A UK Manga-style animation is promising to be the first to offer serialised monthly downloads to iPod and Playstation before theatrical release.

Dominator X, currently in production at the Brighton studios of Renga Media, is the creation of successful comic book writer Alan Grant and director Tony Luke.

From July, the feature will be broken up into a series of approximately 15-minute chunks available through a website, www.dominatorthemovie.com, for the new formats for video iPod and mobile PSP.

Also on board for the film, produced in association with Baker Street Media Finance, are popular manga artist Yasushi Nirasawa and actor Doug Bradley.

Grant and Luke won critical acclaim at Cannes for their first Dominator film, which is about a warrior taking on two renegade angels who make a pact with the Devil to bring on Armageddon.

The film-makers hope a strong existing fanbase will translate into customers for what producer Simon Moorhead admits is virgin territory.

"Dominator comes from a background in the world of comics. There is a climax at the end of every 10 or 15 minutes which means it can be neatly broken into parts."

That made it perfect for emerging new media platforms, says Mooorhead, who produced current fantasy film Mirrormask.

"Comic books run for seven or eight episodes monthly which are pulled together to publish a graphic novel."

Moorhead's vision is that the theatrical or DVD release will be the screen equivalent of the graphic novel.

It's an idea that turns the day-and-date windows releasing debate on its head - putting what would have been seen as ancillary before exhibition, acting as a marketing tool sustaining and creating a fan base that will then see the big-screen product.That baton has been picked up by UK AV Pictures, which is taking the film to Cannes.

"We are moving into new and expanding territory in terms of sales and distribution. By embracing these new technologies, our audience will be able to experience the excitement of film any time, any place, anywhere" says Vic Bateman from AV Pictures who is handling the worldwide sales.