EXCLUSIVE: Kate Beckinsale has boarded the Terry Jones-directed comedy Absolutely Anything which is prepping for a March 24 shoot start in London. She’ll star opposite Simon Pegg and joins a cast that includes Robin Williams, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley, and the Monty Python gang. Pegg plays a disillusioned school teacher who suddenly finds he has the ability to do anything he wishes, a challenge bestowed upon him by a group of power-crazed aliens watching from space. The aliens are voiced by Jones and his Python co-horts John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle and Michael Palin. Struggling with the new-found powers, he calls upon his loyal canine companion Dennis (voiced by Williams) to help him along the way. Mishap after mishap finally leads him to an ultimate conundrum: Should he choose the girl (Beckinsale) or the dog?

The film is produced by Ben Timlett and Bill Jones at Bill & Ben Productions. Timlett says, “We are over the moon to welcome Kate Beckinsale to our brilliant cast. She’s perfect in the role of Catherine and joins some of the best names in comedy. Terry Jones and Gavin Scotts’ script is laugh out loud and we look forward to bringing it to a worldwide audience.” Mike Medavoy is exec producing with Chris Chesser. Jim Acheson (Man Of Steel, Spider-Man) is on board to design costumes and sets, as well as the aliens. This is the latest re-team for the Python troupe in what should prove to be a busy year. Idle, Cleese, Gilliam, Palin and Jones are also prepping a live stage show for this summer at London’s O2 Arena. Worldwide sales on Absolutely Anything are being handled by GFM Films. Beckinsale just wrapped shooting Eliza Graves with Michael Caine, Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess and David Thewlis, as well as Michael Winterbottom’s The Face Of An Angel with Daniel Bruhl. She is repped by UTA and Media Talent Group.