MARBLEMEDIA and OMNIFILM ENTERTAINMENT partner to remake 90’s favourite THE ODYSSEY
TORONTO, CANADA (June 13, 2016) – International award-winning producer marblemedia and long-established television powerhouse Omnifilm Entertainment today announced they are joining forces to develop their newest scripted series, The Odyssey.
The Odyssey — a fun and suspenseful adventure with a tone reminiscent of the classic adventure comedy The Goonies — will be adapted by the award-winning showrunners Simon Racioppa andRichard Elliott (Fangbone, My Babysitter’s a Vampire), who are also currently creating and writing an original one-hour pilot for Robert Kirkman’s Skybound Entertainment (The Walking Dead).
The Odyssey is an adventure comedy series about a group of kids who wake up to find themselves in a mysterious forest called Downworld — without knowing why they are there or how to get home. With no adults to guide them, the kids quickly learn how to take care of themselves as well as each other and to enjoy this curious and exciting world while they continue to search for a way home.
With an ensemble cast, featuring characters from around the world, some kids will find their way home while new kids will arrive in Downworld — creating an evolving cast of characters. Downworld is a wondrous place with traffic lights in a forest, an awesome hideout, a swimming pond and a monster, Mr. Mask, whose powers are derived from the kids’ own fears.
"We've been passionately committed to finding IP that offers an immersive and imaginative world for young viewers,” said Matt Hornburg, Co-CEO and Executive Producer, marblemedia. “Audiences of this age are underserved in serialized live action, particularly a series such as The Odyssey which balances fun, adventure and mystery. We hope to capture that same loyalty in today's audience as the original series did.”
“We are very excited to be working with marblemedia to update and reboot our Odyssey franchise for a new generation of tween viewers,” confirms Omnifilm President Michael Chechik. “Simon and Richard have done a fantastic job reimagining the series while remaining true to the original inspiration.”
marblemedia’s Carrie Paupst Shaughnessy, Vice President of Scripted, will be working together withBrian Hamilton, Partner and Executive Producer, Omnifilm Entertainment, to bring this project to life. A robust digital presence will also be created to support the adventures of The Odyssey which will be produced by marblemedia’s award-winning interactive team.
International sales will be handled by Distribution360, a marblemedia company.
marblemedia is celebrating 15 years as a world leader in developing, producing, distributing engaging multiplatform entertainment experiences for audiences around the world. With nearly 250 hours of programming distributed in more than 200 territories, marblemedia has been honoured by Playback Magazine with the 2013 Outstanding Achievement Award, in addition to being named Transmedia Producer of the Year (2011) by the publication. marble has won two Canadian Screen Awards, two Gemini Awards, been nominated for an Emmy® Award and was identified as a Next Generation Content Producer (2009) by The Hollywood Reporter. The company owns a 50-acre production ranch, operates a Toronto-based studio, home to 50 staff, and an L.A. office. The company was co-founded by Mark Bishop and Matt Hornburg in 2001. marblemedia.com |@marblemedia |facebook.com/marblemedia.
Omnifilm Entertainment is one of Canada's most respected independent television producers, and has produced hundreds of hours of award-winning programming including drama, comedy, factual and lifestyle series, documentaries, and children's programming, since opening its doors in 1979. Omnifilm co-produces and partners regularly with studios, production companies and broadcasters worldwide. Recent productions include Mech-X4, Primeval: New World, Arctic Air, Jade Fever, Ice Pilots NWT, Pyros, Defying Gravity, Dragon Boys, Stuntdawgs, Robson Arms, Alice, I Think, Word Travels, Edgemont, Make Some Noise, The Dolphin Dealer, Pure Design, The Odyssey, Champions of the Wild, Ancient Clues, Quiet Places, Shimmy and Namaste.
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