By Kristin Brzoznowski

NEW YORK, January 8: Fitzroy Media has signed Renegade Animation to design and produce a number of animated projects around the classic Heathcliff character to bring the property into the 21st century. Preproduction will start this month on 50 2-minute interstitials, with animation director Darrell Van Citters, who leads Renegade’s creative team, on board to develop an updated look. Targeting an adult & tween audience, the new Heathcliff will focus on comedy, set against a hip, club-music sound.

“Heathcliff is a fantastic character that has delighted millions of people worldwide—and we are among his biggest fans,” Van Citters said. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to rekindle the magic and introduce this loveable cat to a new generation of fans.”

“Renegade’s track record for producing animation that hits the mark with today’s audiences, coupled with Darrell Van Citters’ proven sensibility for maintaining an evergreen character’s intrinsic qualities as it evolves in the 21st century, is certain to be a formula for success with Heathcliff, a classic character who has earned his stripes—black, orange and otherwise—as a permanent fixture in popular culture,” added Fitzroy Media’s CEO, Hamp Hampton.

A new Heathcliff DVD special is the first project to be greenlit by Fitzroy under an agreement with cartoonist Peter Gallagher, who writes and draws the Heathcliff comic strip created in 1973 by his uncle, George Gately. Under the agreement, Fitzroy Media will develop animated feature films, direct-to-DVD releases and location-based entertainment projects, in addition to reaching out to the licensing and merchandising community with opportunities to develop additional products based on the Heathcliff character.

“We’re going to dust off this classic kitty, throw him in the tub, scrub behind his ears and get rid of those old fleas,” said Gallagher. “Heathcliff’s many loyal fans are going to be thrilled and he is certain to find an even wider audience with all-new shenanigans in the 21st century.”

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