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Film Roman to Adapt ‘Modern World’ Comic for TV

Phil Roman and Jeff Segal to executive produce animated TV series based on the award-winning comic strip written and inked by Dan Perkins.

LOS ANGELES -- Film Roman announced today that it has acquired an option to adapt This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow, the long-running, award-winning comic strip written and inked by Dan Perkins, as an episodic animated series.

This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow has been carried by publications across the country for more than twenty-five years, appearing in the New York Times, The New Yorker, Spin, Mother Jones, Esquire, The Economist and The American Prospect.

Perkins said, “Film Roman is the ideal company to produce a series based on the strip, considering its immensely successful track record over the years.”

Steve Waterman, CEO of Film Roman, said, “We are exceptionally pleased and excited to be working with Dan to adapt his fiercely insightful and hilarious strip for television or digital. With its large and enthusiastic following, it’s a show that could work in a broadcast, cable or streaming environment, and we’re going to explore all of those options.”

The highly-respected IDW Publishing will also release two new “This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow” compilations this month -- as trade paperbacks featuring Tom Tomorrow strips from the last three years, as well as a massive two-volume “This Modern World” hardcover career retrospective covering the last quarter century.

Here’s a peek at what’s inside:

Executive producing will be legendary animator Phil Roman, who founded Film Roman and is known for such hits as How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Garfield, Bobby’s World, and his work on The Simpsons, King of The Hill, and Peanuts specials.

Executive producer Jeff Segal is in charge of developing This Modern World for Film Roman. Jeff Segal, former president of Universal Cartoon Studios and vice president of Hanna-Barbera. According to Segal “The show, targeting essentially the same demographic as The Simpsons, will tackle hot button social and political issues, with Dan’s trademark brand of rapier wit and edgy satire.”

Film Roman is the legendary animation studio responsible for producing The Simpsons, King of The Hill, Family Guy, Tom & Jerry -- The Movie and Ultimate Spider-Man. The company was recently acquired by Waterman Entertainment, Inc., the producing force behind the Stuart Little and Alvin & The Chipmunks franchises along with other memorable children’s motion pictures and family entertainment television.

Source: Film Roman

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.