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Marvel Productions Ltd. (later called New World Animation) was a television and film studio subsidiary of the Marvel Entertainment Group, based in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It later became a subsidiary of New World Entertainment and eventually of News Corporation (Fox Entertainment Group).

Originally an animation studio, Marvel Productions produced notable television shows, motion pictures, and television specials such as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, The Transformers: The Movie, The Incredible Hulk, and G.I. Joe: The Movie.

Most of the productions of Marvel Productions are now owned by The Walt Disney Company.

History

DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (1963–1980)

The company began in 1963 as DFE Films and was sold to Cadence Industries, Marvel Comics Group's owner, in 1980 after DFE founder and company executive Friz Freleng departed the company to return to his former job at Warner Bros. Animation. Freleng's business partner and DFE co-founder David H. DePatie continued to work for the company under the Marvel banner for several years until his retirement.

Marvel Productions (1980–1993)

Marvel Productions opened its Los Angeles studio in 1980. In 1984, Margaret Loesch joined Marvel Productions as President and Chief Executive Officer. MCG was owned from 1968 by Cadence Industries Corporation and was incorporate as Marvel Entertainment Group (MEG) and sold in 1986 to New World Pictures. With New World have cash flow problems, MEG was sold in January 1989 to Andrews Group, a MacAndrews and Forbes subsidiary, owned by Ronald Perelman. However, Marvel Productions was merged into New World's television business. MP moved their offices from Van Nuys to West Los Angeles in May 1989. New World's problems continued which lead them to also be acquired by the Andrews Group within the year. Loesch left for Fox Kids in 1990.

New World Animation (1993–1996)

Marvel Productions became New World Animation by 1993 as Marvel and New World started up Marvel Films including Marvel Films Animation. New World Animation (The Incredible Hulk), Saban (X-Men), and Marvel Films Animation (Spider-Man) each produced a Marvel series for television. Tom Tataranowicz was in charge of production and development, studio chief and executive producer during its New World Animation period.

New World Animation and Marvel Films Animation was sold along with the rest of New World by Andrews Group to News Corporation/Fox as announced in August 1996. At the same time, Saban secured rights from Marvel Entertainment Group for Captain America, Daredevil and Silver Surfer and additional characters to be developed into four series and 52 episodes over seven years.

Film catalog ownership

In 1996, Fox Children's Productions merged with Saban Entertainment to form Fox Kids Worldwide bring the Marvel Productions and Marvel Films Animations library. With The Walt Disney Company's purchase of Fox Family in 2001, the Saban/Fox Kids library including the Marvel Productions library As a result, Disney now holds the home video and broadcast rights to virtually all Marvel animated programs produced during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as all Marvel series produced by predecessor company DePatie-Freleng (the 1978 Fantastic Four revival and Spider-Woman) and Grantray-Lawrence Animation (The Marvel Super Heroes and the 1967 Spider-Man series). Disney, via their ownership of the Muppets franchise, also owns the Muppet-related programs which were co-produced with Jim Henson Productions. On December 31, 2009, Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion, reunifying the two film libraries under the same corporate banner.

The only exceptions are:

• Fraggle Rock is owned by The Jim Henson Company.
• Programming involving characters and trademarks owned by other companies (such as programming based on properties held by Hasbro and others).

List of shows, specials and movies

Marvel Properties

• Spider-Man (1981)
• Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981)
• The Incredible Hulk (1982)
• X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men (1989, aired on the Marvel Action Universe block)

as New World Animation

• Fantastic Four (1994, aired on the Marvel Action Hour/Marvel Action Universe block)
• Iron Man (1994, aired on the Marvel Action Hour/Marvel Action Universe block)
• The Incredible Hulk (1996)

Henson Properties

Note: All programs are co-productions with Henson Associates. Except where noted, the rights to these series are now held by The Muppets Studio, LLC, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.

• Jim Henson's Muppet Babies (1984)
• Jim Henson's Little Muppet Monsters (Animated segments, 1985)
• Fraggle Rock (1987, Fraggle Rock was not included in the February 2004 Henson sale of the rights and ownership of the Muppets and the Bear in the Big Blue House characters to Disney.)
• Sesame Songs Home Video (1990)

Hasbro Properties

Note: All programs based on Hasbro properties were co-productions with Sunbow Productions. These programs are currently owned by Hasbro.

• The Charmkins (1983)
• The Transformers (1984) (Takara owns the Japanese rights)
• G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)
• Super Sunday (aka Super Saturday) (1985, featuring Jem, Inhumanoids, Robotix, and Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines)
• Jem (1986)
• Inhumanoids (1986)
• My Little Pony: Rescue at Midnight Castle (1984)
• My Little Pony: Escape from Catrina (1985)
• My Little Pony and Friends (1986) (Including The Glo Friends, MoonDreamers and Potato Head Kids as well as My Little Pony)
• My Little Pony: The Movie (1986)
• The Transformers: The Movie (1986) (Takara owns the Japanese rights)
• G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987)

