The first two episodes of the BRB Internacional and Telecinco (Spain) co-production GLADIATOR ACADEMY (26 x 30 minutes) will be available at MIP-TV 2002. The show is targeted to 6 to 10 year-olds and follows the adventures of a family of young gladiators living on a Mediterranean island during the Roman Empire. Another BRB animated series making its debut at MIP-TV is THE INVISIBLE MAN (26 x 30 minutes), which is currently in pre-production. This series combines 2D and 3D animation and is geared to 8 to 12 year-olds. BRB will also present the young-adult themed ANGUS AND CHERYL (26 x 26 minutes) and the adventures of ZIP & ZAP (52 x 13 minutes), based on the best-selling Spanish comic. BRB Internacional acquired the TV rights to this property last year, from Spanish publishing house Ediciones B. Billed as Spain's answer to DENIS THE MENACE, the comic has been updated for the 21st century, and features terrible twins, Zip and Zap in a "cool futuristic setting." Two episodes of this series will be available for screening. BRB Internacional, which is handling worldwide rights for ZIP & ZAP, is looking to secure international co-production partners at MIP-TV. On the feature film front, Screen 21, BRB´s new animation feature film division, will present its first project, ROMEO & JULIET. Screen 21 has reinvented the classic play giving it a new twist, the age-old rivalry between cats and dogs. Romeo, a dog, and Juliet, a cat, have hated each other since childhood, but their families' dream of the day they will marry and live together. Finally, BRB will present their previously announced animated series PIRATE SCHOOL, which has been picked up by the BBC.
