Sony also announced that Bridesmaids star Maya Rudolph was joining the cast as Smiler, along with Jennifer Coolidge as Gene's mother, Mary Meh, and Jake T. Austin as Alex.
"From my niece to my grandmother, they send emojis," Leondis told EW last month. "It connects us. In this technological world, we still find ways to connect as human beings, and I think that's what emojis do."
The Emoji Movie, which is released on August 4, "introduces a secret world inside smartphones' messaging apps called Textopolis, a bustling city where all emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone's user," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A teaser trailer that was released last month was largely mocked on social media, with the clip earning three times as many negative reactions as positive ones.
"2017 can't get any worse than this," one user commented.
Upcoming projects for Sir Patrick, who has received critical acclaim for his Shakespearean roles, include starring in the new Wolverine movie Logan as well as providing his voice for animated adventure Spark.
This article originally appeared in The Daily Telegraph
