PET ALIEN, Taffy Entertainments groundbreaking, new 3D, CGI character-comedy was acquired today (Nov. 22, 2004) by Cartoon Network to debut on the cablenet in the second quarter of 2005. The series started airing on Animania HD on Nov. 20 at 7:00 pm.
Things will be looking Smurfy, (which is a good thing) on the DIC Kids Network when it starts airing one of the worlds most popular and successful animated series in television history, THE SMURFS. DIC Entertainment (DIC) acquired the broadcast rights to 26 half-hour episodes of the hit series produced by Hanna-Barbera in the 80s from Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution.
The inspiration and music is from Japan but the animation talent and work is all done in America in Cartoon Networks new 2D series, HI HI PUFFY AMIYUMI. The 30-minute animated comedy about the fictional adventures of two very real-life Japanese pop stars, debuts Nov. 19, 2004, at 7:30 pm during Fridays, CNs popular primetime block of animated comedies.
The Disney Channel has ordered 21 half-hour episodes of EMPEROR'S NEWSKOOL, an animated series based on the 2000 Disney feature film EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE, to be produced by Walt Disney Television Animation.
Exec producer is Bobs Gannaway (LILO & STITCH: THE SERIES) with David Knott (RECESS) directing the series for 2006.
Disney has signed a multiyear, free television deal with Channel Four Finland (Nelonen) for the broadcast of movies, series, animation and telepics, reports VARIETY. The agreement sends f/x films like PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL and THE VILLAGE and animated series like DISNEY'S 101 DALMATIANS: THE SERIES and DISNEY'S DOUG to Finnish TV sets. Alison Homewood, Buena Vista Intl. TV vp, and Pirjo Airaksinen, Nelonen svp of programming, at brokered the deal.
The U.K.s Channel 4 plans to air a four-hour marathon rundown on the 100 favorite animated shows as voted for by the general public. 100 GREATEST CARTOONS will feature clips of the cartoons and interviews with the creators, celebrities and experts about their opinions of the list. Realizing the list of 105 nominated cartoons can't cater to everyone's tastes, voters will also be given voters the opportunity to list five other cartoons they feel ought to make it in this hall of fame.
While Comedy Central has had an impressive string of animated shows premiere this fall the new development slate for 2005 consists chiefly of live-action shows and a video game project. The all-comedy network has closed talent deals with Norm Macdonald and Jamie Kennedy, completed production on five new pilots, including two entertainment show parodies, and greenlit a concert film with network star Dave Attell, it was announced today (Nov. 16, 2004) by Lauren Corrao, svp, original programming and head of development, Comedy Central.
Cartoon Network in India chose JUNGLE TALES, a 3D animated series based on the classic Panchatantra folk tales to broadcast during the Diwali festival of lights season, Nov. 6-Nov. 12. 2004 at 2:00 pm. The new show is the eighth locally produced animated series to be aired on Cartoon Network and is also the first long format 3D series produced in India by Delhi-based Moving Picture Company India Ltd.
New Zealands first animated adult sitcom, BRO TOWN, has become a hit with audiences. Commissioned by TV3 NZ, BROTOWN follows THE SIMPSONS and garnered higher ratings, with its premiere getting a 74% share among 15 to 29 year olds. Subsequent weeks have continued to be consistently high, with a rise in both younger and older age groups.
Sci Fi Channel announced that it has ordered a second season of STARGATE ATLANTIS and a ninth season of STARGATE SG-1. The network has ordered 20 new episodes of each show from MGM Television Ent., and production on both is set to begin in March 2005 for summer premieres.
STARGATE ATLANTIS debuted in July and drew more than 4.2 million viewers, breaking ratings records. The second season will bring back stars Joe Flanigan, Torri Higginson, David Hewlett, Rainbow Sun Francks, Rachel Luttrell and Paul McGillion.
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, the longest-running holiday special in television history, will air its 40th anniversary broadcast Dec. 1 at 8:00 pm on the CBS Television Network. To celebrate, CBS announces its first-ever animated on-air promotional campaign that will feature 3D caricatures of current network personalities along with Rudolph and friends.
TOM GOES TO THE MAYOR, a new animated comedy series from creators Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim and exec producer Bob Odenkirk, redefines limited animation with its odd mix of photoreal cutouts in a fully-realized suburban environment. The half-hour comedy joins Cartoon Networks Adult Swim on, Nov. 14, 2004, at 11:30 pm.
