IDT Ent. has licensed all animation rights to the HELLBOY property from Revolution Studios and plans to develop animated content for television and home entertainment, as well as a full range of integrated marketing applications across all categories. The key creatives from live-action film on board for animated adventures to be produced at IDTâs animation studios in Los Angeles. IDT Ent. Sales will handle worldwide sales and Anchor Bay Ent., an IDT Ent. company, will distribute DVD/video product.
âHellboy is a seminal figure in the comicbook world and a proven winner in the feature film arena,â said Morris Berger, IDT Ent. ceo. âThis deal adds to the luster of our ever-growing library of intellectual properties with worldwide fan appeal. We believe Hellboyâs animated incarnation will benefit from our international sales, marketing, and distribution network.â
HELLBOY creator Mike Mignola and director Guillermo Del Toro (HELLBOY, THE DEVILâS BACKBONE) are creative producers and will be intimately involved in story development and animation style. Animation vet Tad Stones, (DISNEYâS ATLANTIS: MILOâS RETURN, BUZZ LIGHTYEAR OF STAR COMMAND: THE ADVENTURE BEGINS, DISNEYâS ALADDIN AND THE KING OF THIEVES), will be supervising director/supervising producer for IDT Ent. Lawrence Gordon and Lloyd Levin of Lawrence Gordon Prods. and Mike Richardson of Dark Horse Comics, who produced the 2004 live-action feature, will exec produce.
Ron Perlman (HELLBOY) and Selma Blair (LIZ SHERMAN), who headlined the feature film, will lead the voice cast for the animated versions of HELLBOY, based on the comicbook series by Mike Mignola.
âWe are excited to be working with IDT Ent. and look forward to a successful collaboration to bring the Hellboy character to an even wider audience,â said Revolution Studiosâ Daniel Ferleger
Hellboy was born in the flames of Hell and brought to Earth as an infant to perpetrate evil but is rescued from sinister forces by the benevolent Dr. Broom, who raised him to be a hero. Hellboy handles the most dangerous missions for Dr. Broomâs Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. He leads an unlikely family of agents, including a âmerman,â Abe Sapien; and the pyro-kinetic Liz Sherman, who can manifest and control fire.
The feature film HELLBOY has grossed more than $100 million worldwide. The HELLBOY comicbook series (available through Dark Horse Comics) is one of the industryâs biggest sellers.
Joe Roth formed revolution Studios in May 2000 to independently produce and finance films in partnership with Sony Pictures, Starz Ent. Group and Fox Ent. Group.
Newark, New Jersey-based IDT Ent. (www.idtentertainment.com) is a vertically integrated entertainment concern focused on developing, acquiring, producing and distributing computer-generated and traditionally animated productions and other productions for the film, broadcast and direct-to-consumer markets. IDT owns Film Roman (now DPS Film Roman), DKP Effects, Manga Ent., Anchor Bay Ent. Group, a controlling interest in Mainframe Ent. Inc. plus a minority equity interest in Vanguard Animation Llc. and Stan Lee�s POW! Ent.
IDT Ent. is a subsidiary of IDT Corp., an international telecom, entertainment, and technology company.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
