The animated feature film, MILLIONAIRE DOGS, saw its U.S. premiere Nov. 15, 2003 at 5:00 pm on Cartoon Network in its Cartoon Theatre slot, with an encore on Nov. 16 at 10:00 am, as well as future airings to be announced.
Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP) has announced that an animated preschool series based on H. A. and Margret Reys children's classic, CURIOUS GEORGE is in development with Imagine Entertainment and PBS-affiliate WGBH Boston. The series is scheduled to debut in early 2006 after the theatrical release of an animated CURIOUS GEORGE feature on November 4, 2005. The show will incorporate early childhood science and math educational content.
The Disney Channel will debut a new animated series DISNEYS DAVE THE BARBARIAN, from Walt Disney Television Animation, in January 2004. Created by Doug Langdale, DISNEYS DAVE THE BARBARIAN follows the comedic adventures of an offbeat family in the Middle Ages as they protect themselves and their kingdom from a world of odd foes. Dave is joined by his primping older sister Candy and his fierce younger sister Fang.
STAR WARS fans may get an animated fix as Cartoon Network starts airing in the U.S. STAR WARS: CLONE WARS, an epic micro-series consisting of 20 animated, three-minute shorts, beginning Nov. 7, 2003 at 8:00 pm.
As part of the Las Vegas Comic Con, Playhut Entertainment presented the North American debut of "Chinamation. The collection of animated TV series features China's top independent animators. Playhut hosted free screenings of DECHENG, WAY OF THE WARRIORS, LITTLE MONK, MIGHTY BUNCH and BIRD ISLAND. As well, the company gave attendees the chance to win limited edition DVDs of the "Chinamation" screeners.
In keeping in its tradition of parodying news events and topical controversies, South Parks senior citizens rise up in protest when their drivers licenses are revoked in an all-new episode, entitled Grey Dawn, premiering Nov. 5, 2003 at 10:00 pm on Comedy Central. The topic springboards from the incident in July 2003 when an elderly driver drove his out-of-control car into the busy farmers market in Santa Monica, California, killing and injuring many pedestrians and sellers.
Spike TV pulled its animation slate from its schedule in October 2003, putting its new entries GARY THE RAT, STRIPPERELLA and REN & STIMPY'S ADULT PARTY CARTOON on hold until early 2004, it was reported in TELEVISIONWEEK. This prompted industry speculation that the network for men may be retreating from creating animation for an adult audience.
The Kids' WB! 2003-2004 fall schedule launch continues with new programming for the season including the comedy-adventure series XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN, the next installments of YU-GI-OH!: ENTER THE SHADOW REALM and POKÉMON: ADVANCED and TEEN TITANS on Saturday mornings, beginning November 1, 2003.
Fox Kids Europe is taking its U.K. channel round the clock starting Nov. 3, 2003, in one of the most competitive kids markets in the world. The channel had been broadcasting from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. The kids net plans to tap into the young, early risers, as well as those adult fans keen to tune into the channels late night POWER RANGERS, classic 80s animation and Marvel programming.
A special Halloween-themed episode of CYBERCHASE, "Trick or Treat," premieres Oct. 28, 2003 (check local listings) as part of a "Creature Feature" week invading PBS KIDS on PBS. The award-winning PBS series, ARUTHUR, will also dole out five Halloween-themed episodes, airing Oct. 27-31.
The Anime Network is taking its Demand Your Anime campaign to the 1st Annual Las Vegas Comic Con, Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 2003 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The first dedicated anime network in the U.S. hopes to tap into the throngs of anime fans that will attend the event to show consumer demand for the network to cable operators. The Demand the Anime Network campaign combines a direct mail component targeting cable carriers across the country with a sweepstakes opportunity for consumers to win a 2004 Honda Civic Si.
San Francisco-based Wild Brain will co-produce the latest Corsham Entertainment (U.K.) show, NATURAL BORN KITTENS, a 26x30 teenage comedy anime series about four ancient Egyptian cat goddesses posing as teenage schoolgirls.
Nickelodeon rattles a five-day chain of Halloween specials for Shriek Week -- October 27-Friday, October 31, 2003 -- featuring spooky episodes premieres of THE ADVENTURES OF JIMMY NEUTRON, BOY GENIUS, CHALKZONE, DORA THE EXPLORER and MAX & RUBY and a morning-till-night marathon on Halloween Day.
