Universal Studios gets Butt Ugly

US-based Universal Studios has climbed aboard The Butt Ugly Martians, after a deal with Mike Young Productions, UK's Just Group and Hong Kong toon studio DCDC.

In a broad deal, Universal Studios now has all feature film rights together with associated merchandising, worldwide home video distribution rights (excluding UK and Germany). The deal includes rights to finance and produce additional TV episodes and theme park rights.

Universal Pictures Franchise Development together with Just Group will co-ordinate and manage the property.

The $8m 26×30' cgi series was developed by Mike Young Productions and co-produced with Just Entertainment and DCDC. It follows a bunch of unsightly aliens who come to earth to invade but end up guzzling pizza and burgers instead.

The series, which premiered on UK kids broadcaster CiTV last February, has been picked up by Nickelodeon in the US for tx early next year, and has been sold into 20 territories, with other licensing deals already signed with Hasbro, Burger King, Scholastic, Hallmark and Frito Lay.