G4 - videogame TV, the only 24/7 television network dedicated to videogames, and San Francisco-based Mondo Media, an award-winning production studio that creates animated entertainment for online, DVDs and videogames; announced they are forming a strategic partnership to co-produce content including shorts, series and promos for distribution on G4s air, online and through other new media outlets such as VOD.
THE LIFE & TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE, an animated comedy/adventure created by comicbook auteur Judd Winick, premieres May 30, 2005, at 7:00 pm on Cartoon Network and then will air regularly on Sunday nights at 7:30 pm. The series centers around 11-year-old Juniper Lee, a seemingly normal Asian American girl who possesses magical powers to protect the world.
The Discovery Channel will broadcast one of the major battles of the 20th Century, THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, as a one-hour cable show on May 29, 2005, at 8:00 pm with a rebroadcast at 10:00 pm. This is one of a series of historical shows produced by Morning Star Ent., with 3D-animated effects by Double Edge Digital, the Glendale, California studio that did the vfx on the first show of the series, ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA.
It must be in the cards that the month of May is a good time for fairies as the WINX CLUB joined Miguzi's Monday-Friday lineup on May 16, 2005 and now airs on the Cartoon Network afternoon adventure block at 5:00 pm. The action-packed series features teenaged fairies and witches use magical powers for both good and evil. The series also premiered this month (May 2) on Nickelodeon UK, as well as a trading card game at Toys "R" Us stores.
Seventeen French TV companies are attending the seventh meeting of French and Italian distributors and producers organized by TV France International, which will be held in Rome on May 19, 2005 at the Intercontinental Hotel and on the following day in Milan at the Sheraton Diana Majestic Hotel.
Italy is Frances second largest market for television productions, buying 10.64 million euros worth of French programs in 2003. Italy ranks sixth amongst countries participating with France in co-productions and presales in 2003.
On July 15, 2005, SCI FI Friday premieres with brand-new episodes of hit original series STARGATE SG-1 (8:00 pm), STARGATE ATLANTIS (9:00 pm) and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (10:00 pm). In addition to STARGATE SG-1's newest team member Ben Browder (FARSCAPE), Emmy winner Beau Bridges, Oscar winner Lou Gossett, Jr. and sci-fi favorite Mitch Pileggi (THE X FILES) have joined the STARGATE family. Bridges will join the cast of STARGATE SG-1 and will also appear in a several episodes of STARGATE ATLANTIS.
4Kids Ent. Inc. has acquired the worldwide licensing rights to CHAOTIC, Apex Marketing and Dracco Company Ltd.'s trading card game.
4Kids Entertainment will manage the licensing, marketing and promotional initiatives for this trading card property and will join creative forces with Apex Marketing to develop and produce an all-new children's animated series based on the property. 4Kids will jointly own the copyright to the television series, which is expected to debut on 4Kids TV in fall 2006.
Discovery HD Theater takes extraterrestrial coverage to the next level to the high definition level as it presents ALIEN PLANET on May 14, 2005 at 8:00 pm, the networks first ever simulcast event with the Discovery Channel. Continuing its out-of-this-world theme, on May 18 from 8-11:00 pm, Discovery HD Theater will present THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS, a special that reveals various types of Star Wars-like equipment in use today and in the development stages.
Toon Boom Animation announced that its software will be use to complete Alphanims ROBOTBOY and an educational series from Sophia Hilton Foundation of Canada in collaboration with the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and the Madras Craft Foundation.
Alphanim chose Toon Boom Opus for the production of ROBOTBOY, a series of 52 13-minute episodes. Co-produced with Cartoon Network Europe, France 3 and split among LuxAnimation (Luxemburg), Emation (Korea) and Monigotes (Spain), this traditional animation production is scheduled for primetime broadcast in the U.S.
Following rumors of the shows demise, HBO officially cancelled its supernatural sideshow drama, CARNIVALE. Sagging ratings and the departure of creator/exec producer Daniel Knauf to produce a new comedy series on Showtime were the top factors in the cable nets decision.
"We have decided not to renew CARNIVALE," said Carolyn Strauss, president of entertainment at HBO. "We feel the two seasons we had on the air told the story very well and we are proud of what everyone associated with the show has accomplished."
PorchLight Ent. has announced that Discovery Kids and Jetix Europe have ordered 13 new episodes of the Emmy award-winning animated series, TUTENSTEIN. The new episodes are scheduled for delivery in 2006. Discovery Kids Channel and Jetix Europe are the series partners in the U.S. and Europe respectively. In the U.S., Tutenstein airs on the Discovery Kids channel and the Discovery Kids Saturday morning block on NBC.
