Danger Mouse film in development
A Danger Mouse film is in the works, according to reports.
The cartoon's owners, Fremantle Media, have signed a deal with Origin Film to produce the feature-length adventure, with STUDIOCANAL and Sony Pictures Animation also on board.
Originally running as a series of 10-minute cartoons on ITV from 1981, the cartoon has recently been revived for CBBC, premièring to audiences just last Monday.
David Jason and Terry Scott provided the voices for the original eponymous hero and his hamster sidekick, Penfold, with Alexander Armstrong and Kevin Eldon taking over their respective roles in the new show.
Other voices are provided by Stephen Fry, Dave Lamb, Shauna MacDonald and Ed Gaughan. Guest stars through the new series are set to include Richard Osman and Lena Headey.
Danger Mouse was a firm kids' favourite throughout the 1980s, running for 10 series until 1992, when ITV franchise Thames Television, who broadcast and produced the show through its Cosgrove Hall animation studio subsidiary, lost its broadcast licence.
Such was the popularity of Danger Mouse it spawned a spin-off series, focusing on vegetarian vampire Count Duckula.
In a world inhabited by anthropomorphised animals, Danger Mouse is the top agent of MI6, based in a top secret pillar box headquarters somewhere in London's Mayfair. With nervous sidekick Penfold ever at his side, ingenious inventor Professor Squawkencluck providing his array of technology, and under the orders of agency director Colonel K, Danger Mouse sets out to defeat a never-ending array of super-villains. Notable amongst them is the treacherous frog Baron Greenback.
Hollywood gossip website The Tracking Board reports that the production team, headed by Neal Mortiz and Toby Ascher, are currently looking for a British writer to pen the script for the film.
Reports suggest that the film's aim will be to honour and reflect Danger Mouse's history, style and origins, whilst striving to reach and entertain a whole new legion of audiences across the globe.
Originally created by Brian Cosgrove and written by Brian Trueman, the new CBBC series has been directed by Robert Cullen, with scripts from a number of writers overseen by head writer Ben Ward.
Popular streaming service Netflix has acquired US rights to the new series; the format, animation and stars of which are likely to be adopted for the film in order to maximise on the brand.
News of the film adaptation follows the international box office success of STUDIOCANAL's Paddington, updating the classic Paddington Bear stories of Michael Bond. It is the highest-grossing non-Hollywood-produced family film in cinema history.
Also announced last year is an Ealing Studios film adaptation of 1980s' BBC cartoon comedy, Bananaman.
Here is a trailer for the new CBBC Danger Mouse series: