Corus Ent.s Nelvana has announced a co-production agreement with Weta Workshop for the comedy-adventure series JANE AND THE DRAGON. The 26x30 animated show, based on the book series by writer Martin Baynton, will be targeted to the six to 11-year-old audience.
Set in Medieval times, the series follows the exploits of 13-year-old girl, Jane, who is a Knight of the Kings Guard that keeps a giant green dragon in her backyard.
Anime Network has acquired the U.S. TV rights for COMIC PARTY from Right Stuf Int'l. Anime Network has obtained all 13 half-hour episodes of the anime comedy series.
Alliance Atlantis has announced is has secured broadcast deals with Channel Five and BSKYB in the U.K. and an Australian broadcast deal with ABC TV Australia for its new CGI animated childrens property, DRAGON BOOSTER. U.K. digital TV platform BSKYB secured Pay-TV rights to the series, which will air on Sky One, the U.K.'s leading non-terrestrial entertainment channel, staring in January 2005. Channel Five, who secured Free-TV rights, will air the series in their branded "Shake" block on Saturdays in 2005.
Beginning in April, Spectra Animation will begin production on a new animated series titled, TOPPY AND BINOO. The 26x25 series is geared toward pre-schoolers and was developed and commissioned by Treehouse Original Prods. The series is set to air in September 2005.
Based on the successful book series by Dominique Jolin, who is participating the production the TV series, the story follows Toopy and his friends as they traverse Toppy's comical imaginary world. Dominique Mendal will produce with Raymond Lebrun and Nicolas Lemay directing.
20th Century Fox Television has officially committed to producing a minimum of 22 new half-hour episodes of Seth MacFarlanes Emmy Award-winning animated comedy series, FAMILY GUY, more than two years after the series aired its last original episode. The move comes on the heels of the series elevation to pop culture phenomenon, as demonstrated by its enormous success on DVD and on the Cartoon Network.
In conjunction with its first-ever Upfront event for Adult Swim, Cartoon Network made a number of announcements concerning six new shows, three new acquisitions, greenlights of two existing shows and future programming events. The announcement see projects with Hollywood stars Seth Green (AUSTIN POWERS) and Jack Black (SCHOOL OF ROCK) and animation stars Matt Groening and Seth McFarlane. As well, AQUA TEEN HUNGER FORCE and SEALAB 2021 will both return with 13 more episodes and HARVEY BIRDMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW will make its return to the line-up on April 18.
Flanders Images' presence at MIP-TV is in an effort to broaden the reach of productions from Flanders and Brussels, Belgium. Animation presented at this year's conference will be coming from such companies as Big Bad Wolf Productions and Be-FILMS.
Icon Animation will be bringing a full slate of animated projects to MIP-TV. The company hopes to secure distribution and co-production deals for its various series.
VITAMINIX (31x2) is Icon's first co-production with Digital y Cual. The series seeks to introduce the world of food and their vitamin and mineral content to adults and children. The Flash production is finished and available worldwide.
Scholastic Entertainment, producers of CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG and THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS, will be presenting top performing properties at MIP-TV 2004, headlined by the new animated series, MAYA & MIGUEL at booth G3.37. The new comedy chronicles the adventures of 10-year-old twins Maya and Miguel as they figure out how to leave their stamp on the vibrant world around them.
Sesame Workshop arrives at MIP-TV with previous hits like DRAGON TALES and SAGWA, THE CHINESE SIAMESE CAT as well as a newly greenlit second season of PLAY WITH ME SESAME.
VGI Entertainment Inc. will be presenting three pre-school series in its booth R28.13 at MIP-TV. The series include SERGEANT STRIPES, EBB AND FLO and BLANCHE.
Produced by Ealing Animation and A Works TV Production in association with CBBC, SERGEANT STRIPE (26x10) features Stripes, a police station cat, who dreams he is a police sergeant with his very own police force. VGI launched the new 2D series at MIPCOM 2003 and the show receives a 33% audience share across all channels kids4-6 year olds for the BBC.
PorchLight Entertainment will be offering eight new feature length live-action movies for MIP-TV along with four animated movies and a collection of classic childrens stories to its booth Ri34.03.
"This sets a record in terms of quality and number of movies and specials introduced by us at a major sales market," said PorchLight president Bruce Johnson.
Sony Pictures Television International (SPTI) is bringing its big animated series, ASTRO BOY, to MIP-TV at stand M5.01. ASTRO BOY is amongst a diverse slate from SPTI, which includes Stephen Kings KINGDOM HOSPITAL, JOAN OF ARCADIA, MISSING, THE RESIDENTS, BEWITCHED IN TOKYO, SEA OF SOULS and POOR ANASTASIA.
