Kevin Smith, best known for his movies such as Clerks and Dogma, is reportedly working on a new animated series featuring the classic vigilante duo of the Green Hornet and Kato. To bring this project to life, Smith teamed up with kids producer WildBrain to develop the new series based on the classic superhero franchise.
Smith has long been a fan of the Green Hornet, created in 1936 by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with concept input from radio director James Jewell. Since making his radio debut in the 30s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas across a wide variety of media such as a series of film serials in the 1940s, a television show in the 1960s, co-starring Bruce Lee in a first major adult role, as Kato, and multiple comic book series from the 1940s. Aside from a continued presence in the comic books, the Green Hornet made his feature film in January 2011, written by and starring Seth Rogen.
The Green Hornet’s secret identity is Britt Reid, the wealthy owner, and publisher of the fictional newspaper, The Daily Sentinel. By day, Reid runs his newspaper focusing on crime and injustice, but by night he dons his green mask and ventures across the city with his sidekick Kato to battle criminals and villains.
This is not Smith’s first go around with the Green Hornet property as he was tapped by Miramax in 2004 to write a feature film screenplay, but never came to fruition, but later adapted for a comic book series.
In an interview with Deadline, Smith said about the project,
“It’s an honor to escort the legendary Green Hornet and Kato into their very own animated series for the first time in the rich history of these iconic pop culture characters. We’ll be telling a tale of two Hornets – past and future – that spans generations and draws inspiration from a lifetime spent watching classic cartoons and amazing animation like Batman: The Animated Series, Heavy Metal, and Super Friends. I can’t believe WildBrain gave me this job, and I can’t thank them enough for the opportunity to extend my childhood a little longer.”
Stephanie Betts, EVP Content and Current Series at WildBrain added,
“We’re thrilled to embark on a new animated Green Hornet series with Kevin, who has set up an incredibly rich world with a cast of amazing characters – especially Kato, who is no longer just a sidekick but is now a strong female partner to the Green Hornet. With his ingenious talent and passion for superheroes and classic franchises, Kevin is the perfect creator to update the Green Hornet. We’re excited to share the new Green Hornet and Kato with audiences worldwide.”
Smith’s last feature project was writing and directing Jay and Silent Reboot, and he is also directing comedy horror anthology film Killroy Was Here.
No release date for the animated Green Hornet series was announced at this time.