'Fantastic Four' to be TV series
10-07-04, 09:58 AM
#1
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: IL
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'Fantastic Four' to be TV series
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/1...eut/index.html
Marvel Enterprises has cut a deal with France's Antefilms Prods. to produce an animated TV series based on Marvel's enduring "Fantastic Four" comic book characters.
The deal between Marvel and Antefilms is expected to be announced today at the MIPCOM international TV sales convention in Cannes, France. Marvel said it would produce 26 half-hour episodes targeted for premiere in the United States and other territories in late 2006.
The series is envisioned as another prong in the elaborate campaign to revive Marvel's Fantastic Four franchise -- about a group of astronauts who are transformed into superheroes after being exposed to radiation -- that will kick off in July with the release of the live-action feature from 20th Century Fox.
"What we are trying to do with our major brands is to support them in every way possible," Marvel Studios chairman and CEO Avi Arad said. "To support the franchise between sequels, we'll have the animated series, the video games (through Activision) and the merchandise licensing. We are just elated to be reintroducing this huge property."
Given the long history of the franchise, Arad said the new "Fantastic Four" series would aim for an all-ages audience a la "The Simpsons," with humor that works for adults who remember the original comics as well as kids who will be introduced to the characters next summer.
Under the terms of the TV series deal, Antefilms will fund all of the development costs and handle production and distribution outside the United States. Marvel will handle U.S. distribution and DVD distribution rights. The pact with Antefilms was spearheaded by Marvel's London office, headed by Marvel International president Bruno Maglione.
Plans for the "Fantastic Four" animated series come on the heels of Marvel's recent alliance with Lions Gate Entertainment for a series of animated direct-to-DVD titles based on the thousands of characters in Marvel's storied comic-book library.
Arad said that Marvel was in talks with several U.S.etworks to license the "Fantastic Four" series but that no formal deals have been nailed down for the show in any territories. Antefilms has two animated properties now airing in the United States on Cartoon Network, "Code Lyoko" and "Funky Cops."
The deal between Marvel and Antefilms is expected to be announced today at the MIPCOM international TV sales convention in Cannes, France. Marvel said it would produce 26 half-hour episodes targeted for premiere in the United States and other territories in late 2006.
The series is envisioned as another prong in the elaborate campaign to revive Marvel's Fantastic Four franchise -- about a group of astronauts who are transformed into superheroes after being exposed to radiation -- that will kick off in July with the release of the live-action feature from 20th Century Fox.
"What we are trying to do with our major brands is to support them in every way possible," Marvel Studios chairman and CEO Avi Arad said. "To support the franchise between sequels, we'll have the animated series, the video games (through Activision) and the merchandise licensing. We are just elated to be reintroducing this huge property."
Given the long history of the franchise, Arad said the new "Fantastic Four" series would aim for an all-ages audience a la "The Simpsons," with humor that works for adults who remember the original comics as well as kids who will be introduced to the characters next summer.
Under the terms of the TV series deal, Antefilms will fund all of the development costs and handle production and distribution outside the United States. Marvel will handle U.S. distribution and DVD distribution rights. The pact with Antefilms was spearheaded by Marvel's London office, headed by Marvel International president Bruno Maglione.
Plans for the "Fantastic Four" animated series come on the heels of Marvel's recent alliance with Lions Gate Entertainment for a series of animated direct-to-DVD titles based on the thousands of characters in Marvel's storied comic-book library.
Arad said that Marvel was in talks with several U.S.etworks to license the "Fantastic Four" series but that no formal deals have been nailed down for the show in any territories. Antefilms has two animated properties now airing in the United States on Cartoon Network, "Code Lyoko" and "Funky Cops."
10-07-04, 10:29 AM
#4
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: IL
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Fielding Mellish
Equating the FF to the Simpsons sends a cold shiver of fear down my spine.
Equating the FF to the Simpsons sends a cold shiver of fear down my spine.
10-07-04, 11:08 AM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
When I saw the title, I was seriously hoping for a live action show, but will be happy with this. 
(Even if I have no idea how to do Thing on a live-action weekly basis
)
(Even if I have no idea how to do Thing on a live-action weekly basis
)
10-07-04, 11:31 AM
#7
DVD Talk God
Cool. I seem to remember there being a mid 90's FF cartoon, right?
10-07-04, 01:03 PM
#8
DVD Talk Hero
When I saw this, I was deathly afraid that we would get a live action show, along the lines of the first (unreleased) FF movie...
Hmm... Herbie the robot or the Human Torch?
Hmm... Herbie the robot or the Human Torch?
10-07-04, 01:08 PM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Why didn't they use the Human Torch originally instead of Herbie? I read somewhere they were afraid young fans would try to set themselves on fire in attempt to impersonate the hero, but I find that hard to believe.
10-07-04, 01:16 PM
#10
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally posted by Deftones, Esq
Cool. I seem to remember there being a mid 90's FF cartoon, right?
Cool. I seem to remember there being a mid 90's FF cartoon, right?
10-07-04, 01:25 PM
#11
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: IL
Posts: 3,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Dr. DVD
I read somewhere they were afraid young fans would try to set themselves on fire in attempt to impersonate the hero, but I find that hard to believe.
I read somewhere they were afraid young fans would try to set themselves on fire in attempt to impersonate the hero, but I find that hard to believe.
10-07-04, 01:29 PM
#12
DVD Talk Hero
It's not that hard to believe. The Human Torch is pretty much a man on fire, and I could see whey they would be a little concerned that kids would try to emulate that without knowing the consequences. He was the brash, young member, which added a lot to the dynamic of the team, so I can't see them replacing him just to add a robot. Although they did randomly add a robot to Battle of the Planets because of the popularity of R2D2 in Star Wars, so if the FF cartoon was post Star Wars, that may have been another reason.
There was also a much older FF cartoon with very limited animation, and I have some vague recollection of some cartoon featuring a kid that could turn into the Thing (around the same time they had that cartoon with the superhero dog with the doghouse on his head...)
Didn't think the 90's FF (or Iron Man) cartoon was that good, certainly not on the level of BTAS or X-men or Spiderman. But to each his own.
Interestingly enough, in a new boxset of FF toys, they included both Herbie and HT...
Okay, back on topic. This "adult humor" thing is kinda scary... I think they would be better served to make this more of a kids show than something like the Simpsons. I can see his not wanting to compare it with DC's excellent animated series, but still. And if the movie bombs, I wonder how this would do. Even the wild success of the Spiderman movies couldn't sustain the follow-up cartoon series (the short lived MTV version, that is).
There was also a much older FF cartoon with very limited animation, and I have some vague recollection of some cartoon featuring a kid that could turn into the Thing (around the same time they had that cartoon with the superhero dog with the doghouse on his head...)
Didn't think the 90's FF (or Iron Man) cartoon was that good, certainly not on the level of BTAS or X-men or Spiderman. But to each his own.
Interestingly enough, in a new boxset of FF toys, they included both Herbie and HT...
Okay, back on topic. This "adult humor" thing is kinda scary... I think they would be better served to make this more of a kids show than something like the Simpsons. I can see his not wanting to compare it with DC's excellent animated series, but still. And if the movie bombs, I wonder how this would do. Even the wild success of the Spiderman movies couldn't sustain the follow-up cartoon series (the short lived MTV version, that is).
