New Line Cinema had originally confirmed that Jim Broadbent was to play Wilbur Turnblad in the upcoming big-screen version of the broadway musical, Hairspray.

Variety now reports that Christopher Walken will play Wilbur Turnblad in the Adam Shankman-directed film.

Walken joins John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Pfeiffer, James Marsden, Zac Efron and newcomer Nikki Blonsky in the cast.

Leslie Dixon wrote the script, and Craig Zadan and Neil Meron produce. Shooting starts next month in Toronto, and the studio has accelerated the release to summer 2007.