Giamatti, Hyde Pierce join SCI FI cartoon

NEW YORK, June 29 (UPI) -- Hollywood stars Paul Giamatti, David Hyde Pierce and Molly Shannon are lending their voices to characters on a new SCI FI Channel cartoon.

Called "Amazing Screw-On Head," the quirky animated pilot is currently in production and slated to premiere in 2006, the network said in a statement.

Adapted from the critically-acclaimed, Eisner Award-winning comic book by Mike Mignola, "Amazing Screw-On Head" is a half-hour, animated comedy that chronicles the exploits of Screw-On Head (voiced by "Cinderella Man" actor Giamatti), a secret agent robot who works for the U.S. government and screws his head onto a wide variety of bodies in order to battle those who threaten our civilization.

In the pilot, Screw-On Head faces off against his arch-nemesis (and former manservant) Emperor Zombie ("Frasier" star Hyde Pierce.)

"Saturday Night Live" alum Shannon plays Screw's love interest, Patience the Vampire.

Rounding out the cast are Patton Oswalt from "King of Queens," as Mr. Groin, Screw's faithful manservant, and Mindy Sterling (Frau Farbissina in the "Austin Powers" movies), who plays the dual roles of zombie henchwomen Aggie and Geraldine.