“Extraordinary Tales,” an animated film featuring the voice of Sir Christopher Lee in one of his final performances, has been acquired by GKIDS, the company announced Tuesday.
Directed by Raúl García,”Extraordinary Tales” is a film anthology of five of Edgar Allen Poe‘s best-known stories, each told in a unique graphic style and featuring some of the most iconic figures in horror film history.
“We are thrilled to be back in business with Stephan (Roelants) and Melusine Productions after our work together on ‘Ernest & Celestine’ and ‘Song of the Sea,’” David Jesteadt, GKIDS’ SVP of distribution, said in a statement. “‘Extraordinary Tales’ takes on the classic late-night horror anthology format with the full visual inventiveness that only animation allows, and we can’t wait to share it with audiences in the fall.”
Adapting the look and variety of a classic horror anthology, the film takes on classic tales like “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum” and “The Masque of the Red Death,” with animation inspired by sources as diverse as classic Hollywood black-and-white monster films or the pulpy feel of EC Comics.
The stories are narrated by a stable of legendary genre directors and actors, including Lee, Bela Lugosi, Julian Sands, Roger Corman and Guillermo Del Toro. The film is written and directed by García, produced by Stephan Roelants, and co-produced by Raúl García, Rocio Ayuso, Serge Ume, and Isabelle Truc.
GKIDS, distributor of animation for both adult and family audiences, bought the North American rights to the film. The company plans a day-and-date release on Oct. 30 in theaters and on VOD.