Spanish Horor Icon Álex De La Iglesia Making Animation Debut With Lovecraft Feature ‘Ages of Madness’

Spanish genre legend Álex de la Iglesia (The Day of the Beast, The Bar) is making his animation directorial debut with Ages of Madness: The Howling of the Jinn, an adult-aimed CG feature that aims to become the first major animated adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s mythos for the big screen. Production on the ambitious project is scheduled to begin later this year.

The film is being produced by Tenerife’s 3Doubles Producciones in co-production with Biscay-based Sumendi Uhartea. According to the companies, Age of Madness:

Explores the fragility of human sanity in the face of the unknown. Through several tragically intertwined stories, the legendary forbidden book, the Necronomicon — a cornerstone of Lovecraftian lore — travels through time across four historical and geographical settings as distant as they are grim. Feeding on humanity’s thirst for forbidden knowledge, it unleashes madness and the chilling certainty that we are nothing more than dust of the Ancient Ones

Known for genre films including The Day of the Beast, Common Wealth, and the HBO series 30 Coins, De la Iglesia said the project represents both a creative challenge and a return to his artistic beginnings.

Before making movies, I used to draw monsters. I started out creating comic books, and animation has always been there. Ages of Madness gives me the chance to reconnect with my roots alongside an incredibly talented team. I am thrilled because, even after so many years in filmmaking, I can still tackle something new with the excitement of day one.

Although this is his first time directing animation, the move is a natural extension of a career built around wildly inventive storytelling, black comedy, and supernatural horror. Before entering filmmaking, De la Iglesia studied philosophy and worked as a comic book artist, influences that have remained visible throughout his career. For fans of Spanish horror, this is a very exciting announcement.

Producer Darío Sánchez, CEO of 3Doubles Producciones, described the feature as an opportunity to showcase both Lovecraftian horror and the growing ambitions of Spain’s animation industry.

I have always been fascinated by the Lovecraftian universe, and being able to bring that cosmic horror to the screen alongside Álex de la Iglesia is a dream come true. I am convinced that this is a turning point for our sector: adult animation is booming, and this project will put the Spanish industry on the global map.

The announcement marks another high-profile addition to the growing creative team behind the broader Ages of Madness universe. Last month, it was revealed that The Book of Life and Maya and the Three creator Jorge Gutiérrez had joined an accompanying anthology project to write, direct, and design one of nine animated segments, bringing his singular style and an interpretation that blends Lovecraftian horror with pre-Hispanic Mexican mythology.