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Cher and Bob Geldof in Talks to Voice Australian Animated Feature FlySquad – First Strike!
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Culture/The Apex Times/Jun 17, 8:11 AM EDT

Cher and Bob Geldof in Talks to Voice Australian Animated Feature FlySquad – First Strike!

Oscar winner and music icon Cher and Live Aid founder Bob Geldof are reportedly in negotiations to join an Australian animated film project about insect heroes infiltrating a human chemical facility in search of an antidote.

2 min readEditor-approved Apex article

Cher and Bob Geldof are in discussions to provide voice work for an Australian animated feature titled FlySquad – First Strike!, according to an exclusive report from Deadline published June 17. The project, described as a story of three unlikely insect heroes, is being written and produced by Australian filmmaker Anthony Maley and is aimed at building a character-driven, family-friendly adventure around a crisis inside a large human-built chemical fortress.

The film concept centers on the insect characters infiltrating the facility to search for an antidote, a premise that combines an action framework with a survival-focused stakes element. Deadline did not describe a release date or a distributor attached to the project in the report, and no production timeline was confirmed beyond the fact that the project is in active talks regarding cast participation from the two celebrity figures.

Deadline reported that Cher, an Oscar winner and global music star, and Geldof, the founder of the Live Aid fundraising initiative, are both being considered for roles. The report did not specify which characters either performer would voice, nor did it detail whether their participation would include promotion, recording schedules, or related contractual terms.

FlySquad – First Strike! is positioned as an Australian animated feature, with Maley credited as the writer and producer. Deadline’s account frames the work as an industry development project at a stage where major voice talent is still being negotiated, which can affect downstream decisions including animation production milestones, casting of additional roles, and marketing plans.

The report does not name the animation studio responsible for the visuals, nor does it provide information about the script’s final form, language versioning, ratings target, or content guidelines. As with many animated features entering voice-cast negotiations, participation by high-profile performers typically occurs after scheduling and contractual agreements are finalized.

For Cher and Geldof, the reported discussions represent a potential return to voice performance within a narrative feature setting, extending their public profiles into screen animation. For the production team, adding marquee names could also influence financing conversations, international sales strategy, and the choice of additional cast talent.

Neither Deadline nor the underlying report identified litigation, regulatory issues, or labor disputes tied to the project. If negotiations proceed, the next steps would typically include closing casting agreements, confirming recording dates, and issuing production updates through formal studio announcements or industry trade publications.

Why It Matters

  • Casting negotiations involving internationally recognized performers can affect financing, international sales, and the pace of production for animated features.
  • The film’s premise centers on a chemical-facility crisis and the search for an antidote, which may influence ratings considerations and how the story is framed for family audiences.
  • If Cher and Geldof join the project, their confirmed participation would likely trigger additional cast announcements and recording-schedule updates.
  • Because the report does not name a distributor or studio team, public details on distribution and release timing would remain uncertain until formal announcements are made.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Deadline reported on June 17 that Cher and Bob Geldof are in talks to voice roles in the animated feature FlySquad – First Strike!
  • The film is described as an Australian animated feature written and produced by Anthony Maley.
  • The story follows three insect heroes who infiltrate a vast human chemical fortress to search for an antidote.
  • Deadline’s report does not specify the roles, character names, or which performers would voice which insect characters.
  • Deadline did not provide a release date, distributor, animation studio, or production timeline in the report.