Annecy 2015: GKIDS Buys Edger Allen Poe’s ‘Extraordinary Tales’

Horror is just as rare in animation as any other genre one could name. Which is why this news could be of interest to those who like horror and think the same.

Variety just got word that indie animation distributor GKIDS bought the North American rights to Extrodinary Tales, an animated anthology film that adapts five of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known stories. The deal was negotiated between Stephan Roelants of Melusine Productions and Eric Beckman of GKIDS.

As is common with GKIDS releases, the film will feature a mix of top tier voice talent, with Christopher Lee (in one of his final film performances), Julian Sands, Roger Corman, Guillermo del Toro, and – what appears to be – archived recordings from horror legend Bela Lugosi.

GKIDS will also take advantage of an opportunity for appropriate timing, as Extraordinary Tales will have a day-and-date release on October 30 in theaters and on VOD.

What better way to celebrate Halloween than with animated interpretations of stories written by one of the original masters of horror himself? While LAIKA has done a relatively swell job of providing this sort of horror-tinged storytelling, it’s nice to see other studios (in this case, a European studio) take a swing at it. The fact that the film features the voices of people who are huge names in horror is simply a plus.

What do you think? Are you interested in Extraordinary Tales? Stay tuned for more coverage from this year’s Annecy Animated Film Festival!

Edited by: Hannah Wilkes