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London -- Universal Music Publishing has struck a deal with the husband-and-wife creative team of Sascha and Tessa Hartmann -- who have spent five years in production on the CGI-animated movie "Sir Billi" -- to publish five original songs for the movie.

In postproduction, the movie features the singing of Shirley Bassey and the voice of Sean Connery; the pair is together on a feature for the first time since they were both involved in "Goldfinger."

Universal will publish Bassey's version of the title song, "Guardian of the Highlands," with lyrics by Tessa Hartmann, who penned them with Bassey in mind.

Sascha Hartmann composed the music, and Tessa Hartmann wrote the lyrics for the five featured original songs.

Universal and Glasgow-based Billi Prods. remain tight-lipped about the four other artists being lined up for the songs, written by the Hartmanns.

Alan Cumming, Miriam Margolyes, Ruby Wax, Alex Norton, Ford Kiernan,...

The first images from Sir Billi, the animated film featuring the voice of Sean Connery, have arrived online. As we reported back November, the movie sounds like someone came up with it while enjoying every drug ever made: “The movie centers on a retired, skateboarding veterinarian who lives in a remote Scottish village and who spearheads the rescue of an illegal fugitive who also happens to be a beaver.” At the time, part of me thought, “That can’t possibly be right.” Who would make that? Sean Connery would make that. He’s a producer on the film who has been instrumental in getting it made.* It’s also the first film he’s done since 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

You can see the images after the jump and keep in mind that indie feature animated films don’t have the money of studios like DreamWorks or Pixar.