Disney's New Four-Color Kingdom
The Walt Disney Studios plans to generate new graphic novel-to-film material by partnering with three film and comic industry veterans on Kingdom Comics.
Disney this week inked a deal with Ahmet Zappa, Harris Katleman & Christian Beranek to head-up the newly-formed KINGDOM COMICS in order to develop graphic novels into new film projects, with a secondary goal of "re-imagining and rejuvenating" classic Disney live-action movies.
"Some of these exciting publications will be inspired by films and characters in the vast and storied Disney library, while other original graphic novels are sure to spark great ideas for future Disney classics," said Oren Aviv, Disney's president of Motion Picture Production. "Our vision for Kingdom Comics is to bring a fresh, contemporary approach to Disney properties that already have a strong connection with moviegoers and readers all over the world, and to add to that storytelling legacy."
Zappa added, "The ability to create new publications based on properties from the Disney vaults, and to develop original ideas for graphic novels and possibly future Disney films, is a dream job filled with enormous fun and potential. Being a storyteller myself, I can't wait to work with some of today's top writers and artists in bringing a fresh approach to graphic novels and the movies."
In 2006, actor-turned-writer Zappa (son of musician Frank) sold to Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer Films the rights to his first novel, The Monstrous Memoirs of a Mighty McFearless, to which he's now penning a sequel while also executive producing The Jim Henson Company's Fraggle Rock feature.
As president/CEO of Twentieth Television from 1980-92, Katleman helped develop such series as L.A. Law, The Simpsons, In Living Color, Doogie Howser, M.D. and NYPD Blue. He also oversaw production on the last four years of M*A*S*H and guided development of The Tracey Ullman Show.
Writer-editor Beranek is the founder of indie publisher Silent Devil, for which he produced Super Frat and Dracula vs. King Arthur--the latter of which he's adapting for the big screen. He also wrote the origin of John Doe for New Line/Zenescope's Se7en comic series as well as scripting the creator-owned franchise Willow Creek.
Disney Publishing Worldwide will have the first opportunity to distribute publications created by Kingdom Comics.