Already working their way well into the 2007-year of television programming, Cartoon Network's annual Upfront conference delivered once again to awaiting animation fans, critics and associates a wide but accurate preview of how the network plans on approaching the up and coming seasons. At Cartoon Network Upfront this year, Cartoon Network made several announcements: new program acquisitions, the greenlight of several existing programs and the go-ahead for some intriguing multi-media projects as well.
At the Cartoon Network Upfront event held today in New York, Cartoon Network announced its programming line-up for 2007. Coming off the successful launches of Class of 3000; Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends original movie, “Good Wilt Hunting;” and the network’s first-ever live-action movie, Re-Animated, Cartoon Network continues the momentum in 2007 with five new original series, a network invasion, a multi-media event featuring inspirational kids, and a new innovative technology that will let characters take over your mobile phone. The network also showed a sneak peek of its previously announced and highly anticipated Massively Multi-Player Game, scheduled for 2008, and also introduced a new after school franchise called "Master Control," allowing kids to choose what they want to watch starting in the late summer.
The legend of the wrestling hero, Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata (the silver masked man) will live on in the new animated action series about the iconic wrestler who uses his mask’s mystical powers to fight villains both inside and outside the ring. The animated comedy, Chowder, centers around the magical adventures of a young, aspiring chef who struggles not to eat everything in sight. The Secret Saturdays is a comedy-action series about a family of super-scientists who are always on call and ready to protect against all the hidden and terrifying things in the world. The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack tells the story of a boy who lives inside a whale and sets sail with an old pirate for Candied Island.
“Cartoon Network comes into this season with real momentum,” said Mark Lazarus, president, Turner Entertainment Group. “We’ve been on a strong run over the last few months on every platform with our content and our commitment to our core audience continues on all levels.”
“Last year we saw tremendous growth by extending our brand into new areas of programming,” said Michael Ouweleen, senior vice president of development and creative direction for Cartoon Network. “We had great success by always being “on it” for kids in whatever environment they wanted to enjoy the Cartoon Network experience and we are looking forward to growing even more with this new slate of programs and special events.”
Cartoon Network also greenlit the original series Re-Animated. Based on the network’s first original movie combining live-action with animation, Re-Animated will debut in the summer. In addition, it was announced that the hit series from André “3000” Benjamin and Tom Lynch, Class of 3000, has been greenlit for its second season and will kick things off with a high energy musical event.