Batman Beyond: The Complete Series

Warner Bros. is releasing a complete series box set for their futuristic animated show, Batman Beyond. Taking a look at the future for DC Comics’ Dark Knight, Batman Beyond: The Complete Series presents over 52 episodes of the hit series, as well as all-new bonus featurettes and a 24-page, 8”x 12” collectible booklet. Batman Beyond: The Complete Series will be distributed by Warner Home Video on November 23, 2010 as a nine-disc limited edition DVD set for $99.98 (SRP).

Batman Beyond: The Complete Series follows Terry McGinnis, an ordinary teenager whose father was mysteriously murdered. Suspecting foul play at his father’s company, the Wayne/Powers Corporation, Terry meets Bruce Wayne and learns of a secret identity hidden for decades. Now too old to don the cape and cowl as Batman, Wayne refuses to help – so Terry does what any brash young kid would do: steal the Bat-suit and take matters into his own hands! Vowing to avenge his father’s death, Terry dons the high-tech suit tricked out with jet packs, a super-sensitive microphone and even camouflage capabilities in search of his father’s assassin. It’s 52 action-packed episodes following the adventures of the partnership between an ex-crime fighter and his apprentice, starring Will Friedle (Boy Meets World) as Terry McGinnis and, reprising his seminal role, Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series) as Bruce Wayne.

Casting throughout the series’ 52 episodes featured award winners from feature films, primetime television and the Broadway stage – from Paul Winfield, Stockard Channing and Seth Green to William H. Macy, Wayne Brady and Teri Garr – not to mention George Lazenby , Dan Castellaneta , Jodi Benson , George Takei and Henry Rollins.

An all-star production team was headed by executive producer Jean MacCurdy and producers Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett, Glen Murakami and Paul Dini. Writers on the series included Burnett and Dini, as well as Stan Berkowitz, Bob Goodman, Rich Fogel, Hilary Bader and John McCann.

Included in the beautifully custom designed package is a 24-page, 8”x 12” collectible booklet with the inside perspective and artwork from the vaults especially compiled by DC Comics for this release.

Three new bonus features created specifically for the Batman Beyond: The Complete Series are:

• Tomorrow Knight: The Batman Reborn
  The Batman Beyond creative team gives you a peek into the character of Terry McGinnis, and what made him worthy to become the new Caped Crusader.
• Gotham: City of the Future
  A look at Gotham City, circa 2039, and how the team built a realistic vision of the near future while remaining true to the city they created in Batman: The Animated Series.
• The High Tech Hero
  Explore the technology behind the Bat-suit, its amazing powers and the real world science that inspired it.

The collection will also contain the DC 75th anniversary documentary, Secret Origin: The Story of DC Comics.

“Batman Beyond was a landmark series as it created altogether new directions for the iconic character, and added dimensions for fans both old and new to the Batman mythology,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Sports Marketing. “Warner Home Video is proud to release this important series in an all-encompassing box set, just in time to make a perfect holiday gift for the ultimate fan.”

Transformers: Prime and G.I. Joe: Renegades, New Animated Series

This is something that I just stumbled across, in April Discovery Communications announced that they will launch a new cable network, The Hub, a multi-platform joint venture with Hasbro, Inc. The cable television network will feature original programming as well as content from Discovery’s library of award-winning children’s educational programming; from Hasbro’s rich portfolio of entertainment and educational properties built during the past 90 years; and from leading third-party producers worldwide. The network’s goal will be to entertain, enlighten, empower and educate children and their families.  The Hub lineup will include animated and live-action series, specials and game shows, and the network will extend its content through a robust and engaging online presence. The Hub will launch October 10, 2010 (10-10-10) reaching approximately 60 million U.S. households on what is currently Discovery Kids channel. The online home of The Hub is www.hubworld.com.

Now, why is this news on a geek site? The Hub will air reruns of Transformers Generation1 and G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. I think that its long over due for these two classic series to have another run on TV. And I’m surprised that neither the Cartoon Network or Boomerang have been showing these. These are two series that have endured the test of time with a strong fan base that seems to grow with time. And why its great that these two classic cartoons form the 80s will be shown again, that’s not all. There will be two new animated series, Transformers: Prime, and G.I. Joe: Renegades, that will be airing their first season of 26 episodes each on The Hub this fall.

There hasn’t bee a whole lot of details released about either show so far, but a partial list of voice actors for the series has been announced.

