9 director Shane Acker to helm Beasts of Burden

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

We haven’t heard much from the upcoming animated BEASTS OF BURDEN adaptation in a while but it looks like there might be some interesting tidbits stirring for the film as word has come out that they have now found a suitable director for the project.

Deadline reports that the Oscar-nominated Shane Acker is pinned to direct Reel FX’s CG animated adaptation of BEASTS OF BURDEN from the Dark Horse Comics series by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson. Currently being adapted by Darren Lemke, BEASTS OF BURDEN is about a team of fearless four-legged “Watch Dogs” who investigate paranormal happenings throughout Burden Hill and defend their humans from the supernatural.

I don’t know much about the source material so I can’t tell if this is going to be strictly kid business or not, but I do dig the concept and it’s obviously popular enough to warrant an entire comic book series. Their choice of director is spot on, if you haven’t seen Acker’s 9, it’s definitely worth checking out. He’s got an amazing eye for some striking visuals so it’ll be very cool to see what he comes up with for Dark Horse Comics.

Incase you’re anything like me and BEASTS OF BURDEN is new to you, check out the meaty novel synopsis below to get all caught up:

Welcome to Burden Hill – a picturesque little town adorned with white picket fences and green, green grass, home to a unique team of paranormal investigators. Beneath this shiny exterior, Burden Hill harbors dark and sinister secrets, and it’s up to a heroic gang of dogs – and one cat – to protect the town from the evil forces at work. These are the Beasts of Burden Hill: Pugs, Ace, Jack, Whitey, Red, and the Orphan, whose early experiences with the paranormal (including a haunted doghouse, a witches’ coven, and a pack of canine zombies) have led them to become members of the Wise Dog Society, official animal agents sworn to protect their town from evil. This turns out to be no easy task, as they soon encounter demonic cannibal frogs, tortured spirits, a secret rat society, and a bizarre and deadly resurrection in the Burden Hill cemetery – events which lead to fear and heartbreak as our four-legged heroes discover that the evil within Burden Hill is growing and on the move. Can our heroes overcome these supernatural menaces? Can evil be bested by a paranormal team that doesn’t have hands? And even more importantly, will Pugs ever shut the hell up?

Jennifer Connelly voiced #7 in 9