Marvel Productions
Encyclopedia
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, then New World Entertainment and News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
/Fox. Originally an animation studio, Marvel produced such notable television shows, motion pictures and television specials such as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends is an animated series produced by Marvel Productions starring established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman and an original character, Firestar...
, The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
, The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (1982 animated TV series)
The Incredible Hulk is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The series ran for 13 episodes on NBC in 1982, part of a combined hour with Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends...
and G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie
G.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
.
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (1963–1980)
The company began in 1963 as DFE FilmsDePatie-Freleng Enterprises
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
and was sold to Cadence Industries
Cadence Industries
Cadence Industries Corporation, formerly Perfect Film & Chemical Corporation, was an American conglomerate owned by Martin "Marty" S. Ackerman. From 1968 through 1986, Perfect/Cadence was the parent company of the publisher of Marvel Comics....
, Marvel Comics Group
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
's parent corporation, in 1980 after DFE founder and company executive Friz Freleng
Friz Freleng
Isadore "Friz" Freleng was an animator, cartoonist, director, and producer best known for his work on the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons from Warner Bros....
departed the company to return to his former job at Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation
Warner Bros. Animation is the animation division of Warner Bros., a subsidiary of Time Warner. The studio is closely associated with the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies characters, among others. The studio is the successor to Warner Bros...
. Freleng's business partner and DFE co-founder David H. DePatie continued to work for the company under the Marvel banner for several years until his retirement.
Marvel Productions (1980–1993)
Marvel Productions opened its Los Angeles studio in 1980.In 1984, Margaret Loesch
Margaret Loesch
Margaret Ann Loesch, is a veteran television executive, multi-award–winning producer, who is currently the President and CEO of Discovery Communications and Hasbro Inc's joint venture television network, The Hub.-Early life:...
joined Marvel Productions as President and Chief Executive Officer.
MCG was owned from 1968 by Cadence Industries Corporation and was incorporate as Marvel Entertainment Group (MEG) and sold in 1986 to New World Pictures.
With New World have cash flow problems, MEG was sold in January 1989 to Andrews Group, a MacAndrews and Forbes subsidiary, owned by Ronald Perelman. However, Marvel Productions was merged into New World's television business. MP moved their offices from Van Nuys to West Los Angeles in May 1989. New World's problems continued which lead them to also be acquired by the Andrews Group within the year. Loesch left for Fox Kids in 1990.
New World Animation (1993–1996)
Marvel Productions became New World Animation by 1993 as Marvel and New World started up Marvel FilmsMarvel Studios
Marvel Studios, originally Marvel Films, is an American television and motion picture studio based in Manhattan Beach, California. Marvel Studios is a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, a self-contained part of the The Walt Disney Company conglomerate....
including Marvel Films Animation. New World Animation (The Incredible Hulk), Saban (X-Men
X-Men (TV series)
X-Men, also known as X-Men: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series which debuted on October 31, 1992, in the United States on the Fox Network as part of its Fox Kids Saturday morning lineup...
), and Marvel Films Animation (Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
Spider-Man (1994 TV series)
Spider-Man, also known as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated series starring the Marvel Comics superhero, Spider-Man. The show ran on Fox Kids from November 19, 1994, to January 31, 1998. The producer/story editor was John Semper, Jr. and production company was Marvel Films...
) each produced a Marvel series for television. Tom Tataranowicz
Tom Tataranowicz
Tom Tataranowicz is a cartoon animator and director. His first credit was He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He is president of Gang of 7 Animation.-External links:...
was in charge of production and development, studio chief and executive producer during its New World Animation period.
New World Animation and Marvel Films Animation was sold along with the rest of New World by Andrews Group to News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
/Fox
Fox Entertainment Group
The Fox Entertainment Group is an American entertainment industry company that owns film studios and terrestrial, cable, and direct broadcast satellite television properties...
as announced in August 1996.
Film catalog ownership
In 1996, Fox Children's Productions merged with Saban Entertainment to form Fox Kids Worldwide bring the Marvel Productions and Marvel Films Animations library.With The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
's purchase of Fox Family in 2001, the Saban/Fox Kids library including the Marvel Production library As a result, Disney now holds the home video and broadcast rights to virtually all Marvel animated programs produced during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as all Marvel series produced by predecessor company DePatie-Freleng (the 1978 Fantastic Four revival
Fantastic Four (1978 TV series)
Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation in the late 1970s.-Premise:It is the second animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The 1978 series replaced the character of the Human Torch with a robot named...
and Spider-Woman
Spider-Woman (TV series)
Spider-Woman is an animated television series, based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Woman. The series was produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises and Marvel Comics Animation, and aired on September 22, 1979 to January 3, 1980, one season of sixteen episodes, on the ABC-TV network...