Transformers Prime

Cast includes: Peter Cullen (“Transformers” Trilogy – Optimus Prime), Frank Welker (“Transformers” Trilogy – Megatron), Gina Torres (“MadTV”), James Remer (“Dexter”), Josh Keaton (“Justice League: Circle of Two Earths”), Kevin Michael Richardson (“The Batman”), Markie Post (“The Fall Guy”), Jeffrey Combs (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Produced by Hasbro Studios.

G.I. Joe Renegades

Cast includes: Charlie Adler (“Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen”), Lee Majors (“Six Million Dollar Man”), Clancy Brown (“Shawshank Redemption”), Jason Marsden (“Batman: The Brave and the Bold”), Johnny Messner (“Tears of the Sun”) and Kevin Michael Richardson (“The Batman”) Produced by Hasbro Studios.

I think its awesome that Peter Cullen and Frank Welker, two voice actors from the origianl Transformers cartoons, will be reprising their roles of Optimus Prime and Megatron. And one of my personal favorites, Jeffrey Combs, who was pitch perfect as The Question on Justice League Unlimited, will take on the role of Ratchet.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Animation

Adult Swim has a crush on comic book character Scott Pilgrim. They’re crushing so hard that they have commercials announcing that Adult Swim wants to marry Scott Pilgrim. The commercial is to promote an animated short that is a flashback from volume two of the Scott Pilgrim comics, and will air in two parts on the Cartoon Network between two commercial breaks on August 12 between 12 and 12:30 AM.

“Being huge fans of the comic, and very excited about the film, we asked if we could produce an animated short in the style of the comic,” Adult Swim producer Jason DeMarco said. “The filmmakers and Bryan Lee O’Malley were into the idea, so we actually made it!”

The short, titled Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation is animated by Titmouse, Inc. and the live action film’s cast provide voiceover work for the short. Michael Cera and Allison Pill voice their characters from the film, Scott Pilgrim and Kim Pine, respectively, while Mae Whitman and Jason Schwartzman voice two characters that don’t appear in the live-action movie. Whitman is Lisa Miller, a friend of Scott and Kim’s, and Schwartzman is Simon Lee, a villain who has the hots for Kim.

The four-minute shorts show the beginning of the friendship between Scott and Kim, who ends up becoming the drummer in Scott’s band, Sex Bob-Omb. The short begins with Scott and Lisa meeting for the first time outside of the principal’s office. The animation style is heavily influenced from creator Bryan Lee O’Malley’s art style in the comic book, and there is a continuity bond between the novels, the film and the short.

If you happen to miss Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation when it premieres on Adult Swim you can catch it online at the Adult Swim website and the Scott Pilgrim and Adult Swim Facebook pages.

Dini Joins Ultimate Spider-Man Team

The news was released a few months ago that a new animated series, Ultimate Spider-Man, will be coming to Disney XD next year, and will be based on the comic book series by veteran writer Brian Bendis. Now, more news about the show was announced at Comic-Con International. Ben 10 creators Duncan Rouleau, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Steven T. Seagle, the team collectively known as “Man of Action” will be joining the project alongside Bendis himself.

And even bigger news for animation fans is that  veteran writer and producer Paul Dini will be joining the Ultimate Spider-Man team. Dini is known for his work on some incredible shows such as Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, the ABC television series Lost, and the Batman: Arkham Asylum video game.

MTV News has this interview with Dini who explained some of the team’s plan for the series and how it will differ from recent and existing Spider-Man cartoons. He also dropped some hints about what the upcoming “redefinition” of Peter Parker will entail.

MTV NEWS: First off, I have to ask about the roles you and the rest of the “Ultimate Spider-Man” creative team will play in the series. This is an all-star team, after all…

PAUL DINI: We’re really all just going to go off each other’s energy. Brian’s work is a great part of the inspiration for the series, and the Man Of Action writers are going to handle the bulk of the episode scripting. Everything is going to be produced under the watchful eye of Jeph Loeb. We had an early meeting last week with myself, Jeph, and a few of the directors and designers, and I think every body’s on the same page with what we want the show to look like and the feel of the show.

MTV: Given the title of the series, everyone expects it to be an animated version of Brian’s comic book series. Will it be an adaptation, or will it keep certain elements and go off in its own direction?

