FitzRoy Teams with Magic Lantern for Heathcliff Revival

NEW YORK: A new agreement between FitzRoy Media and Magic Lantern Entertainment will bring the iconic Heathcliff character into the 21st century with the development of animated and live-action programming for theatrical, television and direct-to-DVD releases worldwide.

Targeting a broad adult, teen and tween audience, the new Heathcliff will focus on comedy, set against a hip, club-music sound. All of the programming developed under the new joint venture with Magic Lantern will serve to support FitzRoy Media’s worldwide licensing and merchandising campaign, which is set to launch this year along with the highly anticipated release of a new Heathcliff animated special on DVD in 2011.

Created in 1973 by cartoonist George Gately, the Heathcliff comic strip is written and drawn by Peter Gallagher, who took over the comic strip in 1998 after apprenticing with his uncles, George Gately and John Gallagher.

“This new agreement demonstrates the growing momentum in the entertainment marketplace for a proven franchise that is positively ripe for exploitation in the 21st century,” said Hamp Hampton, the CEO of FitzRoy. “Heathcliff has been a permanent fixture in popular culture for decades and we see enormous potential for this delightfully adventurous character across all platforms.”

“Heathcliff has the kind of attitude that will connect with contemporary audiences,” said Magic Lantern Entertainment’s president and founder, Jeff Segal. “He is a lovable feline who has a unique, sarcastic take on the world that will appeal to a broad demographic from kids through adults. Heathcliff has a proven commercial track-record in the market, and we expect that the films, specials and episodic programming that we produce today will have value for decades to come. We are very happy to be in development with FitzRoy and look forward to creating even more mischief with the world’s favorite feline.”