Hong Kong- and Los Angeles-based animation house Imagi Studios has announced that Summit Ent. will release its CG-animated Astro Boy movie on more than 3,000 screens in North America on Friday, Oct. 23, 2009. Summit and Imagi are putting together the final details on a marketing plan designed to reach both family audiences and adult fans of the classic Astro Boy anime series. The push will include a tie-in with a major fast food restaurant and alliances in the areas of toys, games and books.
Astro Boy tells the story of a powerful robot boy created by a brilliant scientist in the image of the son he has lost. Our hero journeys to find acceptance in the human world, and ultimately discovers true friendship as he uses his incredible powers to help others and save Metro City from destruction. David Bowers (Flushed Away) is directing and Maryann Garger is producing the Imagi pic, which boasts the voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy and Eugene Levy.
Astro Boy was conceived by legendary Japanese manga creator Osamu Tezuka in the early 1950s. The black-and-white animated series debuted on Japanese television 1963 before making its way around the world. The property was twice revived with two new cartoon series that debuted in 1980 and 2003.
Summit Ent., which entered into a global alliance with Imagi Studios earlier this year, will istribute Astro Boy worldwide except for Imagi’s reserved territories of Japan, Hong Kong and China. International release dates for the film will be announced soon.
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