) and Grantray-Lawrence Animation (The Marvel Super Heroes and the 1967 Spider-Man series
Spider-Man (1967 TV series)
Spider-Man is an animated television series that ran from September 9, 1967 to June 14, 1970. It was jointly produced in Canada and the United States and was the first animated adaptation of the Spider-Man comic book series, created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko...
). Disney, via their ownership of the Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
franchise, also owns the Muppet-related programs which were co-produced with Jim Henson Productions.
The only exceptions are:
- The shows produced by Hanna-BarberaHanna-BarberaHanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
(the 1967 Fantastic Four seriesFantastic Four (1967 TV series)Fantastic Four is an animated series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and the first animated series based on Marvel's comic book series Fantastic Four. The program, featuring character designs by Alex Toth, aired on ABC from 1967 to 1970. It lasted for 20 episodes, with repeat episodes airing...
and The ThingThing (comics)The Thing is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in The Fantastic Four #1...
's 1978 spin-off), which are under Time WarnerTime WarnerTime Warner is one of the world's largest media companies, headquartered in the Time Warner Center in New York City. Formerly two separate companies, Warner Communications, Inc...
's control. - Programming involving characters and trademarks owned by other companies (such as programming based on properties held by Hasbro and others).
On December 31, 2009, Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment
Marvel Entertainment, LLC , formerly Marvel Enterprises and Toy Biz, Inc., is an American entertainment company formed from the merger of Marvel Entertainment Group, Inc. and Toy Biz, Inc....
for $4 billion, reunifying the two film libraries under the same corporate banner.
Marvel Properties
- Spider-ManSpider-Man (1981 TV series)Spider-Man is a syndicated animated TV series based on the popular Marvel Comics character of the same name.-Production background:The series was created to launch Marvel Productions, successor of DePatie-Freleng Enterprises, who had previously produced the 1978 New Fantastic Four and 1979...
(1981) - Spider-Man and His Amazing FriendsSpider-Man and His Amazing FriendsSpider-Man and His Amazing Friends is an animated series produced by Marvel Productions starring established Marvel Comics characters Spider-Man and Iceman and an original character, Firestar...
(1981) - The Incredible HulkThe Incredible Hulk (1982 animated TV series)The Incredible Hulk is an animated television series based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The series ran for 13 episodes on NBC in 1982, part of a combined hour with Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends...
(1982) - X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men (1989, aired on the Marvel Action UniverseMarvel Action UniverseMarvel Action Universe is a weekly syndicated television block from Marvel Productions featuring animated adaptions of Dino-Riders and RoboCop. Marvel Action Universe debuted in 1988.-Format:...
block)
as New World Animation
- Fantastic FourFantastic Four (1994 TV series)Fantastic Four is the third animated television series based on Marvel's comic book series of the same name. Airing began on September 24, 1994, until ending on February 24, 1996...
(1994, aired on the Marvel Action Hour/Marvel Action Universe block) - Iron ManIron Man (TV series)Iron Man, also known as Iron Man: The Animated Series, is an American animated television series based on Marvel Comics' superhero Iron Man...
(1994, aired on the Marvel Action Hour/Marvel Action Universe block) - The Incredible Hulk (1996)
Henson Properties
- Note: All programs are co-productions with Henson AssociatesThe Jim Henson CompanyThe Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
, eventually doing business as Jim Henson ProductionsThe Jim Henson CompanyThe Jim Henson Company, an American entertainment organization, traces its origins to the founding of Muppets, Inc. in 1958 by puppeteer Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. The Muppets helped the company gain worldwide acclaim in family entertainment for more than four decades...
. Except where noted, the rights to these series are now held by The Muppets Studio, LLC, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.- Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (1984)
- Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters (Animated segments, 1985)
- Fraggle RockFraggle Rock (animated TV series)Fraggle Rock is an American animated television series based on the original live action version of the same name created by Jim Henson. NBC aired this spin-off program on Saturday mornings for one season during 1987.-Synopsis:...
(1987, Fraggle RockFraggle RockFraggle Rock is a children's live action puppet television program series created by Jim Henson. The central characters were a set of "Muppet" creatures called Fraggles. The show ran from January 10, 1983, to March 30, 1987, on CBC Television in Canada, ITV in the UK, HBO in the United States,...
was not included in the February 2004 Henson sale of the rights and ownership of the Muppets and the Bear in the Big Blue House characters to Disney.)
Hasbro Properties
- Note: All programs based on Hasbro properties are co-productions with Sunbow ProductionsSunbow ProductionsSunbow Entertainment was an animation studio, founded in 1980 and owned up until 1998 by Griffin-Bacal Advertising in New York. The first animation efforts by Griffin-Bacal were producing the animated commercials for Hasbro's G.I...
. These programs are currently owned by Hasbro.- The Charmkins (1983)
- The TransformersThe Transformers (TV series)The Transformers is an animated television series depicting a war among giant robots who could transform into vehicles, other objects and animal-like forms. Written and recorded in America, the series was animated in Japan and South Korea...
