Marvel Enterprises Inc. and Lions Gate Ent. have entered into an agreement to develop, produce and distribute on DVD original animated features based on characters from the Marvel Catalog. The pact expands a partnership that saw Lions Gate release a big-screen adaptation of Marvel’s The Punisher. A sequel to that film is in the works, as are filmed treatments of Marvel’s Iron Fist and Black Widow.
Under the terms of the arrangement, Marvel and Lions Gate plan to commence production immediately on eight original animated projects in either 2D or 3D, with the first title expected to be released by Lions Gate in late 2005.
"More than $2 billion in DVDs based on Marvel characters have been sold and Marvel’s animated television projects have been very successful, so this is a natural evolution for the company,” says Avi Arad, chairman and CEO Marvel Studios.
Lions Gate will provide Marvel with licensing fees for character rights and fund all of the development, production, distribution and marketing for each title while Marvel spearheads creative development and production. Both companies will share in the profits.
Lions Gate’s animation production partner, CinéGroupe, will likely be involved in the productions, as will other animation houses. Each animated picture will have a minimum running time of 66 minutes. After doing time on video shelves, the projects may be exploited across other domestic and international avenues including television and Video On Demand (VOD). Specific Marvel titles and characters to be animated will be announced at a later date.
