I was reading that Variety reported this about IMAGI: Imagi Animation has brought in Mark Pawley as a major outside investor, selling new shares worth HK$311 million (just short of US$40 million at current exchange rates) that will give Pawley 18% of the company and the right to nominate two directors to the board. Imagi stated that the proceeds will be used for "the development of four full-length feature computer graphics imagery animation movies scheduled tentatively to be released from 2009 to 2011." A new investor will keep the company solvent and hopefully speed up production on its films. At the Anime Expo the IMAGI rep said that their schedule is to release a new film every 18 months; however, since there is no release for 2008 I don't see that as being feasible. The only films coming out are Astroboy in Fall 2009 and Cat's Tale in Summer 2010. I just hope they keep the Gatchaman movie going on track.

An interesting piece of news -If a new investor can keep production on track better, than it's a good thing. It would be extremely exasperating if the Gatchman film were to get the axe!

It's more than a little scary that they didn't mention Gatchaman!

At the IMAGI booth they wanted to focus on Astroboy but I noticed quite a few people asking about the Gatchaman movie (besides me!). I hope they keep that in mind.

Originally posted by Condorfan At the IMAGI booth they wanted to focus on Astroboy but I noticed quite a few people asking about the Gatchaman movie (besides me!). I hope they keep that in mind.

It is great to hear there appeared to be lots of other people asking about the Gatchaman movie, as you say hopefully that will make them think about moving it along and presenting us with more information about it.

I hope they decide to bring more information to comic con for all the Gatch people going.

ITA! I hope they take notice of how many people are asking about it!

Hi all! The Animation World Network had an article on this as well, the text of which can be found below. The original article can be found at: Animation World Network This article does mention Gatchaman as being in production. I'm surprised that the Variety article mentions Cat's Tale, since I had been led to believe that this film had been axed a while ago. Similar articles to the one below can be found on a number of different websites simply by search for "Mark Pawley Imagi." James *************************** New Investor Cashes In On Imagi July 07, 2008 Hong Kong- and Los Angeles-based animation studio Imagi, who most recently released last year's TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, has secured financing for its next slew of films by a major outside investor, per VARIETY. Imagi is selling new shares worth $40 million (HK$311 million) to Mark Pawley, the former Asia Pacific investment banking head of Credit Suisse First Boston. That gives Pawley a 18 percent share of the company and the power to nominate two directors to Imagi's board. The studio hopes to release a film every eight months and will use the money to develop four full-length CG movies between 2009 and 2011. It is currently in production on ASTRO BOY and GATCHAMAN, both comic book adaptations. Issue price of the new shares is 11 cents, about 40 percent higher than the average stock price last week. Pawley has been in talks with Imagi for more than nine months, and bought the shares through his Oxley Spring Media company. Summit Ent. will distribute ASTRO BOY worldwide except in Japan, Hong Kong and China. The picture was to be distributed jointly by Warner Bros. and the Weinstein Co., but Imagi announced last month their change in plans. Slated for worldwide theatrical release in 2009, ASTRO BOY will feature the voices of Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy and Eugene Levy with Freddie Highmore in the title role. ASTRO BOY was created by the "god of manga," Japan's Osamu Tezuka, in the early 1950s. The iconic character has since found wide popularity around the world as the hero of three acclaimed animated television series spanning the past four decades, besides being one of the top licensed properties for merchandising.

Thanks for the info, Condorfan and James! At least that's one less worry (financial backing for the productions). And it looks like, as of now, Gatchaman is a go. If they released the info in a press release, and showed/are planning to show short pre-production/concept vids at Cons, it looks like things are going in the right direction. Let's just hope they keep going in that right direction!!!

Since when was Gatchaman a 'comic book adaptation'?

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Since when was Gatchaman a 'comic book adaptation'?

It shows how little some reporters do their homework--anything animated is automatically from a comic book and comic books are strictly for kids. (Sigh)

But Astro boy certainly was a comic book adaptation. maybe thats where the confusion lies

Hi all! Well, to be fair, Astro Boy did start life as a comic book. So they were half right. And Gatchaman did have comics, but they were created because of the TV series, not the other way around. James

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Since when was Gatchaman a 'comic book adaptation'?

My thoughts exactly TJ, all I can think of is that they saw the top cow comics and thought they came first.sigh... ITA Condorfan.

This thread has got me thinking...what if someone decided to do new manga of Gatchaman? Whenever I go into the bookstores, the manga section is full of teenagers reading the books. Or would new adventures be screwing things up like Top Cow did? Just wondering...

Star Wars had lots of books written after the original three movies had been released. The authors just kept to canon from what I remember. So why could they have authorized people to write stories in the Gatch universe.

Hey if a publisher needs talented writers to write Gatch and/or BOTP, they need look no further than the writers at Gatchamania.net! Ok, Ok I'm bootlicking but I love the fics!

Condorfan. You know how to score Brownie points. I'd love to get paid for writing ficcies!!! I bet TJ and Springie would too.

Of course I would love to get paid for writing fics! Do I think it's gonna happen? Uh.... no.....

TJ and Ebony- + - This was the best I could find to pay you with. But if there was a Million Dollar Smiley, I would have given you that for all of your beautiful writing.

Originally posted by gogirl212 TJ and Ebony- - This was the best I could find to pay you with. But if there was a Million Dollar Smiley, I would have given you that for all of your beautiful writing.

I am sure they would prefer s and s though

Isn't that the universal Gatch currency????

Originally posted by clouddancer

Originally posted by gogirl212 TJ and Ebony- - This was the best I could find to pay you with. But if there was a Million Dollar Smiley, I would have given you that for all of your beautiful writing.

I am sure they would prefer s and s though

You are so right!! Maybe we could give them a and a and some and some !(but they might not get much writing done.)

Ebony might like the TJ would enjoy it as long as you assured her it was a diet coke though!!

Originally posted by gogirl212 TJ and Ebony- + - This was the best I could find to pay you with. But if there was a Million Dollar Smiley, I would have given you that for all of your beautiful writing.

Thank you, GoGirl! Honestly words like that are worth a million dollars to me! (Not to say that if there's a big shot publisher reading this thread that I would turn down real $$$ to write Gatch fics for a living.... )

I am sure there are a lot of people who would love to be able to sit and make money from their Gatchfics. And there are some fantastic ones out there. Cloud raises hand, can I be the editor???