David Fincher & friends animating HEAVY METAL

By Matt Holmes / June 25, 2011

David Fincher, Tim Hill (Alvin and the Chipmunks), Kevin Eastman (co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and five or six unassigned other directors are each helming an animated segment based on the 70's erotica and fantasy magazine Heavy Metal, before being pieced together and released theatrically as an R-rated adult themed flick. Fincher is spearheading the project at Paramount Pictures. Eastman is the current owner and publisher of the magazine... The project titled Heavy Metal, will be reminiscent of the erotic and often very violent storylines that the magazine which debuted in the U.S. in 1977 was best known for. The image above is the cover from the very first issue of the magazine which should tell you everything you need to know about it's content. You might be surprised to know that this isn't actually the first time the magazine has been made into a movie. Also titled Heavy Metal, a low budget 1981 animated flick was the brainchild of then publisher Leonard Mogel and the work flow was expedited by having several animation houses working simultaneously on different segments. So I guess Fincher's crew are basically remaking the idea and concept of that 80's feature.

Like the magazine, the film has an unusual amount of bloody violence, nudity and sexuality for an animated film. In the year 2000, a sequel titled Heavy Metal 2000 was released but this time to little fan fare...

I've never seen nor have I ever read anything of Heavy Metal but that first trailer above certainly indicates to something I might enjoy, and the thought of Fincher going hell to leather on his segment excites me a little. Fincher's almost been building to attach himself in some way to an animated feature with the amount of very visual graphic novel projects he has attached himself too, all of which would easily lend themselves to the medium. I can't wait to see who else they get for the movie and I hope they don't just go for the "Tim Hill's" of this world. I would love to see Frank Miller give this a go, I always thought a animated Miller movie could be superb and a little segment here would be a good start for him. Luc Besson seems an obvious choice, as does Brad Bird. The project seems to the liking of Rob Zombie's style of film-making, he might put his hat into the ring. And after seeing Persepolis, I would love to see Vincent Parannaud and Marjane Satrapi give it a go. We shall keep you informed on this one! source - variety