Turner Broadcasting’s boys’ action animation channel, Toonami, has picked up BKN New Media’s Kong–The Animated Series for broadcast in the U.K. The property is slated to premiere this November in the shape of a brand new 40-episode animated series and a 74-minute animated movie titled Kong: King of Atlantis.
Kong–The Animated Series has the clone of the original King Kong taken back to the prehistoric world of Kong Island. The scientist who cloned the great ape has developed an experimental DNA cyberlink that enables her 18-year-old grandson to merge with Kong to become an even more powerful force. The sereies will debut on Tuesday November 1 at 6 p.m.
Kong: King of Atlantis will have its U.K. premiere during Toonami’s popular Destination: Friday block on November 11 at 5.30pm. It will then have its network premiere on Cartoon Network on November 19. When the sunken city of Atlantis rises out of the sea, Kong is tricked into helping Queen Reptilla take over the storied metropolis and become its new ruler. Jason and his friends team up with a beautiful Atlantis warrior and race against time to convince Kong that the Queen is evil and save the citizens of Atlantis.
Created by animation veteran Richard Ungar and seasoned writer Sean Catherine Derek, the series has been picked up in various territories, including Canada, India, Indonesia and the U.S. The movie has been sold to 80 countries around the world.
In a deal worth $10 million, New York-based BKN recently outsourced animation to India’s UTV Toonz, the animation division of UTV Software Communications Ltd. Initial productions included under the pact are Kong—The Next Generation and a 26-episode, 3D-animated series yet to be named.
The Kong animated productions are getting a boost from the excitement surrounding director Peter Jackson’s big-screen remake of the classic 1933 film about an oversized gorilla who falls for a blonde actress. Featuring state-of-the-art digital animation, the new movie from Universal will stomp into theaters on Dec. 14.
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