ABC and exec producer Robert Halmi Sr. have announced the international cast for its miniseries THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, reports the trades. Dougray Scott, Omar Sharif, Naveen Andrews, Mia Maestro and Linus Roache will headline the big-budget, four-hour telling of classic biblical tale of Moses. Ron Hutchinson (THE JOSEPHINE BAKER STORY) wrote the screenplay and Robert Dornhelm (TVs SPARTACUS) is directing.
20th Century Fox Television has signed a two-year overall deal with Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, exec producers and showrunners for Fox's new animated comedy, AMERICAN DAD. As part of the seven-figure deal, the duo will continue on AMERICAN DAD if it is renewed in addition to developing other half-hour projects for the network. Barker and Weitzmans credits also include NBCs FATHER OF THE PRIDE and the WBs OFF CENTRE.
Discovery Kids and WGBH are currently in production on an original new animated series, TIME WARP TRIO, that will debut on Discovery Kids on NBC this July. Kids television producer WGBH created the series, based on a popular book series, in association with Soup2Nuts.
PorchLight Ent. announced the appointment of MAX Ent. (MAX) as its new representative in Middle and South East Asia. Under the agreement, MAX will exclusively handle licensing and merchandising rights for PorchLights flagship preschool brand JAY JAY THE JET PLANE throughout Malaysia, Singapore, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East.
Criterion Ltd. & Rick Ungars Brentwood Television Funnies Inc. are producing a brand new animated series of the 1990s hit series, BIKER MICE FROM MARS.
Spike TV will adapt the successful theatrical franchise, BLADE, based on the cult favorite Marvel superhero, as a two-hour, action/adventure television movie in early 2006.
"The action-adventure genre is largely ignored in today's television landscape, and we know it is something that our male viewers really want," said Spike TV president Doug Herzog. "BLADE is a great movie franchise with an established brand that men already recognize and identify with."
SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS returns for a fourth season premiering with a new half-hour episode, Fear of a Krabby Patty/Shell of a Man, on May 6, 2005, at 8:30 pm on Nickelodeon (ET/PT). This episode about working stress is the first of 20 all-new adventures to premiere on Nick in 2005/2006.
A favorite of viewers of all ages, the series launched in July 1999 and has held rank as the number-one kids show on broadcast and cable television for three years. New SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS episodes will continue to air on Fridays at 8:30 p.m.
Nickelodeon Latin America and Mattel Latin America announced that after a very successful partnership during 2004, the companies have renewed their multi-platform agreement for a second consecutive year. The alliance goes beyond traditional advertising and includes original programming, online components, and programming rights for Nickelodeon centering on Mattel's MY SCENE property.
MTV Networks vice chairman Bill Roedy announced several new developments for its businesses in China, including a strategic partnership for digital music content with the world's second largest mobile player, China Mobile, and the premiere of locally produced animation and live-action programming created through its joint venture with the Shanghai Media Group (SMG) HAHA Nick.
Samuel L. Jackson is set to voice and produce the animated action/adventure AFRO SAMURAI for Spike TV, with Japanese anime studio Gonzo and Japan's largest TV network, Fuji Television. The five-episode series will premiere on Spike TV in 2006.
Pileated Pictures has completed 16 animated shorts that will open and close for the hit PBS show, BETWEEN THE LIONS, as well as a music video, which will air on several episodes.
The shorts are 30-second mini-rap songs, presenting vocabulary words highlighted within a particular episode. The shows cast of lions raps the lyrics, while Pileateds animation appears in thought bubbles above the big cats heads.
Fox Broadcasting Co. has arranged a great many varieties of animated sitcoms into a great bouquet to be presented to viewers on May Day, May 1, 2005, with the return of FAMILY GUY at 9:00 pm, debut of the AMERICAN DAD series, airing at 9:30 pm, KING OF THE HILL at 7:00 pm and, reportedly, 350th episode of THE SIMPSONS at 8:00 pm.
An all-day Mother's Day marathon celebration, an AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG marathon including an all-new episode, a Movin' and Groovin' with JoJo Week featuring dance-filled episodes of Playhouse Disney's JOJO'S CIRCUS and a THAT'S SO RAVEN Memorial Day marathon featuring guest stars Cyndi Lauper, Paula Abdul, Kathie Lee Gifford, Susan Lucci, Macy Gray, James Avery, Bobb'e J. Thompson and Ricky Ullman, are featured during May on Disney Channel. Also, new episodes of THE SUITE LIFE OF ZACK & CODY, LILO & STITCH: THE SERIES and BRANDY & MR. WHISKERS are presented.
The long awaited, highly requested STAR WARS: CLONE WARS VOLUME II (Chapters 21 - 25) premieres for TELETOON viewers on Wednesday, May 4, 10:00 pm on The Detour on TELETOON. This back-to-back "May the 4th be With You" special 90-minute presentation is a Canadian exclusive. VOLUME II picks up right where VOLUME I left off with a team of Jedi trapped in a wrecked starship on Hypori, being hunted maliciously by General Grievous.