(1984) - G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)
- Super Sunday (aka Super Saturday)Super Sunday (TV series)Super Sunday was a 1980s animated television series produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions.-Format:...
(1985, featuring JemJem (TV series)Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
, InhumanoidsInhumanoidsInhumanoids was an animated series and Hasbro toy property in 1986. In the tradition of other Hasbro properties such as Transformers and G.I. Joe, the show was produced by Sunbow and Marvel Productions and animated in Japan by Toei Animation...
, RobotixRobotixRobotix may refer to:* Robotix * Robotix, a 1986 cartoon produced by Sunbow & Marvel Productions* Robotix , a robotics competition organized by the students of IIT Kharagpur...
, and Bigfoot and the Muscle MachinesBigfoot and the Muscle MachinesBigfoot and the Muscle Machines is a special animated TV mini-series that was aired on the animated half-hour TV series Super Sunday and Super Saturday containing 9 segments that ran for 6 minutes each and every weekend, along with Jem, Robotix, and Inhumanoids...
) - JemJem (TV series)Jem, also known as Jem and the Holograms, is an American animated television series that ran from 1985 to 1988 in U.S. first-run syndication...
(1986) - InhumanoidsInhumanoidsInhumanoids was an animated series and Hasbro toy property in 1986. In the tradition of other Hasbro properties such as Transformers and G.I. Joe, the show was produced by Sunbow and Marvel Productions and animated in Japan by Toei Animation...
(1986) - My Little Pony and Friends (1986) (Including Glo FriendsGlo FriendsGlo Friends are small glow-in-the-dark toys in the shape of insects and other small creatures that were made by Hasbro's Playskool division in the mid 1980s . Books were also made by Ladybird to accompany each Glo Friend...
, MoonDreamersMoonDreamersMoondreamers is an animated television series that aired in 1986 as part of the My Little Pony 'n Friends lineup. My Little Pony aired the first 15 minutes, and the second half rotated among MoonDreamers, Potato Head Kids, and Glo Friends...
and Potato Head KidsPotato Head KidsPotato Head Kids was a TV show that aired in 1985. It was made to pair with a show called My Little Pony 'n Friends. An episode of My Little Pony was played for 15 minutes, and then an episode of Potato Head Kids, MoonDreamers, or Glo Friends was played.-Premise:Potato Head Kids was an outgrowth of...
as well as My Little PonyMy Little Pony (TV series)My Little Pony is an American animated television series based on the My Little Pony toys released by Hasbro. The series featured as the first segment of a program called My Little Pony 'n Friends. The second segment would be an unrelated cartoon based on another Hasbro franchise - either Glo...
) - My Little Pony: The MovieMy Little Pony: The MovieMy Little Pony: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the Hasbro toy line, My Little Pony. It was released on June 20, 1986 by De Laurentiis Entertainment Group...
(1986) - The Transformers: The MovieThe Transformers: The MovieThe Transformers: The Movie is a 1986 animated feature film based on the animated series of the same name. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986 and in the UK on December 5, 1986....
(1986) - G.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The MovieG.I. Joe: The Movie is a 1987 animated film spun off from the animated series G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, based on the original Hasbro toyline. It was produced by Sunbow Productions and Marvel Productions and was animated in Japan by Toei Animation.Created at the height of the G.I. Joe craze in...
(1987)
Other licensed properties
- The Pink Panther in: Pink at First SightThe Pink Panther in: Pink at First SightThe Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight is an animated Valentine's Day special starring The Pink Panther. It premiered on ABC on February 14, 1981. Although Marvel Productions made the titles for Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther a year later, this was the only other Pink...
(1981, co-production with MirischMirisch CompanyThe Mirisch Company was a film production company owned by Walter Mirisch and his brothers, Marvin and Harold Mirisch. The company was also known at various times as Mirisch Production Company, Mirisch Pictures, Inc., and The Mirisch Corporation.Walter Mirisch began producing at Monogram Pictures...
-Geoffrey-DePatie-FrelengDePatie-Freleng EnterprisesDePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
and United ArtistsUnited ArtistsUnited Artists Corporation is an American film studio. The original studio of that name was founded in 1919 by D. W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks....
) - The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the HatThe Grinch Grinches the Cat in the HatThe Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat is an animated musical television special and crossover starring two of Dr. Seuss' famous characters, The Grinch and The Cat in the Hat. It premiered on May 20, 1982 on ABC and won two Emmys.-Plot:...
(1982, co-production with DePatie-Freleng EnterprisesDePatie-Freleng EnterprisesDePatie-Freleng Enterprises was a Hollywood-based animation production company, active from 1963 to 1981. They produced theatrical cartoons, animated series, commercials, title sequences and television specials. Notable among these is The Pink Panther film titles and cartoon shorts and the Dr....
(in name only) and Dr. SeussDr. SeussTheodor Seuss Geisel was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children's books written under the pen names Dr. Seuss, Theo LeSieg and, in one case, Rosetta Stone....
) - Meatballs and Spaghetti (1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment)
- PandamoniumPandamonium (TV series)-Synopsis:When an evil alien named Mondraggor attempted to steal an ancient object called the Pyramid of Power, the pyramid shattered into many pieces, which scattered around the world. Each week, Mondraggor would race against two human siblings, Peter and Peggy Darrow, who were accompanied by...
(1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment) - Dungeons & DragonsDungeons & Dragons (TV series)Dungeons & Dragons is an American fantasy animated television series based on TSR's Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. A co-production of Marvel Productions and TSR, the show originally ran from 1985 through 1987 for three seasons on CBS for a total of twenty seven episodes.The show focused on a...
(1983, co-production with TSR Hobbies, Inc.TSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
) - GallavantsGallavantsGallavants is a 1984 animated musical, produced by Marvel Productions, and released on home video.- Plot :Gallavants are ants living in a their own fairy-tale land, Ganteville. The little ones have to go to school in preparation of their adult life as working ants. However, one pupil thinks he...
(1984) - Defenders of the EarthDefenders of the EarthDefenders of the Earth is an animated television series produced in 1986, narrated by Corey Burton and featuring characters from three comic strips distributed by King Features Syndicate—Flash Gordon, the Phantom, and Mandrake the Magician—battling the Flash Gordon villain Ming the Merciless in the...
(1986, co-production with King Features SyndicateKing Features SyndicateKing Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide...
) - The Little Wizards (1987)
- Dino Riders (1988, aired as part of Marvel Action UniverseMarvel Action UniverseMarvel Action Universe is a weekly syndicated television block from Marvel Productions featuring animated adaptions of Dino-Riders and RoboCop. Marvel Action Universe debuted in 1988.-Format:...
) - RoboCopRoboCop: The Animated SeriesRoboCop: The Animated Series is an animated series produced in the 1980s by Marvel Productions, and is based on the character and events of the movie RoboCop....
(1988, co-production with Orion PicturesOrion PicturesOrion Pictures Corporation was an American independent production company that produced movies from 1978 until 1998. It was formed in 1978 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and three former top-level executives of United Artists. Although it was never a large motion picture producer, Orion...
; aired as part of Marvel Action UniverseMarvel Action UniverseMarvel Action Universe is a weekly syndicated television block from Marvel Productions featuring animated adaptions of Dino-Riders and RoboCop. Marvel Action Universe debuted in 1988.-Format:...
) - Rude Dog and the Dweebs (1989)
- Attack of the Killer TomatoesAttack of the Killer Tomatoes: The Animated SeriesAttack of the Killer Tomatoes is an animated television series based on the movies Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Return of the Killer Tomatoes. It aired on Fox Kids from September 8, 1990 to November 23, 1991. Repeats continued to air until September 5, 1992. Three years later, repeats were...
(1990, co-production with Fox Children's ProductionsFox KidsFox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
) - Kid 'n Play (1990–1991, co-production with Saban Entertainment)
- Space CatsSpace CatsSpace Cats is a cartoon series for television that aired on NBC in 1991. It is a comedy show about alien felines helping mankind. It was from Paul Fusco, the creator of ALF.-Plot:...
(1991, co-production with Paul Fusco ProductionsPaul FuscoPaul Fusco is an American puppeteer, voice-over artist and character actor who is best known as the voice, creator, and puppeteer of ALF...
) - Biker Mice from MarsBiker Mice from MarsBiker Mice from Mars is a science fiction animated series created by Rick Ungar that began airing in 1993 in the United States and lasted for three seasons before it was cancelled...
(1993 (New World Family Filmworks would assume production), co-production with Brentwood Television Funnies)
For a more complete list see Saban Entertainment.
Executives
- David H. DePatie - President and Chief Executive Officer (1981-1984)
- Margaret LoeschMargaret LoeschMargaret Ann Loesch, is a veteran television executive, multi-award–winning producer, who is currently the President and CEO of Discovery Communications and Hasbro Inc's joint venture television network, The Hub.-Early life:...
- President and Chief Executive Officer (1984-1990) - Lee GuntherLee GuntherLee Gunther was a film editor on more than 85 animated shorts in all.-Career:...
- senior vice-president, production (1986) - Stan LeeStan LeeStan Lee is an American comic book writer, editor, actor, producer, publisher, television personality, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics....
- vice-president, creative affairs (1986) - Michael Wahl - vice-president, business affairs (1986)
- Peter Knepper - vice-president & chief financial officer (1986)
- Hank Sarovan - vice-president (1986)