Toronto-based Portfolio Entertainment Inc. has inked a development deal with Canadian broadcaster TELETOON for its recently optioned rights to the Zodiac Girls web property. Ren & Stimpy creator John Kricfalusi has come on board to serve as animation designer for The Zodiacs, an animated comedy action series based on the popular web destination for girls.
The Zodiacs will chronicle the cosmic adventures of a dozen Solar Superheroes who represent the signs of the Zodiac. Posing as average teenagers, the galactic gal pals defend earth from the malicious 13th Zodiac sign, a 13 year-old boy who is seeking revenge for a thousand years of neglect. The show is being written by veteran Canadian scriptwriter and story editor Erika Strobel, who is also currently working on Portfolio’s animated tween series Carl.
Created by Rosina Rothman and Jill Akahoshi of Los Angeles-based 3 Muses LLC, the Zodiac Girls characters have attracted more than 500,000 visitors to www.zodiacgirlz.com each month. The site has logged more than seven million page views, making the Yahooligans directory of most popular girl sites.
Kricfalusi launched his loveably disgusting dog-and-cat team with the 1990 short Big House Blues, which Nickeloden turned into The Ren & Stimpy Show. Creative differences led to his departure from the show in 1993, but he would later return to the characters with the 2003 series Ren & Stimpy Adult Party Cartoon, which enjoyed a brief run on cable outlet Spike TV.
Portfolio Ent. co-founders and presidents Lisa Olfman and Joy Rosen received the 2003 Rotman Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Export Excellence and were featured in Animation Magazine‘s list of 25 Rising Women in Animation.
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