THQ Inc. on Monday said that it entered into a multi-year agreement with Mexican director Guillermo del Toro to create an original trilogy of games evoking the style of his Hellboy and Pan’s Labyrinth movies.

The first game is expected to launch in 2013. THQ said it will own the intellectual property rights to the series, called inSANE, and del Toro will hold the rights to any movies derived from it. The series aims to “deliver an unprecedented cinematic experience while redefining storytelling in gaming,” the company said.

“Guillermo is not only an incredibly gifted writer and film director, but also an avid gamer,” said Danny Bilson, executive vice president of THQ’s Core Games unit. “We are confident his unique point of view will create visually stunning adventures, filled with rich and rewarding game play.”

Shares were down 6 cents, or less than 1 percent, to $5.74 on the Nasdaq.