Gettysburgproducer Robert Katz is resurrecting UK genre company Amicus Entertainment withlongtime Amicus executive Julie Moldo following the acquisition of the companyfrom the estate of Amicus founder Max J Rosenberg.

Katz intends to produce up to six titles a year featuring originalwork and projects inspired by the catalogue, which includes 1970s hits like TheHouse That Dripped Bloodand Tales From The Crypt.

The company will have offices in Los Angles and London and expectstwo projects a year to be budgeted at up to $20m each and the remaining four tobe under $5m each.

The first two original titles are in pre-production. Clown is a fantasy horror road movie that willbe directed by Mark Jones. Stuck centres on a women involved in a bizarre hit and run incident andwill be directed by Stuart Gordon, whose credits include Re-Animator and Edmond.

Katzwill serve as producer on both films. The first of Amicus' library-inspiredtitles will be announced shortly.

Amicus has entered into a publishing deal with Baltimore-based specialtyhorror and suspense publisher Cemetery Dance Publications that grants Cemetaryrights to turn Amicus projects into novels. In a reciprocal arrangement thedeal gives Amicus the opportunity to source the library, which includes worksby genre masters Stephen King, Dean Koontz and Ray Bradbury.

Initial financial backing comes from Jay Firestone, formerly of AllianceCommunications, and FireworksPictures. The company will haveoffices in Los Angeles and London.

"In the years before his death, Max Rosenberg and I wereexploring ways in which we could work together and when the opportunity arose forus to acquire the company from his estate, I knew it was a dream cometrue," Katz said.

"We havegreat plans for revitalising the Amicus name and trademark and building it intoone of the industry's principal suppliers of quality genre fare."