Warren Ellis + James Jean = Castlevania Movie?!?
Panacea Entertainment and Project 51 Productions have hired Warren Ellis (Transmetropolitan, Planetary) to script a direct-to-DVD animated feature film based on the Castlevania video game produced by Konami. Panacea has also hired noted illustrator James Jean, whose work as a cover artist for DC Comics has earned him three consecutive Eisners and a Harvey, as the film’s art director.
Panacea’s CEO Eric Gardner is obviously looking at the success of Marvel’s direct-to-DVD animated features (such as their “Ultimate Avengers”) and attempting to distance the property from its Japanese anime-influenced video game roots, stating: “I think there will be anime elements of it, but it’s going to be more hints of anime as opposed to traditional, full-blown anime.”
Panacea and Project 51 are also producing a Castlevania animated TV series for younger viewers, but the direct-to-DVD feature (again mirroring the development of similar projects for both Marvel and DC, see “DC’s Direct-to-Video DVDs”) will be targeted at more mature viewers and will not be subject to the constraints on language and violence that apply to TV series intended for kids.
(via popcultureshock)