Cartoon Network's 'Adventure Time' Heads to the Big Screen

By Anita Busch

EXCLUSIVE: Adventure Time, one of the most popular shows on Cartoon Network, is being developed at Warner Bros. for the big screen as an animated feature. Created by Pendleton Ward at Cartoon Networks Studios, Adventure Time follows the escapades of 12-year-old boy Finn and best friend dog Jake who fight fiercely in a quest to protect their beloved Land of Ooo, usually from the Ice King who is searching high and low for his Princess Bubblegum. The project will be produced by the winning combo of Chris McKay and Roy Lee.

Adventure-Time-Screensaver_1
Adventure-Time-Screensaver_1

McKay (one of the exec producers of The Lego Movie) was recently hired to direct The Lego Batman Movie at Warner Bros. and also was the genius behind Robot Chicken. Lee is producing The Lego Batman Movie and also produced Warner Bros.’ groundbreaking animated The Lego Movie along with Dan Lin. That film broke box office records when it bowed last year to $69M for the studio; it has since grossed a whopping $468.7M worldwide. Cartoon Networks Studios will be involved in the production as will Ward, who will have some involvement in writing and producing the feature version.

The Lego Movie filmmakers are also behind Ninjago, based on the ninja-themed LEGO line which anchors a hit TV animated Cartoon Network series of the same name. And, The Lego Movie sequel is also in development at the studio. It’s the brilliant little animated gift that keeps on giving, and just as that movie spawned The Lego Batman spinoff, Adventure Time has the same franchise potential as it cuts across all demos to become a cultural phenom. Jon Berg and Cate Adams are overseeing the project for Warner Bros.

The fantasy Adventure Time has a bevy of unusual (and cleverly named) characters ranging from Boobafina, Earl of Lemongrab, Cloud Groom, Evil Guy (voiced by Mark Hamil), Lumpy Space Princess, Flame Princess and Marceline the Vampire Queen (voiced by Cloris Leachman), to name a few. A number of celebs have lent their voices to the fun romp through the Land of Ooo, including George Takei, Pee-Wee Herman’s Paul Reubens, Neil Patrick Harris, and Andy Samberg. Ward is repped by attorney Michael Castrillo and McKay by UTA and Mosaic. Lee’s production company is Vertigo Entertainment.

Original_Ice_King
Original_Ice_King

Related stories

'Focus', 'Lazarus Effect' Get An Early Weekend Start With Thursday Previews

'American Sniper' Poised To Take Katniss Out As Top Grossing 2014 Release – Domestic B.O.

Will Smith Has Upper Hand Over Mr. Grey At Weekend Box Office – B.O. Preview

Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter