Andrew Adamson Directing Dark Horse Comic Adaptation 'Beasts of Burden'

Monday, 13 June 2011 14:32 Written by Jordan DeSaulnier

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Andrew Adamson Directing Dark Horse Comic Adaptation 'Beasts of Burden'

Everybody loves talking animals, and most everybody also loves a group of paranormal investigators, whether they be the ghostbusters or vampire slayers. The Dark Horse comic Beasts of Burden adroitly combines paranormal investigation and anthropomorphized animals, as the supernatural protectors of the seemingly idyllic town of Burden Hill are five dogs and one cat. The comic, created by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson is being adapted into a feature film that will mark the return to animation for Shrek director Andrew Adamson.

According to Heat Vision, the project will consist of CG animation overseen by Adamson, who moved into live-action feature directing with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and its first sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The New Zealand-born Adamson also directed the Shrek 2 and executive produced Shrek the Third, Shrek Forever After, and the upcoming spin-off Puss in Boots.

Beasts of Burden will be produced by Adamson, Dark Horse Entertainment's Mike Richardson, and Aron Warner, who produced all four Shrek films. Reel FX, which is run by former Walden Media CEO Cary Grenat and onetime ILM senior executive Ed Jones, will be animating the feature. The company specializes in both CG animation and CG-live action hybrids.

The town of Burden Hill and the central characters of Pugs, Whitey, Ace, Red, Jack, and the Orphan first appeared in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings, Witchcraft, the Dead and Monsters, which won Dorking and Thompson Eisner Awards for Best Short Story and Best Painter. The animals have once teamed up with Hellboy in a one shot comic.

Another Dark Horse property is being developed as a live-action vehicle at Universal. That one is R.I.P.D., which would be directed by Robert Shwentke and star both Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges. That supernatural action-comedy, in which the duo are are undead cops tasked with policing the afterlife, is currently set for 2012, but if Warner Bros opts to get a Green Lantern sequel underway quickly, then the project will be delayed from its hopeful release.