Mr Fox film to premiere in London

Roald Dahl's book was first published in 1970

This year's London Film Festival will open with the world premiere of The Fantastic Mr Fox, organisers have said.

George Clooney and Meryl Streep - who voice characters in the animated comedy - and director Wes Anderson are expected at the event on 14 October.

The film, shot at studios in London, is due out in the UK on 23 October.

Anderson's new take on the classic story by much-loved children's author Roald Dahl has been made using stop-motion animation.

Fantastic Mr Fox is a British film, based on a Roald Dahl book, set in the UK, produced in the UK Wes Anderson

The technique involves photographing inanimate objects a frame at a time.

The movie, made at the Three Mills Studios, tells the story of the charming and charismatic Mr Fox, who returns to his old ways as a chicken thief, pitting him against evil farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean.

Clooney and Streep provide the voices of Mr and Mrs Fox, with additional voices provided by Bill Murray as Badger, Owen Wilson as Coach Skip, and Willem Dafoe as Rat.

Anderson - who also directed The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited - said: "Fantastic Mr Fox is a British film, based on a Roald Dahl book, set in the UK, produced in the UK, and so I am especially pleased to have been invited to the opening night movie of this year's London Film Festival."

The festival runs from 14 to 29 October with the full programme to be announced on 9 September.