It looks like TVs hottest format works in animation as Comedy Central orders up a second season of drawn together, television's first animated reality series after only three episodes of cable's new sensation have aired. The second season of DRAWN TOGETHER, created by Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser, will premiere during the fourth quarter of 2005 and consist of 15 episodes, including a reunion special.
Childrens entertainment producer/distributor Nelvana Limited in Toronto has partnered with entertainment and lifestyle brand company Zoup-ah!, based in Napa, California, to co-produce GASPERGOO and manage television distribution, merchandising and home video rights worldwide.
Amberwood Entertainment has licensed 26 half-hour episodes of its new animated series, THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR, to YLE for broadcast in Finland and TSR for broadcast in Switzerland.
This series, commissioned by Canada's Family Channel, was co-produced with Scotland's Red Kite Productions and has been licensed in numerous territories worldwide.
Beginning in November 2004, Nickelodeon Asia will air KAMPUNG BOY, which won the Best Animated Television Series award at the Annecy International Film Festival. Broadcast arrangements were negotiated by Syahrizan Mansor, director of programming and acquisitions for Nickelodeon Asia with Frank Saperstein, exec producer/creative director of pasi and Ira Tuffile, manager of media sales for the ASTRO Group.
G4techTV celebrates one of the biggest days of the year for videogame fans and viewers alike with HALO 2 Day, in honor of the release of HALO 2, the sequel to the best-selling Xbox game of all time from 9:00 am Nov. 9 to 4:30 pm, Nov. 10, 2004 on the only 24-hour television network plugged into games, gear, gadgets and gigabytes,
The entire day dedicated to this blockbuster release includes shows such as X-PLAY, CINEMATECH, G4TV.COM, THE SCREEN SAVERS and UNSCREWED WITH MARTIN SARGENT devoting programming entirely to HALO 2.
Barcelona-based D'Ocon Films Prods. have teamed with Belgian animation company Pixanime to co-produce the TV series, HANBAGUI, reports VARIETY. D'Ocon will run pre-production and post with the animation outsourced to China. HANBAGUI is a 3D series, which follows a shape-shifting blue-colored alien who becomes marooned on Earth. The show is targeted to kids 3-10.
D'Ocon has two other 3D series LEONARD and MALIKA -- in production with France's Ellipse Anime.
Nickelodeon, into its third week of presenting a festival of shorts to viewers, sees Comedy Central has jumped in on the action with its new shorts compilation show called, JUMP CUTS, that premieres Nov. 7, 2004, at 12:00 am, midnight. This half-hour for the next four Sundays is for late night, adult comedy viewing with an interesting mix of animation and live action with an encore presentation on Wednesdays at 2:00 am.
Cartoon Network honors U.S. Election Day, Nov. 2, 2004, with a special 24-times-repeated telecast of HARVEY BIRDMAN: ATTORNEY AT LAW. A brand new original episode entitled, "Guitar Control," will air 24 times from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am.
POW! Ent. Inc. has announced that it is developing an annual TV Christmas special based on the popular new children's book, STAN LEE'S SUPERHERO CHRISTMAS, published by Harper Collins. The company further anticipates the production of a DVD during the 4th quarter of 2005 to complement the animated annual specials.
NBC has pulled DreamWorks high-price tagged FATHER OF THE PRIDE from is schedule for the November sweeps rating period, reports REUTERS. NBC said the series will return for its unaired seven episodes, but no date has been set. For the fall season through Oct. 24, the CG series was tied for 42nd among household audiences.
As part of its horror movie line-up in celebration of Halloween, STARZ! will be hosting the STARZ! Hare-Raising Halloween Marathon, featuring the 30-Second Bunnies Theatre Troupe. The marathon begins at 9:00 pm ET/PT on Oct. 30, 2004, and runs through midnight of Oct. 31. Angry Alien Prods award-winning bunnies with re-enact SCREAM, FREDDY VS. JASON and THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE throughout the Halloween Marathon.
To give kids an extra treat, the all-new Kids WB! morning lineup on Oct. 30, 2004, will be packed with all-new Halloween scream-themed episodes.
The revised Saturday schedule includes all-new double airings of anime hits YU-GI-OH!: WAKING THE DRAGONS and POKÉMON: ADVANCED CHALLENGE.
Cartoon Network will offer a bag full of treats for the Halloween weekend including a three-hour block on Oct. 30, 2004, to feature the Scary Saturday Block Party; and the Billy and Mandy Dare-A-Thon will take over seven hours on October 31.
