UK games software company Rebellion has launched a tax-based scheme to finance feature adaptations of strips from 2000AD, the long-running UK comic book best known for lawman and cult icon Judge Dredd.

The company aims to raise private investment through the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), the tax-based initiative that Reservoir Dogs star Michael Madsen recently tried to access for Red Light Runners. The offering launches in September, giving Rebellion a year to use the funds raised.

Rebellion, which bought 2000AD two years ago, recently sold the rights to make two films based on Judge Dredd to US indie Shoreline Entertainment. Fine Line Features picked up rights to another sci-fi character, Outlaw.

Rebellion has long been looking for a way of keeping more creative control in-house. The 2000AD stable includes potentially large-scale sci-fi material such as mutant bounty hunter Strontium Dog and cloned soldier Rogue Trooper, as well as lower budget material such as contemporary UK-set stories.