Robert Rodriguez may soon become the Latino Walt Disney…

The 43-year-old Mexican-American filmmaker—who recently announced an English-language general entertainment network aimed at Latino audiences—is launching Quick Draw Animation, an animation studio to be based in Austin, TX.

Quick Draw Animation, a partnership with London-based VMG Entertainment, will allow Rodriguez to develop, produce and green-light animated film and television projects.

“I started my career as a cartoonist when I created the Los Hooligans comic strip. It is nice to come full circle and return to animation,” says Rodriguez. “Quick Draw Animation will give me a whole new set of tools to create fantastic characters and to tell great stories.”

“We are thrilled to be working with a filmmaker of Robert Rodriguez’s caliber and stature,” said VMG Entertainment Chairman Mr. Ramkhumar Narasimhan. “Robert has created significant franchises such as The Mexico Trilogy, Sin City, Spy Kids and the Machete films; his prolific output and visual storytelling make animation a great fit for him.”

Quick Draw Animation has already started developing two animated features, each expected to start production in the next year. One of the new company’s first projects is a family focused animated feature; the other is the multi-media realization of Heavy Metal inspired by the cult animated film and long running magazine. Rodriguez teased the audience with a glimpse of what the next generation of Heavy Metal will look like at last year’s Quick Draw Comic-Con presentation.