Photo Flash: First Image, Character Descriptions for DreamWorks THE CROODS

Related: DreamWorks Animation, The Croods

Dreamworks Animation has released a first image from its upcoming film THE CROODS, which follows a prehistoric family trying to adapt to a changing world. The film, written and directed by Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders, will features the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Emma Stone, Nicolas Cage, Catherine Keener, Cloris Leachman and Clark Duke and is set to be released in theaters on March 22nd, 2013. In addition to the first image, EW has provided character descriptions for the animated comedy below!

Grug (voiced by Nicolas Cage): The filmmakers call him the animated caveman version of well-meaning but hopelessly outdated cinematic dads such as Steve Martin in Father of the Bride or Spencer Tracy in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. “Everyone deals with change in their family, and who deals with change more than a father with kids growing up?” says director DeMicco. “Nic Cage has done a great job of making him likeable, while at the same time overprotective, which is not an easy thing to do.”

Eep (voiced by Emma Stone): “Of all The Croods, she was the one who liked the cave they lived in the least,” Sanders says. “The Croods spent much of their time in the dark, and that was Grug’s way of keeping his family safe. When their cave falls down and they’re forced to go on this journey, everyone is a little freaked out — but not Eep.” She’s eager to do some traveling. “For The Croods, anything new is super scary. New is bad. On this journey, every single thing they come across is going to be new. For Grug, it’s a nightmare. For Eep, it’s the greatest thing that ever happened to her.”

Ugga (voiced by Catherine Keener): “She’s probably more open-minded than Grug when it comes to change, but she’s very much his partner in this thing,” Sanders says. “For a mom, she has the world’s hardest job. Keeping this family alive is not easy. Just getting lunch is a life and death situation. This is the universal thing — dads, moms all want to keep their family safe. ‘How much freedom do I let them have? … I wish I could keep them in sight all the time, because then everything will be okay.”

Sandy the baby: Sanders calls her “half Tasmanian devil and half child.” She doesn’t speak; growling is more her thing and Oscar-winning sound designer Randy Thom is building her voice from compiled creature noises. “She’s still ferocious, still bites, and it’s kind of the way that Grug wants his kids to be. She’s a survivor. She might be the one to make it better than any of them.”

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