DECODE Ent.'s mega-hit FRANNY'S FEET begins its third season in the U.S. on Nov. 3, 2008 on PBS KIDS, when the eponymous star will embark on thirteen new adventures in Austria, Tibet, Israel, Africa, Great Britain, and ancient Greece and Egypt.
Two new series from DIC Ent. are coming to CBS' Saturday morning children's block KEWLopolis, beginning Saturday, Nov. 3. DINO SQUAD (13x30) and SUSHI PACK (26x11), the latter a co-production of American Greetings Properties and DIC, are both targeted towards girls and boys ages 9-11.
Joss Whedon is making his return to TV in a 20th Century Fox TV-produced sci-fi series titled DOLLHOUSE, reports VARIETY. Whedon will serve as exec producer/showrunner/creator/writer.
Rodney, New Zealand-based La Luna Studios is set to launch five new animated kids' TV series. The two-year project, the largest yet for the fledgling studio, represents a significant step for the New Zealand entertainment industry.
"If New Zealand want to be leaders in the digital content arena, then companies should look at creating their own production instead of being just service providers for the rest of the world," said La Luna's founder and director Cris Casares, who noted that the series will create a significant bank of intellectual property for the company.
Nickelodeon International has secured broadcast rights in six territories for the 30x11 kids' series FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT, reports KIDSCREEN. The deals for the CCI Ent. CG series based on the acclaimed book by Curtis Jobling include Spain, Benelux, Southeast Asia, Australia, Latin America and Israel. CBBC, ABC Australia, France 3 and Cartoon France have already signed up for the series. FRANKENSTEIN'S CAT is produced by Manchester, England's Mackinnon & Saunders and Kayenta Production, based in Paris.
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is launching two new channels in Africa -- the general entertainment channel Sony Entertainment Television (SET), and Animax, the anime channel, in November on MultiChoice's digital pay-TV satellite platform DStv.
Launching under the tagline "100% Entertainment," SET features a mix of programming genres for the 15-49 age group. Currently seen in 100 countries, reaching more than 70 million households and broadcast in three languages, SET makes its debut in Africa on November 2.
The looming writers strike has claimed its first victim -- NBC has cancelled plans for HEROES: ORIGINS, reports VARIETY. The planned six-episode spinoff would have been an anthology series revealing the origin of a new hero each episode. Eli Roth, Kevin Smith and Michael Dougherty (SUPERMAN RETURNS) had been tapped to write and direct an episode each. Insiders are saying that, like all superhero deaths, the permanency of the move is never certain. Some say the new show could make a valiant return as soon as next season.
4Kids Ent. has signed broadcast licensing agreements with several global broadcasters, including Mexico's Televisa, for the license of their animated series VIVA PINATA.
DreamWorks' SHREK THE HALLS, a new half-hour of entertainment starring America's favorite ogre and his friends, will air Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 8:00 p.m. (ET) on the ABC Television Network.
Jetix Europe has started broadcasting its first localized channel in Bulgaria, C21 MEDIA reports. Though the channel has been available in Bulgaria since 1998, children in the Balkan region will now be able to enjoy their favorite shows in their own language via Bulgaria's major cable and satellite platforms. To begin, 30% of the channel's output will be in Bulgarian, with an increase to 100% projected for early 2008.
TV-Loonland has secured a raft of new content deals for its cross-platform series THE OWL (52x1), which was recently picked up by the BBC.
THE OMEN writer David Seltzer is writing a new horror series, 99 STORIES, for American Movie Classics, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Seltzer is developing the project with THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES exec producer James Middleton and Steven Banks.
The story follows a group of people asked to tour a newly built 99-story structure, who find themselves hopelessly trapped. The multipurpose building is run by a computerized brain, which determines who earns the right to move up toward the top.
The project is still in search of a studio.
Ronald D. Moore, exec producer, head writer and developer of SCI FI Channel's Emmy-winning BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, will make his directorial debut on the series. The episode, which Moore will also pen, is scheduled to begin lensing just before Thanksgiving.
"I've thought about directing for a long time and this season seemed like the time to finally take the plunge," stated Moore. "It'll be great to be working with the BSG family of cast and crew for my first experience behind the camera, and I'm really looking forward to it."
