Brutal Legend Drops Dio in Favour of Curry

Former Black Sabbath singer Ronnie James Dio has been bumped from the Brutal Legend all-star lineup, replaced by Rocky Horror Picture Show star Tim Curry.

Dio--credited with popularising the metal horns hand gesture Brutal Legend frequently throws--was to voice a character named Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil.

"Ronnie James Dio is an amazing singer and truly one of the great figures of Metal, but as the character of Doviculus evolved, we realized that Tim Curry was a better fit for the part," said Double Fine founder Tim Schafer. "Anyone who has seen his amazing performance as the Lord of Darkness in the movie Legend knows why we cast him."

Brutal Legend is scheduled to be released October 13 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, though once-would-be publisher Activision has sued to block the game's release.