OK, is this an alternate-universe version of Variety?

[dduane]

Sometimes you do wonder.

Taking their inspiration from "Team America," an enterprising group of British filmmakers has started work on "Jackboots on Whitehall," a WW2 comedy spoof using action figures as the characters, voiced by a stellar cast of British actors.

Directed by debut helmer Edward McHenry, the pic imagines what would have happened if the Germans had won the Battle of Britain but were ultimately defeated by the Scots.

It stars Timothy Spall as Churchill, Alan Cumming as Hitler, Tom Wilkinson as Goebbels and Richard O'Brien as Himmler, along with Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant and Sanjeev Bhaskar. One American role remains to be cast.

"It's 'Team America' in style and tone but without the strings," says producer Frank Mannion of Swipe Films. "We are using specially made 'Action Man' type action figures, and purpose built models of Hadrian's Wall, Downing Street, etc. It's live action as opposed to animation or stop motion."

So. ODD.