George R. R. Martin has signed on with Lion Forge Entertainment to adapt Howard Waldrop’s A Dozen Tough Jobs into an adult animated feature film, The Hollywood Reporter can exclusively reveal.
The renowned author will produce the project, a reimagining of the Greek classic story of the 12 labors of Hercules. A Dozen Tough Jobs transports the mythic tale to 1920s Mississippi, where Hercules is re-envisioned as a former sharecropper fighting to regain his freedom.
The movie will also be produced by Martin, Lion Forge Entertainment CEO and founder David Steward II, and Lion Forge president and chief creative officer Stephanie Sperber.
Joe R. Lansdale (Bubba Ho-Tep, Hap & Leonard) is writing the screenplay. French animation studio Blue Spirit, the Emmy-winning studio behind Netflix’s Blue Eye Samurai, will provide animation services for the film under Lion Forge Animation.
“If anyone understands the power of epic stories and expansive franchises, it’s George R.R. Martin,” said David Steward II. “With A Dozen Tough Jobs, we’re reimagining a timeless legend through fresh, culturally rich lenses. This isn’t just a retelling — it’s a groundbreaking take, unlike anything audiences have seen before, grounded in history but pushing myth into uncharted territory.”
“We are looking forward to working with Blue Spirit, one of the best animation houses working in the field today,” said Sperber. “Their elevated style and craft will bring the world of 1920’s deep South to life in a way that will make audiences sit up and take notice, just as they did with Blue Eye Samurai.”
Martin is best known for his bestselling fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, which was adapted into the globally celebrated HBO series Game of Thrones.
Waldrop, a lifelong friend of Martin’s, was an acclaimed short story writer and winner of the Science Fiction Writers of American Nebula Award as well as the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Read more about their friendship and Martin’s bid to adapt his novels in THR‘s interview with Martin here.
Martin is represented by WME. Lion Forge Entertainment is represented by Activist Artists Management and Lumify Entertainment. Joe R. Lansdale is represented by Intellectual Property Group (IPG).
