Antefilms scoops Fantastic Four deal

MIPCOM NEWS: French animation house Antefilms has landed a major deal with US comic giant Marvel to produce and distribute a new animated TV series based on the popular comic book property, The Fantastic Four.

A 26-part 2D/3D series has started production in France and is due for delivery late-2006, after a deal inked with Marvel’s London office. Marvel described the move as part of an “aggressive strategy to fully support its characters through feature films, DVDs, video games, merchandising and television animation”.

Marvel tapped the French studio following the US success of its toons Code Lyoko and Funky Cops, which air stateside on Cartoon Network and Fox Box respectively. Code Lyoko, for instance, is the second best rated show on Cartoon Network’s Miguzi block achieving a 4.3% audience rating and a 23% market share of boys 6-11.

Under the Fantastic Four deal, Antefilms will fund all development costs and will produce the show, while both companies will oversee the creative direction. Marvel will control the US television and DVD rights, while Antefilms’ distribution label Moonscoop gets RoW.

Marvel International president Bruno Maglione: “Marvel has ambitious plans in animation and we are interested in working with some of the top animation companies emerging out of Europe and Asia. We are especially impressed by Antefilms’ work.”

The Fantastic Four TV series will follow the release in 2005 of the 20th Century Fox feature film based on the same characters. Marvel has previously teamed with Lions Gate Entertainment to produce and distribute a series of direct-to-DVD animated features starring some of its popular comic characters.