Cinefantastique Online

Dark Horizon’s Garth Franklin reports that Warner Brothers and the Weinstein company have settled on terms to distribute GATCHAMAN and ASTROBOY, feature films produced by Imagi Animation Studios, the company behind TMNT.

ASTROBOY is the seminal Japanese anime television series. Created by Japan’s legendary Osamu Tezuka, it became a syndicated hit on American screens in the ’60s. The story involves a scientist who creates a robot to replace the son he lost. Colin Brady (TOY STORY 2) directs the feature film version, which is schedled for a 2009 release.

GATCHAMAN is of more recent vintage (the 1970s). It’s about five heros whose DNA enables them to defend the Earth from aliens. TMNT’s Kevin Munroe directs the film adaptation.