‘New-Gen Nanobot Heroes’ Animated Series in Works at Toonz Media Group (EXCLUSIVE)

Toonz Media Group has inked a strategic partnership with New-Gen Universe to develop “New-Gen Nanobot Heroes,” a 3D CGI animated series based on the Marvel-distributed comic book universe created by J.D. Matonti, Chris Matonti and Julia Coppola.

Set after the events of the original comic, the series explores the conflict between nanotech visionaries Gabriel and Deadalus, taking viewers through futuristic utopias, Earth and alien planets in what the creators describe as a “high-octane nanotech adventure.”

The debut season will run 13 episodes at 22 minutes each, with writing duties handled by Brent Friedman (“Star Wars: The Clone Wars”) and Eugene Son (“Avengers Assemble”), alongside four additional writers.

The voice cast includes Finn Wolfhard (“Stranger Things”), Nick Wolfhard (“Fire Emblem”), Anya Chalotra (“The Witcher”), Luke Wilson (“Stargirl”), Henry Rollins (“The Legend of Korra”), Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”), Taylor Gray (“Star Wars Rebels”), Molly Fahey (“Grand Theft Auto V”) and Tony Oliver (“Lupin the III”).

Toonz will finance, produce and distribute the series globally, leveraging its extensive animation production capabilities that generate over 10,000 minutes of 2D and CGI content annually for kids and family audiences.

The original New-Gen creators J.D. Matonti, Julia Coppola and Chris Matonti will executive produce, with J.D. Matonti also directing to maintain authenticity to the source material.

“Toonz is the ideal animation strategic partner to create the unprecedented 3D CGI animation style, bringing the rich New-Gen storyworld to life,” said J.D. Matonti, who serves as series director and executive producer. “Global audiences will be captivated by Nanobot Heroes: humans, creatures and robots as they adventure to New-Gen’s futuristic utopia, Earth and different alien planets.”

P. Jayakumar, CEO of Toonz Media Group, added: “At Toonz, we are always seeking original, imaginative worlds to bring to life, and New-Gen is a perfect match. The fusion of cutting-edge storytelling, dynamic characters, and rich visual landscapes aligns perfectly with our passion for innovation in animation.”

Ketchup Entertainment will handle domestic distribution for the series. The company, fresh off its success with “The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie,” sees the project as franchise material.

“New-Gen Nanobot Heroes is built for a new era of animation — cinematic, serialized, and unforgettable,” said Gareth West, CEO of Ketchup Entertainment. “With Toonz and the New-Gen team, we’re not just releasing a series — we’re launching a universe.”

Allan Grafman, president and CEO of All Media Ventures, facilitated the deal and will serve as executive producer. J.D. Matonti is represented by Zero Gravity Management.

Toonz Media Group boasts credits including “Wolverine and the X-Men” with Marvel, “Speed Racer: The Next Generation” with Lionsgate, and “Mostly Ghostly” with Universal, while expanding into AR, VR and gaming technologies.

New-Gen Universe, Inc. operates as a transmedia company focused on developing the New-Gen IP across television, film, video games and immersive technologies, with an advisory board that includes New-Gen creators, former Marvel CFO Ken West, and “How To Train Your Dragon” producer Bonnie Arnold.

Ketchup Entertainment’s recent slate includes the acquisition of worldwide rights to “Coyote vs. Acme,” Hallie Meyers-Shyer’s “Goodrich” starring Michael Keaton and Mila Kunis, and Michel Franco’s award-winning “Memory” with Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard.