Cartoon Network unveiled a substantial new lineup of content 4/21 at its annual upfront presentation at Time Warner Center in NYC. Delivering on its promise to launch a diverse slate of programming for young audiences, new CN shows will incorporate a number of genres and formats that include a one-hour scripted action-mystery series, animated and live-action comedies and a new way of programming primetime for a young audience.
The network also announced its first foray into the broadcast awards arena with Cartoon Network’s Hall of Game. Premiering in early 2011, this multi-platform experience will let viewers decide who’s got game from the world of sports.
CN’s Hall of Game will feature professional and amateur athletes as well as top-notch entertainment. This first-of-its-kind sports award event for kids is created and produced by global sports and entertainment company IMG Media. The Sports Illustrated Group will serve as the official promotional partner and also will introduce the SI KIDS’ “Sports Kid of the Year Award.”
Exclusive sneak peeks at two scripted, live-action one-hour series—Unnatural History (Warner Horizon Television), premiering Sunday, 6/13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT; and Tower Prep—were revealed; as well as the upcoming CGI movie event Firebreather. Positioned as part of a unique quarter-hour comedy programming block, new animated series will include MAD, Regular Show, Robotomy and Secret Mountain Fort Awesome. The network also announced that coming later in the year would be an all-new re-imagined version of the Warner Bros animated classic shorts, Looney Tunes.
Among CN’s Upfront celebrity guests—including a special appearance by Destroy Build Destroy host, musician Andrew W.K., and the “dudes” from Dude, What Would Happen—Atlanta Falcons tight-end Tony Gonzalez was on hand to announce the return of the successful short-form series My Dad’s A Pro which will star his nine-year-old son Nikko.
New Series
• MAD: Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and using the iconic MAD magazine, published by DC Comics, as inspiration, MAD is an animated sketch-comedy series utilizing a chaotic mix of animation styles and twisted humor to pull back the curtain and expose the truth behind movies, TV shows, games, pop culture and, of course, curtains! Classic MAD magazine characters and features such as Alfred E. Neuman and Spy vs. Spy pop up, and no subject matter or individual will be safe from MAD’s barrage of parodies and sketches. In the end, viewers won’t get even, they’ll just get MAD! Sam Register (Teen Titans, Ben 10, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) is the executive producer. Kevin Shinick (Robot Chicken) and Mark Marek (KaBlam! The Andy Milonakis Show) are the producers.
• Robotomy: The animated Robotomy tells the story of Thrasher and Blastus, two outsider teenage droids who are only slightly less horrific than the ultra-powerful robots that populate their planet, Killglobe. Now they face their greatest challenge yet: high school. Armed with a desire to fit in (and little else), Thrasher and Blastus navigate their lives with varying degrees of success. Created by Michael Buckley (The Sisters Grimm) and Joe Deasy and co-executive produced by Christy Karacas (Superjail), Robotomy, a quarter-hour series, will be produced in New York.
• Secret Mountain Fort Awesome: When a portal to the world opened and unleashes underground monsters, so goes the premise for Secret Mountain Fort Awesome. The human world had everything these creatures could ever want. The only problem is, humans hate monsters, and they treat them like second class citizens. How unfair! This is their world too. Created by Chowder writer and artist Pete Browngardt, Secret Mountain Fort Awesome follows this clan in their dim-witted efforts to break free of human oppression. The animated series is being produced at Cartoon Network Studios.
• The Looney Tunes Show: A new half-hour animated comedy series starring Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck. No longer confined to 7-minute shorts, Bugs and Daffy are out of the woods and living in the suburbs among such colorful neighbors as Yosemite Sam, Granny, Tweety and Sylvester. In addition to each episode’s main story, The Looney Tunes Show also features “cartoons within a cartoon.” The Tasmanian Devil, Speedy Gonzales, Marvin the Martian and other classic characters sing original songs in two-minute music videos called Merrie Melodies and the Road Runner and Coyote are featured in 2-1/2 minute CG shorts. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation.
• Young Justice: In Young Justice, being a teenager means proving yourself over and over—to peers, parents, teachers, mentors and, ultimately, to yourself. But what if you’re not just a normal teenager? What if you’re a teenage super hero? Are you ready to join the ranks of the great heroes and prove you’re worthy of the Justice League? That’s exactly what the members of Young Justice—Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian and Artemis—will found out, whether they have what it takes to be a proven hero. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and based upon characters from DC Comics.
• Run It Back Sunday: Cartoon Network takes The NBA on TNT’s game of the week and remixes it for basketball fans of all ages. Run It Back Sunday is a full NBA game in one power hour, complete with fun facts, amazing highlights and explosive special effects. From jams, passes and steals to fun facts and unique analysis, Run It Back Sunday presents an all new way to catch the game of the week.
Soon To Debut Series
• Unnatural History: Cartoon Network’s first live-action mystery series delivers a new case of cinematic, action-packed comedic adventure each week. Unnatural History centers on Henry Griffin (Kevin G. Schmidt), a teenager with exceptional skills acquired through years of globetrotting with his anthropologist parents. When his parents think it’s time for him to lead a normal high school life, they pack him off to live with his Uncle Bryan (Martin Donovan) and cousin Jasper (Jordan Gavaris) in Washington D.C. But this isn’t just any high school; it’s located on the grounds of The National Museum Complex. And as Henry, Jasper and their friend Maggie (Italia Ricci) soon learn, this museum is chock full of mysteries that will put Henry’s worldly skills to the test. Produced by Warner Horizon Television. Unnatural History will air Sunday Nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network beginning June 13, 2010.
• Generator Rex: From the creators of Ben 10 comes Generator Rex, a new half-hour animated series that takes viewers on an adventure full of fun, action, wish fulfillment and teenage drama. Generator Rex is a young super agent who, with his incredible ability to create mechanical weapons and vehicles from his own body, must balance his adrenaline-fueled adventures with the everyday ups and downs of being a teenager. Generator Rex revolves around 15-year-old Rex, as he attempts to balance his duty as a soldier in a super-spy team with just being a teenager. Produced at Cartoon Network Studios. Generator Rex will air Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on Cartoon Network beginning 4/23.
• Ben 10: Ultimate Alien: The series follows 16-year-old Ben Tennyson as his secret identity has been revealed to the world and he’s now an international mega-star super hero, loved by kids the world over but distrusted by many adults. Armed with a mysterious new Omnitrix, Ben is able to transform into hyper-evolved versions of his aliens and will see action in places he’s never been. Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, a 30-minute animated series, was created by Man of Action (Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, Duncan Rouleau, Steve Seagle) with Glen Murakami (Teen Titans) as the supervising producer and story editor Dwayne McDuffie. Produced at Cartoon Network Studios.
• Tower Prep: A one-hour, live-action scripted series premiering this fall, Tower Prep tells the story of a rebellious teen, Ian (Drew Van Acker), who wakes up one morning to find himself trapped at a mysterious prep school that offers no escape. He forms a secret group with CJ (Elise Gatien), Gabe (Ryan Pinkston) and Suki (Dyana Liu), intent on discovering what they’re being trained for and how to escape. Produced by Cartoon Network Studios in association with Dolphin Entertainment.
• Sym-Bionic Titan: From creator Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack) comes an exciting hybrid of giant robot battles and high school comedy. Sym-Bionic Titan follows the lives of three alien teenagers who crash-land on Earth and must protect their new home from alien invaders while navigating the perils of high school life. Sym-Bionic Titan is being produced at Cartoon Network Studios and will premiere on Cartoon Network this summer.
• Regular Show: Created by J. G. Quintel, Regular Show was developed as an animated short for Cartoon Network’s Cartoonstitute. Two groundskeepers, Mordecai (a six-foot-tall blue jay) and Rigby (a hyperactive raccoon) are best friends who spend their days trying to entertain themselves by any means necessary, much to the displeasure of Benson (their boss, who is a gumball machine) and to the delight of Pops (an older, lollipop-headed gentleman). Their everyday pursuits often lead to things spiraling out of control and into the surreal: they open portals to other dimensions, summon demons via an ‘80s arcade game and accidentally use choreographed dance moves to send co-workers to the moon. Produced at Cartoon Network Studios.
• Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated: With the animated Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy and their talking dog Scooby-Doo are back, solving mysteries in the spooky town of Crystal Cove, a sleepy coastal village that boasts a long history of ghostly sightings, werewolves and glowing deep sea divers. From Warner Bros. Animation.
Returning Series
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Dude, What Would Happen
Destroy Build Destroy
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Flapjack
Johnny Test
6teen
Stoked
Bakugan
Pokémon
Battle Force 5
Pink Panther & Pal
Totally Spies
