'Epic' to release in India before US

Hollywood film "Epic", a 3D animated adventure comedy, will hit Indian screens May 17, a week before it opens in the US.

The Fox Star Studios' fantasy movie is based on William Joyce's book "The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs". It has voiceovers by Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari, Pitbull, Steven Tyler and Beyonce Knowles.

After the success of the studio's "Rio", which was also released a week earlier, this is said to be the second foreign animation film ever to release first in India over the international territories, said a statement.

"Epic" tells the story of an ongoing battle between the forces of good, who keep the natural world alive, and the forces of evil, who wish to destroy it.

Chris Wedge of "Ice Age" fame has directed the film.