world.

Disney's Artemis Fowl is expected to hit theatres worldwide on Aug. 9, 2019.

Tags: Josh Gad Judi Dench 2019 films Artemis Fowl