DINI: It’s 50/50. There are elements that are going to come directly from the comics, and there are elements that are just going to take it into an entirely new and different direction — and yet, they’re going to harken back to that particular iteration of Spider-Man.

MTV: How will it differ from recent and existing series, like “Spectacular Spider-Man”? Is there something that’s going to distinguish the “Ultimate” adventures of Spidey from the “Spectacular” stories?

DINI: We’re going to be pairing him up with new and different Marvel characters. There’s going to be a lot of guest-star action, and there’s going to be a redefinition of Peter Parker within the Spider-Man world. We’re going to change a few things — nothing too dramatically, but you look at the Spider-Man concept from the early ’60s and you take a look at where teens are now, and you realize you can’t really go back and redo what was done so well in the comics. You have to ask, “What if this was all happening today? How do you redefine ‘With great power comes great responsibility?’ How do you redefine the villains of that world and the supporting characters?”

You also don’t want to repeat the same old tropes. As much as I love elements of Spider-Man’s past, I don’t really want to go back in and retell the Gwen Stacy and Green Goblin story in animation just so I can do my take on it. I don’t want to redo the first Spider Slayer story. I don’t want to redo some of those classic Lee/Romita and Lee/Ditka stories just for the sake of seeing them rendered in animation. For now, I just want to approach Spider-Man with fresh eyes, taking a few things we know about him and just doing a new spin on the concept. I think old-time fans will find what we’ve done with the character to be pretty good and thoughtful, because we’re not out to junk-up Spider-Man. That’s not our intent.

MTV: You’ve said what you don’t want to do, but what’s the general approach toward “redefining” Peter Parker in “Ultimate Spider-Man?”

DINI: It’s sort of like what Brian did with the whole ‘Ultimate Spider-Man’ idea. He just looked at it from a new perspective. There were things that made the fans sort of sit up and say, ‘Hey, I never thought of that before, but it really does work with Spider-Man’s universe.’ That’s the same thing we’re doing here.

We’re also taking a much different approach visually with the way we show how Spider-Man moves and works and acts within this new world. It’s going to be a complete change as far as the visualization of what it’s like to be Spider-Man.

MTV: So much of your career has focused on Batman and the DC heroes. What’s the appeal of Spider-Man for you?

DINI: I love Spider-Man, and I’ve never worked with the character before. It’s fun to try something new. There’s a different energy to Spider-Man than there is to Batman. Batman is dark and moody and spooky, and in some cases, methodical. There’s more of an element of a procedural around Batman, and there’s all sorts of great things you can do within his world. In animation, when we first rendered Batman’s world at Warner Bros., we were able to make it very dark and noir-ish and grim, which all takes its cues from Batman’s character.

Spider-Man’s world is more chaotic, more kinetic — it’s almost like stream of consciousness. You have to really put yourself in that mindset to tackle Spider-Man effectively. If you’re redefining the character that way, you want to redefine his world along those lines as well, and move things along and make it a lot faster. He’s a character who makes mistakes and has to go back and set things right and then continue on. He’s somebody who’s constantly thinking on his feet and trying to figure this out, because he hasn’t been doing it as long as Batman — it’s all new to him. It really is “great responsibility.” As cool as it is to be Spider-Man at times, there’s also a price to pay for that — and he has to learn to balance things out.

MTV: As far as timing and stories go, how many episodes are you planning for the first season?

DINI: There’s 26 episodes in front of us, and we’re breaking it into two increments.

Avengers Animated Trailer

The trailer for The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has been released. I don’t know abotu the theme song for this show. It sounds like an 80s power ballad type of song, and I’m not sure if it works all that well for me. However, it looks like this could be a pretty cool show.

Batman:Year One and All Star Superman Movies

If you’re running out today to buy the latest Warner Brothers/DC Comcis direct-to-DVD animated movie, Batman: Under the Red Hood, then there is big news for you coming out of Comic Con International. Under the Red Hood had its premiere at the mega comic book and media convention, and it was followed by a panel discussion after the screening. During this panel it was confirmed that Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will be out this September, although that is old news at this point. However, that was followed by the news that All Star Superman, the highly acclaimed story by Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, will be made into an animated film. And if that isn’t enough, producer Bruce Timm announced that the iconic Batman: Year One storyline by Frank Miller and artist David Mazzucchelli will be made into a feature-length animated film in the near future.

