New Series 'Transformers Animated' Rolls In

Transformers, the latest franchise to step back into the limelight after having vanished for roughly a decade following its phenomenal blitz of the 1980s, returns to the animated medium, again. Seeing newer and increasingly more successful revitalizations of the property in the past few years, Cartoon Network's up and coming television animation Transformers Animated has high hopes. Scheduled to premiere with an hour and a half long television special during this coming Holiday season, the latest Transformers iteration seeks to once again recapture the fervor of this ancient mecha warfare.

The adventure begins when Optimus Prime and his small crew of Autobots come into possession of the All Spark, a powerful Cybertronian artifact that attracts the attention of their long-forgotten enemies, the Decepticons, and sends them crashing to a strange and distant planet known as Earth. In Transformers Animated viewers will find the Autobots partnering up with a precocious eight-year-old named Sari.

The "honorary Autobot" that helps acquaint the transformers with Earthian life that includes junk food, auto plants and more, Sari Sumdac is the adopted daughter of a robotics tycoon. Serving as a piece to the larger puzzle of Transformers Animated than merely as human-interaction, Sari also finds herself endowed with a unique power, courtesy of the All Spark. And it is because of Sari's power that the Decepticons are just as eager as ever to get their hands on the legendary artifact.

Premiering on Cartoon Network December 26th, 2007 at 8:00pm (ET) with a 90-minute television special entitled "Transform and Roll Out," Transformers Animated will offer viewers a slightly belated, but long awaited Holiday gift. The new animated television series' regular airdate begins the week following its premiere, on Sunday January 5th, 2008 at 10:30am. Staff working on the Cartoon Network and Hasbro, Inc. co-production: Matt Youngberg (Teen Titans, The Batman) as supervising director, Derrick Wyatt (Legion of Superheroes, Teen Titans) as character designer; Sam Register (Ben 10, Teen Titans) as executive producer; and Marty Isenberg (Gargoyles, Spider-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as head writer.

About Hasbro, Inc.: Hasbro (www.Hasbro.com) is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its Playskool, Tonka, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Tiger and Wizards Of The Coast brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.

About Cartoon Network: Cartoon Network (www.CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 91 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET, PT) Sunday-Thursday, Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.