SCI FI Channel has greenlit a two-hour pilot for the dramedy WAREHOUSE 13, according to the trades. The show was created by FARSCAPE creator Rockne O'Bannon, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA co-exec producer Jane Espenson and D. Brent Mote.
Described as a cross between X-FILES, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and MOONLIGHTING, the Universal Media Studios production follows two FBI agents who are resigned to hunt down supernatural artifacts and place them in Warehouse 13, a top-secret facility in South Dakota.
SCI FI hopes to debut the series in the summer.
HIT Ent. has announced that the U.K.'s Five and Cartoonito have licensed a mix of new and existing FIREMAN SAM programming, which is scheduled for broadcast in Spring 2008.
Parthenon Kids has optioned the rights to RESCUE ROOKIES (52x5), a new series from the U.K.'s Bada Bling created by the designer of BOB THE BUILDER, reports C21 MEDIA. Parthenon Ent.'s children's production and distribution arm will have exclusive multimedia rights to develop the series further, and will seek international broadcasters for the property.
Dutch distributor Telescreen has joined with WMG Beheer, the holding company of Holland's CNR Entertainment, to develop and produce new children's animation properties, C21 MEDIA reports. Their first venture will be WESTERN MACARONI, described as "an anime-style Western fairytale." The alliance also includes the production of FROG & FRIENDS (26x7), based on the acclaimed children's books by Max Velthuijs.
SCI FI Channel has renewed STARGATE ATLANTIS (with vfx from Rainmaker Visual Effects) for an all-new 20-episode fifth season. Produced and distributed by MGM Television, STARGATE ATLANTIS is set to resume production in early 2008.
ABC has given the go-ahead for a full season of the fantasy dramedy PUSHING DAISIES, according to the trades. Warner Bros. TV will produce the back nine episodes, bringing the total to 22. The show is receiving the best reviews of all new series and is bringing in solid ratings, winning its Wednesday 8:00 pm timeslot for three weeks straight.
Playhouse Disney, the new multiplex channel from Family Channel launching November 30, 2007, today announced its programming lineup for the fall 2007 and winter 2008 seasons. The channel will offer exclusive, first-run programs from Disney together with celebrated Canadian series to create an environment of fun and learning for younger children.
Following on the heels of Disney's mega-successful HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, Raven Moon Ent. announced today that it is producing GINA D'S PRE-SCHOOL MUSICAL, an eight-hour TV miniseries and DVD box collection for preschool kids. Raven Moon co-founders and executive producers Joey and Bernadette DiFrancesco have written and produced the first one-hour installment. DLT Entertainment, Ltd. in New York is handling worldwide distribution.
Toronto-based Marblemedia and US/Canadian producer Blueprint Entertainment have partnered to produce the prime-time series THE DATING GUY (13x30), reports C21 MEDIA. The show, which is slated to premiere in late 2008, will be broadcast on Teletoon's teen/adult programming block The Detour.
THE DATING GUY was created by Marblemedia partners Matt Hornburg and Mark Bishop (THIS IS EMILY YEUNG, ADRENALINE PROJECT). It explores the struggles of a twentysomething male as he seeks the elusive Holy Grail of love (or a reasonable facsimile thereof).
France's Marathon Media has concluded several new deals for its leading kids shows MONSTER BUSTER CLUB, FAMOUS FIVE ON THE CASE and TOTALLY SPIES, reports C21 MEDIA.
MONSTER BUSTER CLUB (52x56), which was pre-sold to Super RTL in Germany, has been picked up by RTVE (Spain), RTV (Slovenia), RTE (Ireland), LNK (Lithuania), Arabic network MBC, Radio Canada and Denmark's TV2. Additional negotiations are in progress in the U.S., Italy, Turkey, Singapore, South Africa and Brazil.
Steve Shill, who has helmed episodes of ROME and DEXTER, will direct NBC's two-hour pilot for KNIGHT RIDER, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Exec producer Doug Liman was considering directing the project, but his feature commitments would not allow it.
Dave Andron, who wrote the pilot, is the supervising producer. Dave Bartis is also an exec producer for Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Prods.
Cookie Jar Ent. has reached an all-rights agreement with Tele München Gruppe for the company's newest boys action-adventure series MAGI-NATION. Tele München's Licensing and Merchandising arm, CTM, will serve as the exclusive agent for the show in Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Benelux.
