“Flanimals,” a series of children’s book by British actor and comedian Ricky Gervais will get the silver screen treatment.

Varitey reports that Illumination Entertainment, the animation and family entertainment sector of Universal, will undertake the project which will apparently be a 3-D animation, feature length film.

The children’s books are about several different species of horrifically ugly and disgusting creatures that endear themselves to the reader through their considerable faults.  Gervais will voice the lead, and joked to Variety, “It will be great to play a short, fat, sweaty loser for a change,” Gervais said. “A real stretch.”

Gervais will executive produce with Chris Meledandri and Courtney Pledger producing.

The script will be written by Matt Selman (“The Simpsons”).