Shane Acker (9) will direct Reel FX’s upcoming untitled CG-animated feature based on the Dark Horse Comics series, Beasts of Burden (written by Evan Dorkin and illustrated by Jill Thompson). The film is being scripted by Darren Lemke (Turbo, Shrek Forever After). Aron Warner, Reel FX’s new president of animation (Shrek), is producing alongside Mike Richardson from Dark Horse and Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia).

It’s an animated adventure about the baffling behavior (tail chasing, barking at “nothing” at all) of our favorite four-legged friends. In the charming town of Burden Hill, there might be more to these animal antics than meets the eye. The town is inhabited by the supernatural, and when its paranormal activity becomes even more abnormal than usual, it’s up to a group of fearless canines called the Watch Dogs to protect its citizens — and humanity — from the mysterious things that go “bump” in the night.

Acker is the latest filmmaker Reel FX (based in Dallas and Santa Monica) has attracted to its growing animation slate, which already includes the Day of the Dead-themed project, The Book of Life (Guillermo del Toro producing/Jorge Gutierrez directing), which will be released by Fox Animation on Oct. 10, 2014; and Turkeys (Jimmy Hayward directing, starring Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson), which will be released Nov. 1 by Relativity Media.

Notes Acker, “There is a real independent spirit at Reel FX — the studio is full of energy and fresh ideas — which is necessary to bring this unique story to life.”