Original Creator Jim Davis Talks 'Garfield' Movie

[Breckin] Meyer plays Jon Arbuckle, Garfield's nerdy, single, human owner. "He's darling," Campbell said. "He's kind of got that everyman face. I don't think any of us would have thought of him in the beginning, but once he was cast, yeah, that's perfect. Jennifer Love Hewitt, also again, kind of a surprise to us, plays Liz, the veterinarian."

According to Twentieth Century Fox, Garfield's owner Jon takes in the hapless nitwit Odie, turning Garfield's world upside down. The lazy tabby would like to see Odie go bye-bye, but when a nasty dog trainer (Stephen Tobolowsky, who plays two parts) kidnaps the pooch, Garfield turns off the TV and, out of guilt, springs into action.

While he's an international star, appearing in comic strips in 111 countries, even Garfield couldn't claw his way to the top alone.

The humans at Paws courted Hollywood studios for years, Campbell said, hoping to put their feline star in a feature film. They'd even hired a high-powered Los Angeles attorney, Ken Ziffren, a guy known to Hollywood insiders as a deal-maker.