ROB ZOMBIE To Develop Animated Feature Based On 'El Superbeasto' Comic

Rob Zombie has teamed up with DPS Film Roman, an IDT Entertainment Company, to produce an animated feature based on his Spookshow International comic book "El Superbeasto". Anchor Bay Entertainment, also an IDT Entertainment company, will handle domestic video distribution. IDT Entertainment Sales will be responsible for international distribution.

Zombie will serve as executive producer on the project as well as write the story. The story will follow the adventures of the crime-fighting secret agent "El Superbeasto", a massive over-the-hill masked wrestler who has more interest in strippers than adventure, but still manages to get involved with murdering super-intelligent gorillas, Liverpoolian zombies, and Dr. Satan, a manic depressive mad scientist with a penchant for finding the perfect woman. Joining "El Superbeasto" on his escapades is his sister, "Suzie X", a sexy super-spy adventurer, and her sidekick, a ten-foot tall robot named Marvin, an avid fan of Barry Manilow and Michael Bolton.

"Look out, world, here comes 'El Superbeasto', another genre blending creation from the brilliant comic imagination of Rob Zombie," said John Hyde, CEO of DPS Film Roman. "Rob's fans can look for DPS Film Roman to create a unique animated style that brings the characters to life and that will leave the audience laughing and screaming for more."

"'El Superbeasto' is 'Austin Powers' meets 'The Munsters' by way of 'Hard Day's Night'," said Zombie. "The bizarre stories and insane characters are perfect for animation and DPS Film Roman is the best animation studio to bring the comic to life."

Zombie is no stranger to animation, working with "Beavis and Butt-head" creator Mike Judge on a key scene for the film "Beavis and Butt-head Do America". Zombie designed the classic hallucination sequence for the film between gigs. For many the scene of Beavis hallucinating was a highlight of the film.

"Mike was looking for an idea for a hallucination for Beavis," Zombie recalls. "He wanted something that was like the ultimate rock video. I suggested that Beavis should go to hell, and Mike loved the idea."

Rob Zombie's film, "House of 1000 Corpses", released by Lion's Gate Entertainment, grossed over 13 million dollars at the box office on less than 900 screens, and was released on DVD by Lion's Gate Entertainment. Zombie's next film, "The Devil's Rejects", is currently in production and is set to be released in 2005, also from Lion's Gate. Zombie's songs have also been featured in several other recent box office hits, including "The Matrix Reloaded", "Daredevil", and "The Scorpion King".