The WB offers scary-family-fun during its first-ever all-original Halloween themed programming lineup on October 24, 2003 (8:00-10:00 pm). The WB will kickoff the fright-night festivities with the second original primetime special for the network, A SCOOBY-DOO HALLOWEEN (8:00 pm), followed by BUGS BUNNY'S HOWL-OWEEN SPECIAL (8:30 pm) and the hilarious horrors in THE WB'S OUTRAGEOUS HALLOWEEN OUTTAKES (9:00-10:00 pm). On Oct. 25, Kids WB! Offers a holiday-themed episode of JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES.
HIT Ent. announced multiple international deals for its properties BARNEY, ANGELINA BALLERINA, THOMAS & FRIENDS and BOB THE BUILDER at MIPCOM.
Dubai TV has launched BARNEY on free TV in the Middle East, The program debuted there in 2000 and has seen growing success. A live show is underway for early 2004. As well, the series has been licensed to Hong Kong ATV World Channel. In addition, video deals have been signed for Argentina, Peru and Chile.
FRANNYS FEET lead to an impressive showing at MIPCOM Jr. amongst DECODE Entertainments many offerings at MIPCOM 2003. The delightfully illustrative digital 2D animated show (13x30 or 3x7 per half hour) placed eighth in the MIPCOM Jr. screenings.
Corus Entertainments Nelvana pearched on top of the Palais sales activities in its usual penthouse stand at MIPCOM 2003 with a strong lineup of new releases and a sneak peak at a powerful roster of developing titles. Headlining the new show slate were OSCARS ATLAS, THE MALL, DELTA STATE and BACKYARDIGANS.
RAI Trade held a special launch reception for its new edutainment series, AMAZING HISTORY, at its stand during MIPCOM. The series strives to explain, in an entertaining manner for kids and adults, great historical events via live-action and lots of computer graphics, narrated by 3D animated hosts Mr. Chan, an alien from Mars, and Betty the sheep. They are tutored by the impeccable Prof.
POLICE ACADEMY: THE SERIES producer Steve Levitan and CLONE HIGH writers Phil Lord and Chris Miller have signed a deal to create, write and exec produce an animated series for FOX, based on Phil Hendrie, the critically-acclaimed KFI-AM talk show host, reported DAILY VARIETY. Hendrie will serve as co-exec producer and main voice talent for the series.
Although Christopher Grace recently stepped own as the champion of animation at Welsh broadcaster S4C, its distribution arm still is very much in the animation game as S4C International presented two children's animation pilots at MIPCOM. TIFF was created by Siriol and KIRK was created by Cart_n Cymru. Grace, co-founder of S4C, will help produce the two shows. S4C hopes to strike co-production deals for both projects.
In addition, S4C presented 20 hours of new documentaries to be sold at the market
Announced in connection with its visit to MIPCOM, ICON Animation has signed multiple international deals.
Upon the deals struck at MIPCOM, Banjax will be taking its new show GENE-FUSION to Brand Licensing London, running October 28-29, 2003. The 26x22 series is set to go in production in January after broadcast deals are sealed with partnerships formed at MIPCOM.
MTV Networks International (MTVNI) announced at MIPCOM that it would handle the international distribution and licensing for Comedy Central and Spike TV properties. Both Comedy Central and Spike TV are wholly owned by MTV Networks. Comedy Central airs animated programs SOUTH PARK and KID NOTORIOUS and Spike TV airs THE REN & STIMPY ADULT PARTY CARTOON, GARY THE RAT and STRIPPERELLA.
Dick Clark Prods. has acquired the rights to comic strip LUANN to develop it into a live-action TV series. The comic chronicles Luann, a typical teenage girl who encounters the day-to-day horrors of adolescence. Fred Bronson (AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS) will shepard the project with Dick Clark Prods.' Nicole Raffanello and Larry Klein.
"I realize that adolescence is a very funny time except when you're in it," said comic creator Greg Evans. "It's a unique phase in life that's troublesome and hilarious at the same time, particularly for girls."
SOUTH PARK is back with eight new episodes with a blatant attempt to ride the coattails of all the new hit shows with a fashionable queer sensibility, as Comedy Central proclaims SOUTH PARK is gay. Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny continue to wreak havoc in their small mountain town when all-new episodes begin airing on Wednesday, October 22 at 10:00 pm on Comedy Central. Now, theyll be doing it with more flair and style.
