It has been announced that Kelsey Grammar (pictured) - best known for playing Dr Frasier Crane in the long running and extremely succesful sitcom Frasier - is to the play Beast in the new X-Men movie.

We're guessing some CGI may be involved

Beast is known for a couple of things amongst comic books fans. Firstly, his amazing brain, dry wit, good humour and debonair manner. No problems there for Mr Grammar.

However, Beast (pictured below) is also know for being blue-skinned, furry, and more athletic than an Olypmic running team. He is fast, strong and able to make amazing leaps. This is where the technical wizardry will come in.

Producer Avi Arad promises that Beast will have a big role in the new movie.

"Kelsey was born to play the role. When we met with him, you can see that Kelsey has that 'you'd better have a dictionary handy' intelligence."

There are no details on the plot as yet, other than what the enigmatic voiceover at the end of X-Men 2 hinted at, but if it lives up to previous films, it should be another monster hit.