All Star Superman is a story that has received much love from comic book fans, and it could make for an excellent movie. However, I wonder  what the art direction of the movie will be. If they try to create character designs based off of Quietly’s art from the comic books, like it was done with the Ed McGuiness art on Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, then I have some reservations about this movie. I have not been a fan of Quietly’s work, and I don’t know if it will translate well to animation. To me his people can seem “puffy” and I’m not big on his look. Still, it’ll be interesting to see how this one develops.

On the other hand, I think that Batman: Year One is huge news. This is one the most celebrated storys in the history of comic books, and most definitely one of the top three Batman stories, ever. Year One helped to revitalize Batman, it helped make a star out of Frank Miller, and it helped to change the look of the comic book landscape. If they’re doing adaptations, then I would have preferred to see this one first over a couple that they did before it. Batman: Year One is one of my all-time favorites, and I can’t wait to see it animated.

The Goon Movie Trailer

Here’s a trailer for the animated The Goon movie. The movie is based on The Goon comic book by Eric Powell that is published by Dark Horse Comics. The Goon is something of a pulp flavor comic with a supernatural slant to it. The trailer makes it look like the movie will be all kinds of awesome.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Animated Movie

I am always eager to see what is next in line for the direct-to-DVD animated movies that Marvel and DC have been doing. And while I’m waiting for Batman: Under the Red Hood to get here, I’m already being teased by DC next project. Thier next movie will be Superman/Batman:Apocalypse. This story will adapt the Supergirl storyline from Jeph Loeb’s run on Superman/Batman. And what could be better than Superman and Batman teaming up? Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy are returning to their voice acting roles as Superman and Batman, along with  Summer Glau (Serenity) providing the voice of Supergirl.

And continuing the line-up of DC Showcase shorts to accompany the movie will be a Green Arrow story.

Here is the full press release:

THE END IS NEAR!
WORLD’S FINEST WAGE WAR WITH DARKSEID IN ALL-NEW DC UNIVERSE ANIMATED ORIGNAL MOVIE SUPERMAN/BATMAN: APOCALYPSE AVAILABLE FROM WARNER HOME VIDEO SEPTEMBER 28, 2010!

Andre Braugher, Summer Glau, Ed Asner join popular voices Kevin Conroy & Tim Daly; New DC Showcase  GREEN ARROW on Special Edition Blu-ray & 2-Disc Special Edition DVD

To save an earthbound Kryptonian, the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight unite once again – this time to battle the powerful forces of Darkseid – in Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, the ninth entry in the popular, ongoing series of DC Universe Animated Original PG-13 Movies coming September 28, 2010 from Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation. The highly anticipated, full-length film will be distributed by Warner Home Video as a Special Edition Blu-Ray™ and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD as well as single disc DVD. The film will also be available On Demand and for Download.

Fan favorites Tim Daly (Private Practice) and Kevin Conroy (China Beach) return to their seminal roles as Superman and Batman, respectively. The celebrity-laden guest cast is headed by Andre Braugher (Men of a Certain Age) as the daunting Darkseid. Sci-Fi heroine Summer Glau (Serenity/Firefly, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) provides the voice of Supergirl, and seven-time Emmy Award winner Ed Asner (Up) reprises his Superman: The Animated Series/Justice League role as Granny Goodness.

Based on the DC Comics series/graphic novel Superman/Batman: Supergirl by Jeph Loeb, Michael Turner & Peter Steigerwald, Superman/Batman: Apocalypse is produced by animation legend Bruce Timm and directed by Lauren Montgomery (Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths) from a script by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Tab Murphy (Gorillas in the Mist).

After a spaceship splashes down in Gotham City Harbor, Batman and Superman encounter a mysterious Kryptonian with powers as great as those of the Man of Steel. The Kryptonian is soon revealed to be Kara, cousin of Superman, who takes her under his wing to educate her about the ways of Earth. However, the villainous Darkseid has other plans. Seeing an opportunity to finally defeat Superman, Darkseid abducts and gains control of Kara, utilizing the powerful Kryptonian to do his bidding. It’s up to Batman and Superman to save Kara, but they’ll have to take the fight to Darkseid within his hostile world – where unknown, deadly threats lurk around every corner, including a brainwashed Kryptonian able to match Superman blow-for-blow.

