Robert Zemeckis will teach audiences 'How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack'

R-rated CGI/ive-action film is adpated from Chuck Sambuchino's book

By HitFix Staff Friday, Apr 15, 2011 3:12 PM

Robert Zemeckis

Credit: AP Photo

With his "Yellow Submarine" remake scuttled and "Mars Needs Moms" flopping at the box office, Robert Zemeckis is now turning to darker territory.

According to Variety, the Oscar-winner ("Back to the Future," "Forrest Gump") will produce the live action/CGI hybrid "How to Survive a Garden Gnome Attack" for Sony. But, before you think it's a "Gnomeo and Juliet" re-tread, "Gnome Attack" will be rated R, and likely won't be too family-friendly.

The film is an adaptation of Chuck Sambuchino's darkly comic book of the same title, in which the author gives grisly advice (with illustrations) about defeating the pint-sized terrors that lurk on your lawn.

For now Zemeckis is only on board as a producer, but it wouldn't be too big of a surprise if he decided to direct as well.

Zemeckis used similar CGI motion-capture on his last three directorial efforts, "The Polar Express," "Beowulf" and "A Christmas Carol."