Press Release
Archie Comics, the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and home to leading all-ages properties Archie, Betty and Veronica, Jughead and Josie and the Pussycats announced plans to partner with Moonscoop, one of the leading worldwide animation production studios, to create a new animated series based on the adventures of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Sabrina, one of the most popular properties in Archie’s wide collection of characters and universes, has been a strong presence in visual media since the 1970s, and was the focus of a long-running ABC and The WB sitcom, which was followed by an equally-successful animated series which ran on ABC.
The Archie/Moonscoop partnership will bring a new look to the long-running character, and bring her in line with a more modern and teen-centric sensibility. Sabrina will face the trials and tribulations all teens come across – along with monsters and the supernatural.
“Sabrina is a huge and important character for Archie, so we were very careful in how we brought her back to animation. The team at Moonscoop are the perfect partners for us,” said Archie Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “They know how to put together quality animation and they get the characters. We’re excited and honored to be working with such a talented group.”
Moonscoop will bring the company’s award-winning production and creative teams together to reimagine the character and her supporting cast for a modern audience and an integral part of Moonscoop’s past catalogue of animated programming (currently over 3,000 half-hours and growing). Current Moonscop projects include Hero: 108, Tara Duncan, Fantastic Four, Casper, Code Lyoko, Titeuf and Wild Grinders among many others.
Mike Young, CEO of Moonscoop’s North American office said: “We can’t wait to collaborate on production of these fantastic new shows. The Archie Comics library is a real treasure trove of brands ideal for bringing to animated life for television.” Nicolas Atlan, Executive Chairman added: “Sabrina The Teenage Witch and Little Archie’s will have a top-quality look and feel that captures the essence of the original illustrations and stories, while giving them fresh appeal for international TV audiences.”
Moonscoop and Archie are looking to launch the animated series with a network or cable partner in the coming year.
ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, the Mighty Crusaders, Super Duck, Lil’ Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold almost 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music in various popular incarnations.
ABOUT MOONSCOOP
Moonscoop is a leading worldwide kids production, distribution, brand management and entertainment company, focused on producing original projects and building brands with international appeal and longevity. Its rights library combines many of the most successful programs and best-loved animated creations in the global television market and includes over 3,000 half-hours of programming airing in more than 160 territories worldwide. Key brands include “Tara Duncan”, “The Davincibles”, “Super Sportlets, “Code Lyoko,” “Fantastic Four,” “Titeuf” (Tootuff) the Series and Feature Film, “Chloe’s Closet.” , “Pet Alien”, “Hero:108”, “Dive Olly Dive!” “Geronimo Stilton” and “Casper” which are licensed in markets around the world. Moonscoop’s production slate currently includes “Hero:108 Season 2”, , “Geronimo Stilton Season2”, “Casper Season 2”, and “Ava Riko Teo Season 2” .
7 Comments
looks X-treme
I saw this somewhere else earlier and while the thought of a magical-action-girl series with Sabrina is a good one, this one doesn’t seem like it’ll be any good.
1. Moonscoop’s style is just not one I like. I never warmed to Code Lyoko because the designs were so hideous, and while the FF ones were better, they felt like Generic Animesque Designs #438; the Lisa Frank-esque style in these promo pics isn’t changing my opinion.
2. Maybe it’s because I’m old, but TV CGI cartoons do not look good (there are some where elements, like the main characters, do but the rest of the work is visually lacking). The designs (especially that dreadful tattoo-and-weird-belly-shirt-vest-thing civilian design) appear to be shaded like CGI, which (a) I already dislike and (b) Moonscoop already doesn’t do very well.
3. Someone needs to inform the producers that, if you are selling a supernatural series with a female protagonist, you’d do better to namecheck Buffy than Twilight. Twilight tells me that now Sabrina will be deliberately endangering herself to impress some guy who stalks her, not that she’s going to save the day herself.
4. Right now, it doesn’t seem like many networks are buying “girl shows”, even if they’re name properties or have mixed-genre appeal. The only two exceptions I can think of are the new My Little Pony (adorable enough for grown men) and Legend of Korra (which hasn’t even aired yet). So even if they make this and it isn’t as hideous as the trade speak & designs lead me to believe, there might not be a market for it.
So yeah, I wish this announcement was a little less disappointing. Archie, next time you’re going to option one of your properties, please ask Lauren Faust first.
Cool! I’ll definitely check this out. I was a big fan of Moonscoop’s Code Lyoko while it was on.
Strangely enough, I also get a real Cyber-Six vibe from her witch outfit. I likey. :D
I’d honestly prefer a look based on the classic Archie comics look. Granted, her hair and clothing could be updated (or they could go with the anime inspired look from the comics a few years back), but otherwise I’d just prefer a relatively simple transfer from page to screen.
Think they’ll get Melissa Joan Hart to voice?
Sabrina the Teenaged Witch is being turned into an animated series??? Wow!!! Oh wait… didn’t that thing start out as an animated series? So basically, it’s like saying “The Addams Family” is being turned into a television series…. ouch, sprained my sarcasm again….
Actually Sabrina was in animated universe way before the 90’s along with Archie and the gang. In 1970, CBS debuted a Filmation animated Sabrina, spun off from its popular Archie franchise. It included shorts with her Universal Horror-inspired cousins, the Groovie Goolies and ran for four seasons, with the Goolies spinning off into their own series in 1971. The neat thing is she still was tied into the Archie universe living in Riverdale.