Cartoon Network has completed principal photography on Re-Animated, its first original telepic involving live-action. The movie will combine live actors and animation to tell the tale of a 12-year-old boy who receives an emergency brain transplant and acquires the ability to see a whole world of cartoon characters. The production was announced in March at Cartoon Network’s upfront presentation and is currently in post-production for an undetermined premiere date.
‘When we decided to venture into the territory of live-action we knew it was going to have to be an event like nothing we’ve ever done before,’ says Michael Ouweleen, senior VP of programming and development for Cartoon Network. ‘And even though we are featuring live-action characters, it still had to be done the Cartoon Network way. Re-Animated has proven to be that kind of project.’
In Re-Animated, Dominic Janes (Alex Taggert on ER) has an accident involving an amusement park trolley and ends up getting the frozen brain of a famous cartoonist named Milt Appleday, played by Fred Willard. Matt Knudsen plays Appleday’s evil son, who tries to steal the brain back from Jimmy. The live-action cast also includes Bil Dwyer, Micah Karns, Eunice Cho, Rachel Quaintance and Rhea Lando, while Paul Reubens, Tom Kenny, Ellen Greene and Brian Posehn lend their voices to the various cartoon characters.
The movie is created and written by Adam Pava and Tim McKeon, who were writers on Cartoon Network’s hit series Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends and The Life & Times of Juniper Lee. New York-based filmmaker Bruce Hurwit directed the production of Renegade Animation, Appleday Pictures and Cartoon Network.
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