Jorge R Gutierrez will direct the Romeo And Juliet-style CG animation from a screenplay he is writing with Doug Langdale set against the Mexican folklore milieu. Guillermo De Toro is on board as creative collaborator and will also present the film.

Texas-based production company Reel FX will produce with Aaron Berger and Carina Schulze of Chatrone Inc and Day Of The Dead is scheduled to open in autumn 2014. 

The project marks the first time in almost 20 years that De Toro will collaborate on a project set in Mexico following Cronos in 1993.

“We’re thrilled to have Guillermo on board for Day Of The Dead,” Booker said. “As individuals, Guillermo and Jorge share a cultural background and love for Mexican folklore, which brings a palpable authenticity to our project; however, as artists, each brings to the picture a vastly different aesthetic sensibility. Working together for the first time, we feel that they bring a truly unique balance to the style and story of the film.”

“I have admired Jorge’s work for a long time,” Del Toro said. “He has a unique aesthetic and sense of humour. Day Of The Dead offers a perfect opportunity for his sensibilities to shine. This is a colorful, vibrant, vital fable that utilises the animation medium in an incredible way.”

Reel FX’s slate includes an animated feature adaptation of the Dark Horse graphic novel Beasts Of Burden produced by Andrew Adamson and Turkeys, a CG-animated comedy directed by Jimmy Hayward.

The company collaborated on production of the 3D Cirque Du Soleil project Worlds Away from writer-director Adamson and executive producer James Cameron which Paramount is scheduled to release in late 2012.