Peter Capaldi is set to re-team with Armando Iannucci on the director’s new movie adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic novel “David Copperfield.” Iannucci announced on his Twitter account Tuesday that Capaldi would play the ever-optimistic Mr. Micawber in “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” which is currently in pre-production. It marks Capaldi’s first major live-action role since his swan-song episode of the BBC’s “Doctor Who” aired in December.

Micawber is a key character in the novel. He initially befriends David Copperfield as his landlord, before being sent to debtors’ prison. Later employed as a clerk for the scheming Uriah Heep, he helps Copperfield bring about Heep’s downfall.

Capaldi starred as Malcolm Tucker in Iannucci’s multi-award-winning political sitcom “The Thick of It.” He reprised the role in Iannucci’s feature directorial debut, “In the Loop,” in 2009.

Last year the actor concluded his tenure as the lead in BBC sci-fi series “Doctor Who,” having played the character since 2014. He has recently been seen in Studiocanal’s “Paddington 2” and voices the role of Rabbit in Marc Forster’s upcoming “Christopher Robin” for Disney.

The new “David Copperfield” adaptation, from FilmNation Entertainment, stars Dev Patel in the lead role. Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie, Aneurin Barnard, Ben Whishaw, Morfydd Clark, Anthony Welsh and Rosalind Eleazar were previously announced to have joined the cast in April.

“The Personal History of David Copperfield” is produced by Iannucci and Kevin Loader. Iannucci co-wrote the adaptation with his regular collaborator, Simon Blackwell. It marks Iannucci’s third feature as director after “In the Loop” and last year’s “The Death of Stalin.”