Rob Zombie slows down for Lords Of Salem

Rob Zombie says he is slowing the pace of his next film The Lords Of Salem , both in terms of the storytelling and the release schedule.

“It's a much different type of movie, it's much darker than the other films. The other films are pretty dark but this one more so,” Zombie told Fangoria .

“The Halloween films are very physically violent and in your face but this one is slower paced and more psychological and supernatural. It's a pretty dismal affair and I hope it bums people out big time.”

Zombie says the effects team have already been working on the project for six months (“they're way ahead of the game”) and he's started to think about casting.

The film doesn't have a release date yet but Zombie expects it will be around autumn 2012.

“The last two films that I've done they've locked in a completely unrealistic release date and then you're rushing like a maniac to finish the film,” he revealed.

“With both Halloween movies I was sitting in the premier and I couldn't remember what scenes we had cut or not because they just rushed us through post-production so quickly that you're just confused. So this time we'll have the time to really polish it and make it perfect.”

The Lords Of Salem plot sees a 300 year-old coven of witches besieging the town with a history of pagan activity.