Details on New Transformers Cartoon Revealed

[GrnMarvl14]

Original source.

Entertainment Rights (ER) has secured rights to the new Transformers animated television series from toy giant Hasbro, as well as agreeing a raft of international deals for its key properties following MipTV.

ER now has worldwide (excluding Latin America, North America and certain Asian territories) TV and video-on-demand distribution rights to Transformers (26x30') plus a 70-minute Transformers special. ER now represents four seasons of the show, totalling 154 episodes.

The new series has a good deal of talent onboard, including Sam Register, exec producer of Ben 10, Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi and Teen Titans; Vincent Aniceto, line producer (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, Power Puff Girls); and Marty Isenberg, head writer (Danny Phantom, A.T.O.M., X-Men, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). In addition, Derrick Wyatt, character designer for smash hit Teen Titans, will take the role of lead designer.

The new 2D style that will be the show's trademark harks back to the original 20-year-old cartoon, but according to ER, the new Transformers has a different audience in mind.

In other ER news, the company has sold a number of its key properties around the world following MipTV last month.

In addition to international TV deals for Rupert Bear, which has been acquired by France 5, Super RTL in Germany and Kidz Entertainment in Scandinavia, ER has finalised home entertainment agreements in France, Poland, Portugal, Greece, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Taiwan, South Africa and Turkey. Also, Viva Entertainment has acquired home entertainment rights for distribution across the Middle East.

TV deals have been concluded for The Basil Brush Show with Spanish broadcaster TVE as well as Cartoon Network in France and Spain. ER also said that following the international success of Casper's Scare School movie, with sales to TFI France, Super RTL in Germany and Cartoon Network UK, it has started pre-sale negotiations on a brand new Casper's Scare School animated TV series. A number of deals are under negotiation across major European markets.

While I liked the Teen Titans series, I was never a huge fan of the character designs. And the discussion of a "new target audience" is...never a good thing. Plus, there's been talk of Tom Kenny (of Spongebob Squarepants fame) doing the voice of Starscream. I guess we'll see what, exactly, happens.