The Elder Scrolls Online voiced by actors from Monty Python, A Clockwork Orange and Love, Actually, among others

ZeniMax Online Studios shows off its Hollywood-rich cast of Elder Scrolls Online voice actors in this charming 17-minute video. Really, John Cleese, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Gambon, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, and Malcolm McDowell are almost all laid-back funny.

John Cleese (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) plays Sir Cadwell for comic relief. "He's kind of a Don Quixote character," Cleese says. He likes it most when his character gets vague or confused.

Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) voices elf queen Ayrenn. "My character is very fair, a good leader, very imposing, a great warrior, but also has a softer side," Beckinsale says.

Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) plays a blind character. I didn't catch a name. So Gambon jokingly says, getting into character, that he closed his eyes during readings. "Which was very clever for me to do," he says.

Alfred Molina (Raiders of the Lost Ark) is Abethon? Ablathon? Couldn't catch that one either. "He's very sparing with his compliments, but very generous with his sarcasm. He's very pompous, very arrogant, but he's actually very funny." It's interesting how easily these Hollywood types defend bad guys.

Bill Nighy (Love, Actually) voices King Emeric. "He's the king of all Rivenspire, and he's a pretty cool guy." He says later, "I like it when things get daft. It means you're not being a nuisance to the world. It means you're doing something actually in a funky way that's useful and you're not, you know, invading Iraq."

Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) is Molag Bal, one of the lords of Oblivion. "Well of course, I'm playing an archvillain," McDowell says. "But as I often say, 'Peace is only as good, often, as its villain.' And I think this one is particularly nasty. I think he's gong to beat up the player of the game quite nicely. By the way, he's not very polite – which I do like about him. I'm from the north of England. We're rather gruff."

See what I mean about Hollywood cheering on the bad guys? 

There's nothing unsafe in the video, but since TESO is a Mature-rated game, click the "Yes, I am 18 or over" button below the images to watch.

See more TESO trailers on group gameplay, player vs. player, and character progression.

The Elder Scroll Online comes to PC/Mac on April 4, and to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in June.