Tartakovsky Sets 'Conan the Barbarian' Series with CN
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- Genndy Tartakovsky is developing a "Conan the Barbarian" animated series with Cartoon Network Studios and Prime Video, announced at the Annecy Studio Focus — a return to Warner after years developing features with Sony.
- Tartakovsky said via pre-recorded video that he has been trying to develop "Conan" since 2008 but "the world was not ready" until after Adult Swim's "Samurai Jack" and "Primal" proved the appetite, calling the Howard source material something he has a "personal connection" with.
- The Studio Focus also revealed a third "Adventure Time" spin-off — "Adventure Time: Bubblegum and Marceline" — exclusively broken by Variety, following the continuity of "Fiona and Cake" but distinct from the more episodic "Side Quests."
- "Yokoso Scooby-Doo" is an anime interpretation co-produced with OLM (the studio behind 1,300 Pokémon episodes and 24 Pokémon movies), with Matthew Lillard's Shaggy receiving a full anime makeover while Scooby's iconic design stays intact.
- "Foster's Funtime With Imaginary Friends" reboots the 2004 series via Hanna-Barbera and London studio BlueZoo, converting the 2D designs into CGI with 2D facial expressions and skewing younger than the original.
- "Adventure Time: Side Quests" hits Hulu on June 29, with the panel screening two full episodes featuring more painterly backgrounds and heightened facial expressions.
- The panel was hosted by Sam Register (president of WBA, Cartoon Network Studios and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe), Sarah Fell (head of Hanna-Barbera London) and Jay Bastian (WBA SVP of current series).
Why it matters: Tartakovsky's return to Cartoon Network Studios — where he built foundational shows like "Dexter's Lab" and "Samurai Jack" — puts him back on the action-animation he became known for, after recent years spent on comedies like "Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania." The pairing of a creator at his action peak with Robert E. Howard's source material, backed by Prime Video and the studio that launched his career, gives the long-gestating adaptation its most credible launch yet.
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