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Imagi Gets Fluorescent BlackMatt Wilson's Script to Become Graphic Novel, then Movie
Hong Kong-based Imagi Animation has picked up Matt Wilson's script, called Fluorescent Black, and will make a graphic novel and movie from it.
Imagi Animation, the studio best known for adapting TMNT and the upcoming Gatchaman and Astro Boy to the silver screen, has grabbed all the rights to an original script by sci-fi writer and short film director Matt Wilson. The script, called Fluorescent Black, is a futuristic actioner set in Singapore and the Malaysian peninsula. It will start as a graphic novel, with artwork by Nathan Fox. The novel is scheduled for a mid-2008 release, and is will be featured on the cover of the July 2008 edition of Heavy Metal magazine. Imagi is still keeping its plans for the Fluorescent Black movie under wraps. "We believe this project has the potential to become a huge cult phenomenon," said Galen Walker, Imagi VP of development and TMNT producer. Imagi's Other Projects: Gatchaman and Astro Boy Picking up an original script for Fluorescent Black represents a welcome change for Imagi, which made its mark with this year's adaptation of TMNT, which returned the 1980's toy-and-comic-book phenomenon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to the big screen. That film unleashed some excellent visuals (especially impressive when one considers that the film cost only $34 million to make) but was hampered by its frequently incoherent story. As well as possibly developing a TMNT 2, Imagi is also adapting two classic Japanese animation properties to the big screen: Gatchaman and Astro Boy. Gatchaman is the studio's re-imagining of the classic television anime Kagaku ninja tai Gatchaman, the first sentai (superhero-team) anime, and one of Tatsunoko's most successful properties. It came to North American television screens in 1978 as Battle of the Planets, and in the 80's as G-Force and Eagle Riders. Robert Mark Kamen (The Transporter) is writing the script for Kevin Munroe (TMNT). That movie hits theatres in early 2009. That same year will see the first CGI version of the venerable Astro Boy coming to the silver screen. Osamu Tezuka's robot boy has been around in one form or another since 1951 and, in some circles, is as popular and iconic as Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse. Michael Lachance (The Madagascar Penguins in: A Christmas Caper, Over the Hedge) is writing the script for Colin Brady (Everyone's Hero). Fun Fact: Fluorescent black lighting is better known as UV lighting or "Wood's lighting" (named after Robert Williams Wood, who developed the Wood's glass to eliminate all light beams, save those in the ultraviolet bands). Outside of its use in nightclubs, bowling alleys and raves, black lighting is used to verify antiques and banknotes and check for cracks and other flaws in various structures.
The copyright of the article Imagi Gets Fluorescent Black in International Animated Films is owned by Dominic von Riedemann. Permission to republish Imagi Gets Fluorescent Black in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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