There are two press releases posted below. The one about “Clone Wars,” which can be found if one scrolls to the bottom, doesn’t tell us a whole lot that Harry Knowles didn’t reveal back in November - but it does establish there will be 20 of these “Clone” shorts (totaling no more than 60 minutes of animation) and that they’ll air well before “Episode III” hits cinemas.
For release: February 20, 2003
Cartoon Network announced several major programming initiatives for 2003 today at a press conference in New York. Speakers at the event included Cartoon Network executive vice president and general manager Jim Samples, senior vice president and creative director Michael Ouweleen, senior vice president of original animation Linda Simensky and senior vice president of original animation Sam Register.
Major announcements included:
New Series:
* Duck Dodgers, a new series starring Daffy Duck as an inept space hero, is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and will premiere in July 2003.
* Teen Titans, an action-adventure series about a group of teen-age superheroes led by Robin The Boy Wonder, will premiere in August 2003.
* LowBrow, an action-comedy series in which a 20-something slacker with a customized 80-foot robot from the future must defend all of humanity from evil aliens, debuts in December 2003.
All New Episodes of Top-Rated Originals:
* 20 new half-hour episodes of Samurai Jack, starting in May.
* 26 new half-hour episodes of Justice League beginning in October.
* 19 episodes of Codename: Kids Next Door.
* 4 new episodes of The Powerpuff Girls, starting in September, plus an all-new one-hour holiday special.
* 5 new episodes of Ed, Edd n Eddy begin in November.
* 11 new episodes of Dexter's Laboratory, beginning in April.
* 5 new episodes of Time Squad, debuting in March.
* 10 new episodes of Grim & Evil, debuting in June.
* 11 new half-hour episodes of Whatever Happened to Robot Jones? debut, starting in September.
Acquisitions:
* What's New Scooby-Doo?, a 21st century update of the classic comedy-mystery series starring the crime-solving Great Dane and pals Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred. What's New Scooby-Doo?, debuts on March 28.
* 15 new episodes of Dragonball Z, starting on March 17, 2003. Dragonball Z airs exclusively on Toonami, Cartoon Network's action-adventure franchise.
* Cartoon Network presents the U.S. television debut of Rorouni Kenshin. 95 episodes of the Japanese series will premiere on Toonami, beginning in March 2003.
* 52 new episodes of Dragon Ball, to air on Toonami this year.
* 26 episdoes of SD Gundam.
* 13 new episodes of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.
* 26 new episodes of Transformers: Armada.
* 26 episode of .hack//SIGN.
* 12 episodes of Kikaider.
* 26 episodes of Blue Gender.
* 52 additional episodes of Hamtaro.
* 13 new episodes of Big O.
* 50 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh!.
* 52 episodes of Jackie Chan Adventures.
* 43 episodes of X-Men: Evolution.
* 100 episodes of Pokémon.
Adult Swim:
* Aqua Teen Hunger Force has been given the greenlight for 26 new episodes, which will begin airing in 2003.
* 13 new episodes of The Brak Show have been ordered and will air in 2003.
* 13 new episodes of Sealab 2021 will debut in 2003.
* 26 episodes of animé series Trigun will debut starting in March.
* New episodes of Harvey Birdman, Attorney-at-Law will debut starting in April 2003.
* 13 brand new half-hour episodes of Home Movies, created for Cartoon Network, will debut in Fall 2003.
-30-
For release: February 20, 2003
20 Animated "Clone Wars" Serial Shorts to Appear on Cartoon Network in 2003-2004
Cartoon Network and Lucasfilm Ltd. announced today a partnership to create Star Wars: Clone Wars, a series of 20 animated shorts that will air on Cartoon Network in 2003-2004 between other programming. Star Wars: Clone Wars continues the saga where the live action feature film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones left off - at the beginning of the Clone Wars, an epic civil war that pits the old Republic against a vast separatist movement led by the forces of evil.
Each episodic short will be two- to three-minutes in length and will air exclusively on Cartoon Network at regularly scheduled times during the network's regular programming beginning later this fall. Clone Wars will be produced at Cartoon Network Studios by a team led by Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of Samurai Jack and Dexter's Laboratory.
As Clone Wars unfolds the valiant Jedi Knights lead the Republic's Clone Army against many new and ruthless adversaries across the galaxy. These new characters, epic battles and intricate stories will add an exciting new dimension to the Star Wars saga.
"We are incredibly excited to be working with Lucasfilm in creating an animated story that extends one of the world's most beloved entertainment properties," said Sam Register, senior vice president of development for Cartoon Network. "Cartoon Network's creative team will work hand-in-hand with Lucasfilm to make sure that our common vision for Clone Wars thrills Star Wars fans around the world."
"Genndy Tartakovsky and the team at Cartoon Network are tops in their field," said Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing. "Their work on Samurai Jack shows that they can tell an epic story in a unique way, lavishing equal attention on dramatic battle scenes as well as the dramatic development of the characters."
Lucasfilm Ltd. is one of the leading independent film and entertainment companies in the world. Lucasfilm's businesses include George Lucas' film and television production and distribution activities. Lucasfilm's feature films have won 19 Oscars and received 52 Academy Award nominations, and its television projects have won 12 Emmy Awards. The Lucas group of companies also includes LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC, Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC, Lucas Licensing Ltd. and Lucas Online.
Cartoon Network, currently seen in 82.1 million U.S. homes and 145 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world's largest cartoon library, Cartoon Network also showcases unique original ventures such as The Powerpuff Girls, Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Ed, Edd n Eddy and other Cartoon Cartoons. Since its launch in 1992, Cartoon Network has remained one of ad-supported cable's highest-rated networks. Cartoon Network's Web site is located at http://CartoonNetwork.com (AOL Keyword: Cartoon Network).
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOL Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.
-30-
Cartoon Network Announces New Programming Initiatives For 2003
Cartoon Network and Lucasfilm Announce Star Wars Animated Shorts
To order coffee mugs and boxer shorts adorned with the image of a green, handicapable “Buffy” fanatic, click here.
