Kevin Smith is bringing his career full circle as the filmmaker is finally tackling a franchise he has been chasing for a long time. TheClerksdirector has been tapped to develop a new animated series based onThe Green Hornetfor WildBrain, the company behind thePeanutsandInspector Gadget. The show will center on the son and daughter of Green Hornet and his trusty partner Kato.
According to a new report,The Green Hornet animated seriesis being developed for family audiences. There is no network or streaming service currently attached, but Smith will be taking the project out to possible suitors. For what it is worth, he is currently making a newMasters of the Universeseries forNetflix. So that could be a good fit. Smith had this to say about it.
“It’s an honor to escort the legendary Green Hornet and Kato into their very own animated series for the first time in the rich history of these iconic pop culture characters. We’ll be telling a tale of two Hornets, past and future, that spans generations and draws inspiration from a lifetime spent watching classic cartoons and amazing animation like Batman: The Animated Series, Heavy Metal, and Super Friends. I can’t believe WildBrain gave me this job and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to extend my childhood a little longer.”
TheKevin Smithseries will feature a contemporary setting. It is said to follow the adventures of a “re-imagined” version of Green Hornet and Kato. The main characters will be the grown son of the original Green Hornet and the daughter of the original Kato. They will team up to battle crime in Century City. The hero’s iconic car the Black Beauty will also be included. Stephanie Betts, Executive Vice President of Content and Current Series at WildBrain, had this to say.
“We’re thrilled to embark on a new animated Green Hornet series with Kevin, who has set up an incredibly rich world with a cast of amazing characters - especially Kato, who is no longer just a sidekick, but is now a strong female partner to the Green Hornet. With his ingenious talent and passion for superheroes and classic franchises, Kevin is the perfect creator to update the Green Hornet. We’re excited to share the new Green Hornet and Kato with audiences worldwide.”
Kevin Smith, who most recently directedJay and Silent Bob Reboot, has a long history with this franchise. The filmmaker was hired by Miramax in 2004 to pen a screenplay forThe Green Hornetmovie. His version never got made, with Seth Rogen starring in a version directed by Michel Gondry in 2011. Smith’s version was turned into a comic book series that was released by Dynamite in 2010.
The Green Hornetoriginated as a superhero created for radio in the 1930s. The character is best known for the live-action series that aired in the 60s, which starred martial arts legend Bruce Lee as Kato. In addition to this new animated series, it was announced earlier this year that Universal Pictures isworking on a live-action movie reboottitled The Green Hornet and Kato. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as further details are made available. This news comes to us viaDeadline.