Other licensed properties

• The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight (1981, co-production with Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng and United Artists)
• The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982, co-production with DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (in name only) and Dr. Seuss)
• Meatballs and Spaghetti (1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment)
• Pandamonium (1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment)
• Dungeons & Dragons (1983, co-production with TSR Hobbies, Inc.)
• Gallavants (1984)
• Defenders of the Earth (1986, co-production with King Features Syndicate)
• The Little Wizards (1987)
• Dino-Riders (1988, aired as part of Marvel Action Universe)
• RoboCop (1988, co-production with Orion Pictures; aired as part of Marvel Action Universe)
• Little People Video (1988)
• Rude Dog and the Dweebs (1989)
• Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1990, co-production with Fox Children's Productions)
• Kid 'n Play (1990–1991, co-production with Saban Entertainment)
• Space Cats (1991, co-production with Paul Fusco Productions)
• Biker Mice from Mars (1993 (New World Family Filmworks would assume production), co-production with Brentwood Television Funnies)

Executives

• David H. DePatie - President and Chief Executive Officer (1981–1984)
• Margaret Loesch - President and Chief Executive Officer (1984-1990)
• Rick Ungar (November 1993-?)
• Lee Gunther - senior vice-president, production (1986)
• Stan Lee - vice-president, creative affairs (1986)
• Michael Wahl - vice-president, business affairs (1986)
• Peter Knepper - vice-president & chief financial officer (1986)
• Hank Sarovan - vice-president (1986)

See also

• Marvel Animation
• Marvel Studios
• Marvel Entertainment
• Saban Entertainment

References

1. ^ "Marvel Productions Plans Move to West Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. 1989-05-02. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
2. Mangel, Andy (1991). "Reel Marvel". In Jim Salicrup (ed.). Marvel Age Issue 100. Marvel Comics. Retrieved 25 October 2011. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
3. ^ "Marvel Grows into $100 Hulk" (jpeg). Variety. 17 September 1986. p. 92. Retrieved 18 October 2011. {{cite news}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)
4. "DePATIE, David H." ASIFA-Hollywood Cartoon Hall Of Fame. The International Animated Film Society: ASIFA-Hollywood. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
5. ^ "Margaret Loesch To Leave Position As President And CEO, Crown Media United States; Lana Corbi To Assume Post". Business Wire. the Free Library.com. Retrieved 11 May 2011.
6. ^ Hicks, Jonathan P. (1988-11-08). "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Marvel Comic Book Unit Being Sold for $82.5 Million". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-10-22.
7. "MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc". Funding Universe. Retrieved 2008-05-16.
8. ^ "Margaret Loesch Biography". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo!. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
9. "MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT AND AVI ARAD TO DEVELOP MEDIA PROJECTS". The Free Library.com. Farlex, Inc. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
10. "John Semper on "Spider-Man": 10th Anniversary Interview". Marvel Animation Age. toonzone.net. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
11. Cawley, John. "Marvel Films Animation 1993-1997". Home of John Cawley. John Cawley. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
12. Goldman, Michael. "Stan Lee: Comic Guru". Animation World Magazine. Animation World Network. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
13. Materna, Marisa (February 24, 2005). "Gang of Seven Goes Employee-Owned Route". Animation World Network. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
14. "August Issue News Section:Time Warner-Turner Merger Approved and Fox to Take Over New World". Animation World Magazine. August 1996. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
15. "August Issue News Section:Marvel Super Heroics To Continue On Fox Kids Network". Animation World Magazine. August 1996. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
16. "Fox Family Worldwide Inc". Saban. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
17. "Haim Saban, producer, in Hollywood, Washington, Israel". The New Yorker. May 10, 2010. p. 5. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
18. Hillier, Barry (November 1, 1996). "Fox Kids Worldwide is born". Kidscreen. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
19. ^ "News Corp. and Haim Saban Reach Agreement to Sell Fox Family Worldwide to Disney for $5.3 Billion". Saban. July 23, 2001. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
20. ^ DiOrio, Carl (Oct. 24, 2001). "Fox Family costs Mouse less cheese in final deal". Variety. Retrieved 2009-08-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
21. "Disney to acquire Marvel Entertainment for $4B". MarketWatch. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
22. "Marvel Sets Date for Disney Vote". Los Angeles Business Journal. 2009-12-03. Retrieved 2009-12-05. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
23. http://corporate.disney.go.com/news/corporate/2004/2004_0217_kermit.html
24. Muppets
25. YouTube: David DePatie Interview, Part 2 of 2. Retrieved on 1 November 2011.
26. Freeman, Mike. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-14701883.html New world of animation: former Marvel Entertainment chief Rick Ungar will head new division concentrating on original animated series, including upcoming 'Stealth Warriors.' November 1, 1993. Broadcasting & Cable.
27. ^ Gilroy, Dan (1986-09-17). "Marvel Now a $100 Million Hulk: Marvel Divisions and Top Execs" (jpeg). Variety. p. 81. Retrieved 18 October 2011. {{cite news}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)

External links

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• American animation studios
• Marvel Entertainment
• Spider-Man television series
• Transformers animation
• Fox Kids
• Jetix
• RoboCop television series
• Companies established in 1981
• Defunct American film studios
• Companies disestablished in 1997
• Companies based in California
• Marvel Comics animation