In addition to the feature film, the Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Special Edition Blu-Ray™ and 2-Disc Special Edition DVD include the third DC Showcase animated short, Green Arrow. Screenwriter Greg Weisman’s story finds Oliver Queen at the Star City International Airport to pick up his girlfriend, only to be forced into action as Green Arrow to protect the 10-year-old Princess of Vlatava from his old nemesis Merlyn the Magnificent and the League of Assassins. The short features the voices of Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives) and Malcolm McDowell (Entourage). Bruce Timm is executive producer.

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse 2-Disc Special Edition DVD features more than 1 1/2 hours of exciting extra content, including:

• Feature film (est. 75 min)
• DC Showcase: Green Arrow (10 min)
• Sneak Peak at the Next DC Universe Animated Original Movie (10 min)
• Featurette: Supergirl: The Last Daughter of Krypton – A comprehensive look at The Maiden of Might from her introduction in the classic age of comics to her death in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event to her appearance on Smallville and beyond.
• 2 bonus episodes from animated television series handpicked by Bruce Timm

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse Special Edition Blu-Ray™ will include more than 2 1/2 hours of intriguing bonus features, starting with all of the content available on the 2-Disc Special Edition DVD and adding:

• All-New Featurette: The New Gods. A primer on the wealth of material and stories contained in the New Gods series, along with a deeper understanding of why these characters – and especially Darkseid – are so memorable and important to the DC pantheon.
• All-New Featurette Pods
• Orion – The mightiest warrior on either New Genesis or Apokolips, Orion follows an almost Shakespearean arc culminating in the slaying of his father, Darkseid. This mini-featurette shines a light on this classically tragic character.
• Mister Miracle – This mini-featurette focuses on the greatest escape artist the universe has ever known and how he was traded in a peace effort to be raised by Darkseid, the enemy of all New Genesis.
• 2 additional bonus TV series episodes handpicked by Bruce Timm
• Digital copy on disc of the feature film

“Great things happen when powerful entities come together, and the partnership of Warner Premiere, DC Comics and Warner Bros. Animation is proud to continue this popular film series by once again uniting the two most popular characters in the DC Universe in a story that truly tests their strength, trust, loyalty, ingenuity and heroism,” said Matt Bierman, Senior Vice President Production, Warner Premiere.

“It is a testament to the larger-than-life nature of Jeph Loeb’s blockbuster storylines that two of the first nine DC Universe movies are based on his work,” said Geoff Johns, Chief Creative Officer of DC Entertainment. “Superman/Batman: Apocalypse lets us see Superman and Batman in action side-by-side again, but this time along with Supergirl and one of DC’s greatest villains, Darkseid.”

“Just as Superman and Batman stand atop the DC canon of characters, so do the respective seminal voices of Tim Daly and Kevin Conroy in the hearts and minds of fans. Superman/Batman: Apocalypse will no doubt please comic-centric and mainstream audiences alike – particularly in the performances of Daly and Conroy opposite dynamic actors like Andre Braugher and Ed Asner, and fanboy favorite Summer Glau,” said Amit Desai, WHV Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands.

To tell the truth, I thought that Superman/Batman: Public Enemies was only a so-so movie. It was alright, but  I wasn’t really swept away by it. And because of that I would almost rather see them do a different movie next, before going back to the Superman/Batman comics for another movie. And after Public Enemies and the upcoming Under the Red Hood, I would like to see them do another orignal story, like they did with Crisis on Two Earths, rather than adapting another comic book story.

Still, I love comic books. And I love animation. So, this is a movie that I have to check out. Original or adaptation, these animated movies have been good over all, and I’m always looking forward to the next one.

Voltron Returns To Defend The Universe

I thought it was cool when I heard about the reboot of the Thundercats cartoon, but that news has been one-upped. Voltron: Defender of the Universe will return to TV with a new animated series on Nicktoons. And it will be accompanied by a new toy line from Mattel.

Voltron’s rights holders, World Event Prods and Classic Media, had originally been planning on rebooting the property with a feature length film. However, the movie idea is being scrapped in favor of a cartoon series on TV.

80s icon icon Voltron will be joining an icon from the 90s for a revival party. Billionaire Haim Saban bought back The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers from Disney last month for about $100 million to reboot as TV shows on Nickelodeon and toys.

Scheduled to begin next year, Nicktoons will air 26 half-hour episodes of Voltron Force, a cartoon about five space explorers who pilot robotic lions that combine to form Voltron, an invincible guardian sworn to defend the Universe.

