‘Xombie’ Gains DVD, Theatrical Release

by Robert Greenberger on November 15th, 2008 at 3:39 am
Posted In: News

You have to give James Farr credit.  Entirely on his own, he has turned his dream project, Xombie, into a mini-franchise. The series about Dirge, a conscious zombie and his faithful dog originally appeared as ten webisodes entirely written, drawn and animated by Farr.  As it gained attention, he expanded, penning a novel adaptation (complete with foreword by the legendary Forrest J. Ackerman) and signed a deal with Devil’s Due in 2006 for comic books as Xombie:  Reanimated.

Now, Farr reports that Halo-8 Entertainment has planned a limited theatrical release of the animated series prior to releasing the episodes on DVD. Already there have been over thirteen million downloads of the webisodes so the release comes with some level of audience recognition but clearly this will extend the brand’s reach.

"Xombie is a blast!" said Matt Pizzolo, President of Halo-8. "James Farr has a fresh and engaging storytelling voice that’s amplified by his inventive production style. It’s a rare mix that breathes life (and undeath) into his fun and compelling characters. We’ve been fans of his work for a while now, and we’re really excited to work with him and the great team at Xombie, Inc."

"As the first sentient zombie in an animated series, Xombie provides a completely new twist to the horror genre, which is why it has resonated so well with the fans," said John Frank Rosenblum, Xombie ‘s Executive Producer. "Halo-8, a distributor with a true love for horror, is the perfect partner for expanding this unique property into a whole new market."

"Xombie is my attempt to inject something new and fun into an often over-mined genre," said Farr. "I am thrilled it has gotten such a huge response and that the characters have endured so long. Dirge and his friends are very close to my heart, and thanks to Halo-8, I get to share them with a brand new audience."

Producer Epic Level Entertainment is currently developing a live-action Xombie adaptation.