Studio 4C Co-Producing French Animated Feature MUTAFUKAZ

Exciting news for animation fans with word that Japan's Studio 4C has come on board to co-produce French animated feature Mutafukaz.

Budgeted at a fairly generous $11 - $14 million, the film is an adaptation of a popular graphic novel by a French artist who calls himself simply Run with original publisher Ankama on board as lead producers.

Studio 4C's co-production history has been a bit uneven, largely due to budget and creative control issues, but they've proven again and again that when they have the resources available to them and the freedom to take the lead, they have some of the most talented animators in the world. And given the budget level and the fact that Ankama specializes in graphic novels and video games rather than film production, I'd say they should have both here. Here's the official synopsis of the first volume of the graphic novel:

Angelino is a young loser just like thousands of others in Dark Meat City. He squats a seedy hotel room in the Latino neighborhood of Rios Rosas. His dreary existence consists of zapping, Mexican wrestling matches (of which he is a devotee), shitty little jobs and so-called metaphysical discussions under the stars with his buddy Vinz. A silly scooter accident is going to plunge Angelino in a whirlwind of improbable troubles putting at stake all of humanity! The manhunt has started, involving massively armed men in black, all sorts of gangs, Mexican wrestlers and even Machos, these vicious cosmic entities determined to invade our planet!!!

Mutafukaz has been inspired by the 50's Sci-Fi mixed with contemporary ingredients such as Hip Hop and wrestling. This cocktail makes it a dark, paranoid but fun comic book.

Mutafukaz counts 124 explosive pages smelling of tacos, cold sweat, bitumen and paranoia as well as an incredible cocktail of Hip Hop, Mexican wrestling and 50's Sci-Fi.