Cartoon Net Puts Comic Books on Film

By Julieanne Smolinski

Cartoon Network has secured the rights to three comic book series to develop as part of its slate of original films.

“Firebreather,” from creator Phil Hester, tells the story of a teenager whose father is a fire-breathing dragon. “Mice Templar,” from the book by Mike Avond Oeming and Bryan Glass, concerns knighted rodents. “The Vanishers,” from author Chuck Dixon, follows time-traveling fifth graders.

All three titles began life as comic book series and will be made into feature-length films for Cartoon Network. The first two will employ CG animation; “The Vanishers” will be a live-action film.

“We’re thrilled to expand our movie slate with both cinematic quality CG and live-action,” said Ramsey Naito, Cartoon Network’s vice president of long-form, in a statement Wednesday. “As we bring these and other titles into development, we’ll be seeking out projects that combine distinct voices with striking, contemporary visual worlds.”