Dark Horse Entertainment has announced that it is partnering with  Reelfx Entertainment to develop a full-length animated feature film, based on Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s Beasts of Burden comic series.

Andrew Adamson and Aron Warner of Strange Weather Films will produce alongside Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Entertainment. Dark Horse Entertainment’s Keith Goldberg will executive produce, with Strange Weather’s Jeff Fierson coproducing. Reelfx’s head of feature development, Jared Mass, will oversee the project for the studio.

Beasts of Burden is a a creator-owned comic book series, which  is written by Evan Dorkin and illustrated by Jill Thompson. Beasts of Burden began as a series of short stories in the Dark Horse Book of… anthologies, before spinning off into a four issue miniseries, which was collected, along with the short stories, in 2010 as Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites. The series is set to continue in the pages of upcoming issues of Dark Horse Presents.

Beasts of Burden follows the supernatural occurrences that sweep the community of Burden Hill, and a heroic gang of animals who bravely keep its residents safe from harm.

Find the official press release below:

EVAN DORKIN AND JILL THOMPSON’S

BEASTS OF BURDEN TO BE DEVELOPED AS

A FULL-LENGTH ANIMATED FEATURE FILM!

DARK HORSE, REELFX, AND STRANGE WEATHER

TEAM UP ON A THEATRICAL RELEASE

JUNE 13, LOS ANGELES, CA—One of Dark Horse’s most critically acclaimed releases of 2010 is set for development as a full-length CG animated feature film. Dark Horse has partnered with Reelfx Entertainment to bring the pet detectives in Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson’s Beasts of Burden to life. Andrew Adamson and Aron Warner of Strange Weather Films will produce alongside Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Entertainment. Dark Horse Entertainment’s Keith Goldberg will executive produce, with Strange Weather’s Jeff Fierson coproducing. Reelfx’s head of feature development, Jared Mass, will oversee the project for the studio.

The animated feature will be an adaptation of Dark Horse’s breakout-hit graphic novel. Beasts of Burden follows the supernatural occurrences that sweep the community of Burden Hill, and a heroic gang of animals who bravely keep its residents safe from harm.

“Jill and Evan have created a unique group of heroes working hard to keep their world safe; they just happen to be dogs . . . and a cat,” said Dark Horse president Mike Richardson. “This has been one of my favorite titles since it first appeared, and we are eager to bring it to the big screen.”

Dark Horse Entertainment is represented by WME and Gotham Group, with legal representation by attorney Keith Fleer.

About Dark Horse Comics

Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists.  In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, Will Eisner, and bestselling prose author, Janet Evanovich, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as The Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, their highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Mass Effect, Tim Burton,  Serenity and Domo. Today, Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the United States and is recognized as both an innovator in the cause of creator rights and the comics industry’s leading publisher of licensed material.

About Reelfx Entertainment

Reelfx Entertainment has developed a “new studio model” that allows it to function as a streamlined provider of content for film, TV, publishing and digital media. It is a one-stop studio for the development and production of animated films and exciting effects-driven live action content. Reelfx Entertainment will produce “family franchise films” in the $35 million budget range. Drawing on its deep relationships within the entertainment industry, Reelfx Entertainment has attracted top creative talent (writers, directors, animation and effects artists) and supports them with seasoned executives and a proven proprietary animation and effects software (developed by Reel FX), which allows artists to work & collaborate more effectively and control rising costs often associated with CGI projects. In addition, Reelfx Entertainment will develop and secure the rights to franchise-worthy literary material.

At present, the studio has secured and is actively developing Rats of NIMH, A Wrinkle in Time and Dinosaur Bob, among others. The studio has already tapped some remarkable talent for its first project, Turkeys, which is currently in pre-production. The animated film is voiced by Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson. Turkeys is directed by Ash Brannon (Toy Story 2), and written and produced by John J. Strauss (There’s Something About Mary) and David I. Stern (Open Season 2). Peter Farrelly will executive produce the project.

Reelfx Entertainment is led by a team of industry veterans including Academy Award^® winning, former Industrial Light and Magic senior executive Ed Jones and Walden Media CEO Cary Granat.

Related posts:

1. They’re ba-ack! - Beasts of Burden Returns to Dark Horse in 2011
2. Beasts of Burden Returns in Dark Horse Presents!
3. Dark Horse to Release a Hellboy & Beasts of Burden Crossover!
4. Beasts of Burden Hardcover Sells Out and Gets a Second Printing!
5. An Eight-Page Preview of the Beasts of Burden: Animal Rites HC