Netherlands-based AVRO will be bringing Lloyd Entertainment's first TV production, DIP & DAP at MIP-TV. The series began airing in The Netherlands and Belgium in fall 2003. New series of episodes are already in production. The show follows baby giraffes, male Dip and female Dap, as they meet their new surroundings. The characters and animation are based on illustrations by Jet Middag. The first series of 10x5 episodes was geared for children from 2 and up.
U.K. production company Corsham Entertainment has agreed in principle to co-produce with Japanese anime production company Madhouse the 26x30 plus comedy/anime series for teens, NATURAL BORN KITTENS.
Corsham was founded by Oscar-winning STAR WARS producer Gary Kurtz and BIONICLE co-creator Alastair Swinnerton, while Madhouse is one of the top studios in Japan, with credits ranging from feature films NINJA SCROLL, METROPOLIS, VAMPIRE HUNTER D, ANIMATRIX, MILLENNIUM ACTRESS and TOKYO GODFATHERS to TV series CARDCAPTORS and BEYBLADE.
Since launching the integrated brand management company Elastic Rights two years ago in Spain, Ignacio Orive has been busy signing multimedia partners for his diverse slate of projects and selecting new properties to represent in the Iberian and Italian markets. Animated properties he is taking to MIP-TV include FLASH KICKER, and CAILLOU.
At MIP-TV, Elastic Rights will be based on the Spanish producers stand FAPAE/ICEX, R31.29.
Evergreen Entertainment will be offer at MIP-TV the first screen images for STARK RAVEN: THE MOVIE, an 85-minute original movie based on the popular comic books created and written by Ken Smith.
STARK RAVEN: THE MOVIE is an action-packed animated feature film, created and developed by Smith, written by Jono Howard, produced by Steve Walsh, and directed by Hervé Bédard, aimed at a 16+ demographic. Now in production, it will be delivered in spring 2005.
Fox Kids Europe (FKE), will launch PUCCA at MIP-TV, an animated TV series based on the funky, cult Korean property created by VOOZ Co., Ltd. FKE has acquired all television and home video rights for the whole of Europe and the Middle East, for the 24x2.5 animated short PUCCA series.
MicroTainment is offering THE FROST FAMILY, a half-hour animated series for primetime at MIP-TV. The combination 2D/3D series will be available for fall 2005. Micortainment will be located in the Canadian Pavilion, #0.01, on the main floor of the Palais.
Manchester-based animation house Cosgrove Hall will offer six new series at MIP-TV 2004 at the Granada stand R38.01.
CODEWARRIORS (26x30) is the company's first foray into CGI/live action mix. The series was commissioned by CITV. The hi-tech adventure series follows online gamers playing to save the world.
The CGI, sci-fi series BLUE DOG BLUES follows a blue dog, a biscuit and an anti-scratch cone. Starting as a short film, Cosgrove Hall is looking for co-production partners to produce a primetime family series.
DECODE Entertainment will have two animated series available at MIP-TV -- pre-school hit FRANNY'S FEET and 2D adventure show KING. Other product includes THE SAVE-UMS! and THE BLOBHEADS. During the market, DECODE will be based on the Don Juan boat, Jette Albert-Edouard, phone +33.04.9.298.7124.
Toonz Animation India Pvt. Ltd. has inked $4.5 million contract with ANI21 to produce the animated television series TWIN PRINCES, according to Toonz ceo P. Jayakumar. The 52x23 series, which includes a six-minute trailer, will be a blend of 2D and 3D animation.
DISNEYS BRANDY & MR. WHISKERS and DISNEYS AMERICAN DRAGON: JAKE LONG will join the Disney Channel new season schedule while Toon Disney and ABC Family will add three new series, SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO from Walt Disney Television Animation, the mid-season series W.I.T.C.H. from SIP Animation, based on the fast-selling international comic magazine from Disney Publishing; and DRAGON BOOSTER from Alliance Atlantis.
Novel Entertainment (U.K.) has joined forces with Carlton International (U.K.) and Zinkia Entertainment (Spain) to develop and produce their pre-school co-production POCOYO.
DreamWorks has announced that Eddie Murphy will be reprising his Donkey role from the SHREK feature in the company's upcoming FATHER OF THE PRIDE TV series, which will air on NBC in the fall, reported VARIETY. Murphy joins a superstar list of guest voices, which includes Lisa Kudrow, Danny DeVito, Matt Lauer, Andy Richter and Christina Applegate. The regular cast includes John Goodman, Cheryl Hines, Carl Reiner and Orlando Jones.
