Karla from Downey here…
Firstshowing.net has reported that DreamWorks Animation via a press release has acquired a company called Classic Media for $155 million. What that means for you and me is the company that made such great animated films as “Kung Fu Panda,” “Shrek,” and “How To Train Your Dragon” now hold the rights to “Casper the Friendly Ghost,” “Voltron,” “Where’s Waldo?”, “George of the Jungle,” and “The Lone Ranger.”
This is a great opportunity to introduce these classic cartoons to a new generation. I loved watching the old “Casper” cartoons. Also, “Voltron” is one of my earliest cartoon memories. Finally, “The Lone Ranger” has been around since 1933 in different media formats; radio, film, TV, comic books and most recently a major live action motion picture starring Johnny Depp, and Armie Hammer (“The Social Network.”) I’d love to see what DreamWorks can do with this ‘Old West’ vigilante.
Along with the properties mentioned above, Classic Media also holds the rights to holiday standards such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” and “Frosty the Snowman.” I watch these every year, and I have since I was a kid. In the case of these holiday favorites I hope DreamWorks realizes that if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.