Heroic Signatures to Produce First Animated Feature for its ‘Mutant: Year Zero’ Franchise

Written by John Edward Betancourt

All Photos from ‘Mutant: Year Zero’ Courtesy of Heroic Signatures.

It is always wonderful when we see a popular media company branch out into new corners. Because it not only means that said company is doing well and has the resources to grow and become more before our eyes, but it also means… they’re dedicated to telling amazing stories and want to offer what made them famous to every possible format out there and that’s why this week’s news should bring forth some serious joy. For recently, Heroic Signatures, the home of many incredible stories… let its fans know that it is branching out.
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In fact, the company is working on its first animated feature. One that will bring its wildly popular Mutant: Year Zero franchise to life on the silver screen and that’s just amazing news. For it speaks to all the elements we made mention of a moment ago, and it also means… that we are going to get a quality adaptation of this popular game. For the right people are behind it and the cast they’ve assembled for this is stellar and well, to do this news some proper justice, here is all the information on this upcoming release, and some first look photos for you to enjoy as well, as we count down to the arrival of this amazing feature.

‘Heroic Signatures, the entertainment studio responsible for crafting gripping, science-fiction and fantasy stories, today announced the company is in production on its first animated feature film for its popular franchise, Mutant: Year Zero. Based on Mutant: Year Zero Road to Eden, a tactical adventure video game first released in 2018, the film follows an unlikely team of animal-mutants as they navigate a post-apocalyptic wasteland in search of answers. Dolph Lundgren (Expend4bles, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom) and Ian McElhinney (The Outlaws, Game Of Thrones) will lend their voices to the feature, with more talent to be announced soon.

The Mutant: Year Zero film is being produced using Unreal Engine 5 in an innovative approach to video game IP adaptation. The team will introduce all-new animation assets that expand the storyline of Mutant: Year Zero Road to Eden, which was developed using Unreal technology, while additionally revitalizing original assets for a cinematic experience. The film is being produced and directed by Hasraf ‘HaZ’  Dulull, a pioneer in real-time technology filmmaking, who started his career in video games and visual effects (The Dark Knight, Hellboy2) before moving into filmmaking (The Beyond, Fast Layne). The film is additionally produced by President of Heroic Signatures, Fred Malmberg and Pathfinder founding partner Mark Wheeler. Developed in collaboration with HaZimation and Northern Ireland Screen, the national screen agency for Northern Ireland, additional film creatives include Paula Crickard, Producer (Expend4bles, Memory, My House), and Music Composer Edward White (Gears of War, Transformers: Reactivate).

“We cannot wait for fans to get a glimpse at what we have been working on to bring Mutant: Year Zero to life as an animated feature film,” said Fred Malmberg, President, Heroic Signatures and Mutant: Year Zero producer. “Our goal at Heroic is to constantly challenge ourselves to create fresh, expanded experiences across different media based on our adventurous characters and stories for both existing fans and new ones.”

The Mutant: Year Zero story is set in a post-apocalyptic world, where an unlikely team of animal-mutants, led by a witty duck and a gruff boar, set out on a dangerous mission to reclaim an essential generator stolen from their sanctuary, the Ark. Together, the group of scavengers uncover a deeper truth behind the Ark’s divisions, confront the oppressive regime of the Elder, and discover the secrets that could reshape their dystopian existence.

Mutant: Year Zero Road to Eden was originally released in 2018 on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, followed by Nintendo Switch in 2019 and has had over 4 million copies downloaded worldwide. The video game exists within the Mutant franchise, which originated as the “Mutant” tabletop role-playing game in the late 1980s and has since grown to include, in addition to the video game, several supplements to the core tabletop game as well as a miniatures game, and a series of novels. Heroic Signatures, known for its iconic IP, including Conan the Barbarian, will be at San Diego Comic Con on Sunday, July 28, 2024 for a panel to discuss the incredible success of comics over the last year, including a closer look at the making of Savage Sword of Conan and a sneak peek at upcoming releases for Conan. 

For more about Heroic Signatures and Mutant: Year Zero, visit https://heroicsignatures.com/ 

About Heroic Signatures
Heroic Signatures is a multifaceted entertainment studio responsible for crafting gripping, science-fiction and fantasy stories that engage multi-generational audiences across the world. A subsidiary of Funcom (a Tencent company), Heroic Signatures leverages its large intellectual property portfolio and extensive catalog of compelling characters and passionately-constructed worlds, to manage and develop global entertainment franchises in all forms of media, including motion picture, television, gaming, publishing and toy/collectibles. The company’s portfolio consists of iconic and fan favorite brands such as Conan the Barbarian, Kull of Atlantis, Solomon Kane, Mutant Chronicles, Mutant: Year Zero, and Kult.

About Hazimation
UK based Transmedia production company setup by producers HaZ Dulull & Paula Crickard, developing and producing live action & animated feature films, series and video games. Blurring the lines between mediums to create the next generation of content and storytelling.’

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