Emily The Strange Heading To The Silver Screen

Los Angeles, CA (CNS) - Counterculture character Emily the Strange is heading to the big screen. The goth girl and her four cats will be joined by 13 new characters in the new film.

Dark Horse Entertainment president Mike Richardson is producing a feature film that focuses on the strange girl.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes Richardson as saying, "Emily herself is a very appealing little girl, there's an edge to her. There is something very alluring to her image; people see it and respond to it immediately."

On what format would he take, the producer said he and creator Rob Reger are looking for a filmmaker who "gets the character," and the filmmaker choice may determine if the film would take a live action, animation, or combination format.

The storyline is still kept from the public, though Reger said it will feature Emily's cats - Sabbath, Nee-Chee, Miles and Mystery - and 13 new characters with odd names like Earwig, Officer Summers, Umlaut, and McFreeley.

The creator made Emily among a number of designs he printed up for T-shirts, stickers, and skateboards in the 90s. The character took off, with Reger's company Cosmic Debris, and went on to become a multimillion dollar business, making her a figure for female empowerment and anti-conformity.

Reger said, "In their life, everybody has, especially in the teenage years, looked to find themselves and felt like they don't fit it. Emily represents that person, but in a positive light. She prefers to be different and to look at things in her own way. She's a great role model for people to think for themselves."

"It was one of my many designs that just stuck. I remember three years (after I created it) thinking 'They're still ordering the same dang shirt!' There's something there."