Heres an early review
on the show!
Heres an early review
on the show!
It's SOP at Disney, so it really should come as no surprise. If it was a movie, it's a good bet it'll show up as morning animation.
Anyway, being this year's summer Disney flick Hercules was such a hit, Walt Disney Television Animation is now hard at work on an animated television series called Young Hercules: The Wonder Boy Years. The series has been slated to air come the Fall of 1998.
65 episodes have been ordered, and they will be distributed much in the same way as Disney's working this year's movie adaptation, 101 Dalmatians: 13 of the episodes will air as part of ABC's Saturday morning kids block while the remaining 52 will be syndicated through the new Disney/Kellogg/ Leo Burnett animation block.
"We are extremely enthused about this new series," says WDTA President Dean Valentine. "Hercules is a terrific property with great storytelling and comic potential for an episodic series. Our producers are focusing on Hercules' teenaged years, putting even more of a comic spin on classic characters from Greek mythology. The film's amazing voice cast is back, along with a parade of new stellar guest talent, and a book of great songs. It's one of the most ambitious animated series ever to be produced."
Yep, Young Hercules will contain a
lot of songs, which is pretty damn rare in the animation world. Disney
promises 
the Muses,
who did most of the singing in the movie, will keep it up with a wide variety
of gospel, show tunes, and even some Motown and Disney-fied funk. They'll
also be in a constant war with the series' uptight Narrator.
Valentine wasn't telling the entire
truth when he was talking about the voice cast though. Danny DeVito doesn't
return as Herc's satyr sidekick and coach Phioctetes. Bobby Costanzo (from
the TV shows Charlie Grace and Forget Paris) is taking over that role.
On the other hand, the rest of the voice cast is intact, including Tate
Donovan (Hercules),
James Woods (Hades), Bobcat Goldthwaite and Matt Frewer (Pain and Panic),
Paul Shaeffer (Hermes) and Rip Torn (Zeus). Joining the cast will be Monty
Python's Eric Idle as Parentheses, Richard Simmons (yep, the guy who makes
you never want to exercise) as the high-strung Phys Oedipus and game show
host Wink Martindale pretty much being himself. Also joining the regular
cast will be French Stewart (3rd Rock) as Icarus and the ever-versatile
Sandra Bernhardt as Cassandra.
Still, it's the guest list that's really impressive. For starters Lisa Kudrow will appropriately voice Aphrodite. Jennifer Aniston will voice the goddess Galatea. Mandy Patinkin will take a swipe at his Chicago Hope days by voicing Hippocrates. Other guest stars already confirmed include Kathie Lee Gifford, Jane Leeves, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Paula Poundstone. All I can say is Hollywood actors think it's really keen to take what's basically union minimum to do cartoon voice work. As long as they have that attitude, I'm not complaining.
The episodes will be a mix of over-the-top parodies that have become staple for Disney TV as well as some more serious topics the big mahoffs can show to the various parental organizations to show they're doing their jobs in teaching youngsters proper values. On the parody fronts expect episodes about Men In Black Togas (you may groan now), a Delphic oracle hotline called the Oracle Friends Network and a school for military students called SPAR-O.T.C. On the more serious front will be Icarus trying to fit into society and shake his "geek" label while Cassandra has to constantly deal with her ability to see into the future, whether it's good or bad.
I'm sure we'll hear more as time goes on.