Kevin Smith to develop ‘Green Hornet’ Animated Series With WildBrain
Director/screenwriter/actor Kevin Smith is set to team up with production company WildBrain to develop an original animated series based on the classic superhero franchise ‘Green Hornet’ it has been announced.
The new animated series will target a family audience and feature classic Green Hornet elements that fans know and love, including his ultra high-tech car, the “Black Beauty”. Set in contemporary times, the series will deliver some exciting new elements as it follows the adventures of a re-imagined Green Hornet and Kato – now the grown son of the original Green Hornet and the daughter of the original Kato – as they partner to battle crime in Century City!
“It’s an honour to escort the legendary Green Hornet and Kato into their very own animated series for the first time in the rich history of these iconic pop culture characters!” commented Smith. “We’ll be telling a tale of two Hornets – past and future – that spans generations and draws inspiration from a lifetime spent watching classic cartoons and amazing animation like Batman: The Animated Series, Heavy Metal, and Super Friends. I can’t believe WildBrain gave me this job and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to extend my childhood a little longer.”
The Green Hornet originated as a radio series created by George W. Trendle in the 1930s, telling the story of Britt Reid, the wealthy owner and publisher of the fictional newspaper, The Daily Sentinel. By day, Reid oversees his paper’s reporting on crime and injustice, but by night he dons his green mask and ventures across the city with his sidekick Kato – in their ultra-high-tech car the “Black Beauty” – to battle criminals and villains head-on.
Over the decades, the Green Hornet franchise has spawned numerous comics series, toy lines, movie serials, a feature film and the classic 1966 live-action TV series, which introduced future martial arts superstar Bruce Lee to North American audiences as Kato.
This isn’t Smith’s first rodeo with Green Hornet and Kato, as he previously set to work on a movie version back in the early 2000s. Although he parted ways with the project, his script was eventually turned into a comic book version by Dynamite, which amazing art from Alex Ross, John Cassaday, J. Scott Campell and more.
“We’re thrilled to embark on a new animated Green Hornet series with Kevin, who has set up an incredibly rich world with a cast of amazing characters – especially Kato, who is no longer just a sidekick, but is now a strong female partner to the Green Hornet,” adds Stephanie Betts, EVP Content and Current Series at WildBrain. “With his ingenious talent and passion for superheroes and classic franchises, Kevin is the perfect creator to update the Green Hornet. We’re excited to share the new Green Hornet and Kato with audiences worldwide.”
No news yet on where the new ‘Green Hornet’ animated series may land for broadcast, but if you want to know more, check out Kevin Smith’s YouTube show “Fatman Beyond” today at 8pm PDT (that’s 4am UK time…), when he’ll be discussing the announcement.
