Sony Pictures Animation and Fred Seibert's Frederator Studios to Develop Animated Features

Sony Pictures Animation has set a multi-year deal with Fred Seibert and his Frederator Studios to develop animated feature films, it was announced today by Bob Osher, president of Sony Pictures Digital Productions, and Hannah Minghella, president of production for Sony Pictures Animation. Seibert, a prolific animation producer, promises to be a rich source of original ideas as Sony Pictures Animation continues to advance its development slate.

"It is hard to imagine someone more passionate about animation than Fred Seibert, " said Bob Osher, who first worked with Seibert at Turner Entertainment, when Seibert was president of Hanna-Barbera Productions. "He is a remarkable creative resource."

"Frederator Studios is thrilled to be working with Bob, Hannah, and their team at Sony Pictures Animation," said Fred Seibert. "They've given us a unique opportunity to further develop our incubator for big animation ideas."

"As we look to make a wide variety of animated movies, this relationship with Frederator Studios presents a wealth of fresh ideas and talent," said Hannah Minghella. "It is exciting to be working with Fred and his creative community."

The former president of Hanna-Barbera Productions, Seibert founded Frederator in 1998. At Hanna-Barbera he gathered dozens of creative mavericks to create original cartoons. That grand experiment has produced 138 original shorts, an Academy Award nomination, two Emmy nominations, and seven original half-hour cartoon series at Cartoon Network (including THEPOWERPUFF GIRLS, JOHNNY BRAVO, COW AND CHICKEN, I.M. WEASEL, COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG, WHAT A CARTOON! and DEXTER'S LABORATORY). Today, Frederator is regarded as one of the largest and most creative independent cartoon studios, with over 100 projects in active development and production for features, television, and the internet, and several series on the air, including THE FAIRLY ODD PARENTS, MY LIFE AS A TEENAGE ROBOT, APE ESCAPE CARTOONS and WOW! WOW! WUBBZY!. Currently in production are FANBOY & CHUM CHUM, premiering on Nickelodeon in May, and ADVENTURE TIME at Cartoon Network for May 2010.

In 2006 Seibert recognized the potential of online video and launched the Next New Networks, which has so far launched 25 online micro-networks featuring short, pithy and popular content that has made it the top independent supplier of original entertainment on YouTube. Among Seibert's earlier career highlights, as the original creative director he launched MTV: Music Television and, later, transformed Nickelodeon into a top cable network and established the Nick-at-Nite concept.

Sony Pictures Animation has recently announced other development deals, including a first look agreement with The Gotham Group and the acquisition of several properties including THE FAMILIARS, HIP HOP and a title from Platinum Studios. Sony Pictures Animation's next movie, CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, opens on September 18.

About Sony Pictures Animation:

Sony Pictures Animation exemplifies the next generation of CGI storytelling to produce a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. Sony Pictures Animation is developing a full slate of films including the mouth-watering 3D comedy CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS which opens in September 2009, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA, now in pre-production and, in association with Columbia Pictures, THE SMURFS MOVIE, also in pre-production. In 2007, SURF'S UP, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and won two Annie Awards. The company's first film, OPEN SEASON, was a box office success and the #2 DVD title of the year for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. Its sequel, OPEN SEASON 2, released in 2009, was an international family hit. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.

About Frederator Studios:

Frederator Studios has been a unique incubator for big animation ideas, producing original cartoons since 1998. Over 200 short films have resulted in 16 hit series for television and the internet, including Butch Hartman's THE FAIRLY ODD PARENTS, Genndy Tartakovsky's DEXTER'S LABORATORY, and Craig McCraken's THE POWERPUFF GIRLS. Eric Robles' FANBOY & CHUM CHUM will debut on Nickelodeon in October 2009, and Pendleton Ward's ADVENTURE TIME launches in May 2010 on Cartoon Network. SAMURAI JACK is in development at Paramount Pictures with Bad Robot Productions.

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SOURCE: Sony Pictures Animation

CONTACT: Don Levy of Sony Pictures Animation, +1-310-840-7315,
donlevy@sonypictures.com