The new series aims to remain faithful to the old show, however, there will be new recruits fighting alongside the original characters. The new cartoon is coming during the the 25th anniversery of the original, and it is the first Voltron TV project in 10 years.

WEP and Classic Media (“Casper the Friendly Ghost,” “Where’s Waldo?”) will produce the toon with Kickstart Prods. (“Wolverine and the X-Men”). Classic Media is shepherding international distribution, merchandising and licensing deals.

Mattel will tie-in with the anniversary to launch toys based on the classic Voltron line, as well as action figures and play sets designed around an edgier, and more modernized robot. So far there isn’t a release date for the toys.

“What’s paramount is getting the toys right,” Ted Koplar, president of St. Louis-based WEP told Daily Variety. “They’re pretty involved toys that have to transform and fit together.”

WEP and Classic Media had been developing a live action feature for some time but screen writers, including Justin Marks, have yet to get the right feel for the movie. This is the opposite approach that Hasbro took with Transformers and G.I. Joe. They relied on the first films in those franchises in 2007 and 2009 to introduce new toys for the lines.

The return to TV makes sense for Voltron. Transformers, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and G.I. Joe were introduced to kids via shows that were produced by Hasbro and Mattel as a way to sell toys. “It’s an exciting way to introduce the brand to a generation that isn’t familiar with ‘Voltron,’” Koplar said.

I’m all for a remake as long as its handled well. Voltron was one of my favorites as a kid, so I’m very interested to see what the new series will be like.

Thundercats . . . HOOOOO!

Here’s some big news for fans of 80s nastalgia, Warner Brothers has announced that they will produce a new Thundercats animated series that will begin airing next year. Fan of 80s cartoons will be anxious to jump on board for a new Thundercats cartoon, but even those who aren’t familiar with it can get excited about the prospect for a new epic fantasy/action series. Here’s the press release:

Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) has begun production on “ThunderCats,” an all-new animated series for Cartoon Network, based upon the iconic 1980s action classic. “ThunderCats” is the newest series from WBA, joining “Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” which was recently renewed for a third season, and the following forthcoming programs: “The Looney Tunes Show,” “MAD,” “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” and “Young Justice.” The announcement was made today by Sam Register, Executive Vice President, Creative Affairs, Warner Bros. Animation.

“In addition to being Warner Bros. Animation’s first anime series, ‘ThunderCats’ marks our most ambitious foray yet into fantasy,” said Register. “The realism and dynamic visual style we’ve achieved are sure to thrill viewers, and the cool weapons, vehicles and technology should help the show appeal to a diverse audience.”

The 21^st century reimagining of the series marks a creative collaboration between WBA and Studio4°C, one of the most vibrant animation studios in Japan, with credits including “The Animatrix,” “Gotham Knights” and “Halo Legends.” WBA is working closely with Studio4°C, utilizing the latter’s expertise to give the “ThunderCats” characters a new cutting-edge look while remaining true to the compelling storylines and mythology of the original series.

“We at Studio4°C are excited to be in this creative partnership with Warner Bros. Animation to bring ‘ThunderCats’ to life,” said Eiko Tanaka, President and CEO, Studio4°C. “This collaboration combines the strengths of our two companies – high production values and great storytelling – toward reintroducing this classic fan-favorite to a new audience.”

Roaring to life through WBA and Studio4°C’s use of the Japanese animated artistry of anime, “ThunderCats” characters Lion-O, Mumm-Ra, Panthro, Cheetara and others will spring off the screen with realistic cat-like characteristics inconceivable in previous incarnations.

The new “ThunderCats” will appeal to viewers who have loved the characters all their lives as well as young newcomers to the franchise. A sweeping tale combining swords and science and boasting ferocious battles with the highest of stakes, the grand origin story of Prince Lion-O’s ascension to the throne – and of those who would thwart his destiny at any cost – takes on epic dimensions in this sharp new telling. As the forces of good and evil battle each other in the quest for the fabled Stones of Power, Lion-O and his champions learn valuable lessons of loyalty, honor and mortality in every episode.

“ThunderCats” is executive produced by Sam Register (“Teen Titans,” “Ben 10,” “Batman: The Brave and the Bold”). Michael Jelenic (“Batman: The Brave and the Bold,” “Wonder Woman”) and Ethan Spaulding (“Avatar: The Last Airbender”) are the producers.