EXCLUSIVE: King Features Syndicate has launched development on a new animated feature film inspired by interactive children’s comics, cunning fox — having renewed its representation contract for the property, formerly Slylock Fox and children’s comics.
The in-development film will follow Sherlock-Holmes-esque detective Slylock Fox and his dedicated sidekick, Max Mouse, as they take on a cast of eccentric villains. Evan Daugherty — author of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Divergent and Snow White and the Hunter – is on board to write and produce, with design and animation studio Chromosphere coming on board for art direction. King Features president CJ Kettler will serve as executive producer on the project.
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Created by Bob Weber Jr. and published by King Features Syndicate, the Slylock Since 1987, the comic has allowed children to follow Slylock Fox, Max Mouse and other likable characters, teaching young readers interesting topics and encouraging them to use facts, logic, attention to visual detail, thinking lateral and other cognitive skills to solve fun, unsettling mysteries.
cunning fox is one of several properties King Features is currently developing for television and film, as it seeks to both adapt its comic book intellectual property to today’s culture and expand the portfolio of properties that it represents outside of the main comic book arena. The company recently launched its adaptation of the popular video game Cupheadwhich made its streaming debut in February on Netflix as The Cuphead Show! and dropped a new batch of episodes in August.
“Young readers around the world can’t wait to solve the fun and interactive puzzles of cunning fox every day and we are thrilled to bring these iconic characters to life on the big screen,” said Kettler. “Evan Daugherty and Chromosphere Studios are both doing amazing work and through this partnership we will be able to create an engaging and meaningful story that captures the true spirit of the mysterious comic book adventures.”
“It was a real joy to create cunning fox over the years to bring comic book page readers something fun and different with interactive activities centered around core educational themes,” Weber added. “We look forward to the sequel. cunning fox project and know that King Features, along with Chromosphere and Evan Daugherty, will create an exciting and lively adaptation that is sure to captivate our current fans and reach a whole new audience as well.
A producer and distributor of well-known intellectual properties, as well as a leader in licensing classic characters and developing franchises, King Features’ portfolio includes world-renowned pop culture brands such as popeye, Cuphead, Flash Gordon, The ghost, Hagar the Horrible, Moomin, valiant prince and Mandrake the magician. As a specialist in content syndication, the company distributes beloved comics such as blonde, Bailey Beetle, Mutts and dozens more as well as columns, editorial cartoons, and puzzles across multiple platforms and content providers around the world. King Features is part of Hearst Newspapers, which publishes 24 daily and 52 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Times Union (Albany, New York), also operating local digital marketing services and directories.
Daugherty is replaced by Verve, manager Jake Wagner and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.
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