Scifi and superheros are getting some treatment for the Cartoon Network’s 2007 Season. There will be two new SF/Superhero toons and two SF Special additions to the schedule this year. The network also announced the release of three other non-genre related toon products. You can read all about them at MovieWeb.com.
Here are the genre titles that the cable network unveiled yesterday at its annual meeting in New York —
“Santo” is this show’s current working title and it follows the adventures of real-life wrestling legend Santo, El Enmascarado de Plata (The Man In the Silver Mask). In real life, Santo is one of the world’s most respected and popular Mexican professional wrestlers, known as Luchadores in Spanish.
His son, another famous Mexican wrestler who goes by the moniker — El Hijo del Santo (Son of Santo), is working closely with toon creator and executive producer Carlo Olivares Paganoni to develop the action/fantasy series set in Mexico City.
In the animated series, Santo proudly upholds the honor that was passed down by his father. Along with inheriting the silver mask, the ultimate sign of purity and goodness, a brave and young Santo must also learn how to manage a vast array of mystical powers with the guidance of Coatl, an ancient feathered serpent. Santo uses his new powers to defend justice inside and outside the wrestling ring and faces a slew of enemies ranging from everyday criminals to genetically enhanced mystical villains.
In the next new show for this 2007 season creator Jay Stephens has on-tap a show about a family of world-saving adventure scientists called “The Secret Saturdays.” Characters Doc, Drew and Zak live in a hidden base and are part of a network of scientists who protect against all the hidden and terrifying things in this world. To The Saturdays, ordinary folktales aren’t just legends — they are real-life mysteries and adventures. Traveling from the hot Gobi Desert to the icy Marianas Trench, they explore ancient temples and bottomless caves and tangle with twisted villains, including the masked madman V.V. Argost and his half-human/half-giant spider.
The Cartoon Network also has lined up a couple of animated SF specials for 2007 —
Cartoon Network Invaded: The invasion begins in May when Bloo from Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends sends a message to deep space and ends up letting loose aliens on Earth and in popular Cartoon Network original series Ed, Edd, n Eddy, My Gym Partner’s a Monkey, Camp Lazlo, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. Every Friday in May, an alien will arrive in a new episode, culminating with an out of this world alien invasion marathon on Memorial Day.
Ben 10 Live-Action Movie: Life on the road with Ben, Gwen, Grandpa Max and the Omnitrix has never seemed so real. Ben 10, the popular animated series, comes to life in its first-ever live-action movie. Ben Tennyson is a normal 10-year-old boy. Except that with a flick of his wrist, he can transform into any one of 10 alien beings with amazing superpowers, like the powerful Four Arms or the slime-spitting Stinkfly. Despite his ability to change physically, Ben is still a kid at heart and has a little trouble figuring out how to act like a superhero when the pressure is really on. The movie is directed by Alex Winter (Bill in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) and is slated to premiere in the fall.
JFStan says
Ok, El Santo may be a generally respected legend, but if you’ve ever seen the live action movies he did in the 60’s such as “El Santo contras las mujeres vampiro (El Santo vs. the Vampire Women)” I think your respect for him might drop a notch or two. Let’s hope this animated series is infinitely better.
Sam says
Key words JFSTan: 1960’s & Vampiro 😉
Iron Head Rat says
Dude, Alex Winter? Freaked is one of my favorite movies.