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| Fate | Acquired by Saban Entertainment |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | DePatie-Freleng Enterprises |
| Successor | Saban Entertainment |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, California |
| Key people | Stan Lee David H. DePatie Lee Gunther Margaret Loesch |
| Industry | Television production and film studio |
| Products | Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981-1983) The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight (1981) The Incredible Hulk (1982-1983) The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982) |
| Parent | Cadence (1981-1985) New World Communications (1985-1993) Marvel Comics (usually) |
Marvel Productions Ltd. was a television and motion picture studio division of Marvel Comics, based in Hollywood, California. Originally an animation studio, Marvel produced such notable animated shows and specials such as Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight, The Incredible Hulk and the 1982 Emmy winner, The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat.
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History
DePatie-Freleng Enterprises
The company began in 1963 as DFE Films and was sold to Marvel Comics Group in 1981 after DFE founder and company executive Friz Freleng departed the company to return to his former job at Warner Bros. Animation. Freleng's business partner and DFE co-founder David H. DePatie continued to work for the company under the Marvel banner for several years until his retirement.
Ownership changes throughout the years
Over the years, Marvel Productions' and its parent company Marvel Comics went through several ownership changes. Owned from 1968 by Cadence Industries Corporation, it was sold in 1986 to New World Entertainment (which was eventually acquired, in 1997, as part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation/Fox Broadcasting Company).
Between 1988 and 1989, New World sold it to MacAndrews and Forbes, owned by Revlon executive Ronald Perelman, who lost control of Marvel after it went into bankruptcy. In 1997, Isaac Perlmutter (owner of the Marvel subsidiary Toy Biz), who purchased Marvel and Marvel Productions Ltd. out of bankruptcy, decided to cut costs by selling Marvel Productions' back catalog to Saban Entertainment and then closed the animation studio altogether, opting to contract out all future animated projects to third party studios.
Saban's catalog today
Saban's catalog is now owned by The Walt Disney Company, following the purchase of Fox Family, Saban's successor. As a result, Disney now holds the home video and broadcast rights to virtually all Marvel animated programs produced during the 1980s and 1990s, as well as all Marvel series produced by predecessor company DePatie-Freleng (the 1978 Fantastic Four revival and Spider-Woman) and Grantray-Lawrence Animation (The Marvel Superheroes Show and the 1967 Spider-Man series).
The only exceptions are:
- The shows produced by Hanna-Barbera (the 1967 Fantastic Four series and The Thing's 1978 spin-off), which are under Time Warner's control.
- Programming involving characters and trademarks owned by other companies (such as programming based on properties held by Hasbro, Jim Henson Productions, and others).
Life after Marvel Productions
Studio executives including Margaret Loesch and Lee Gunther moved to other animation studios while Stan Lee signed a new lifetime non-exclusive contract with Marvel in 1998, enabling him for the first time in his 50 year career with Marvel to establish his own company.
Disney purchased Marvel Comics' parent company Marvel Entertainment on August 31, 2009[1], reuniting the two entities (and the film libraries) under the same corporate banner.
List of shows, specials and movies
Marvel Properties
- Spider-Man (1981)
- Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends (1981)
- The Incredible Hulk (1982)
- X-Men (1992 as "Marvel Entertainment Group", co-production with Saban Productions)
- Fantastic Four (1994 as "Marvel Films"; aired as part of the Marvel Action Hour)
- Iron Man (1994 as "Marvel Films"; aired as part of the Marvel Action Hour)
- Spider-Man: The Animated Series (1994 as "Marvel Films")
- X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men (1989, aired on the Marvel Action Universe block)
Hasbro Properties
- Note: All programs based on Hasbro properies are co-productions with series rights holders Sunbow Productions.
- The Charmkins (1983)
- Transformers (1984)
- G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero (1985)
- Super Sunday (aka Super Saturday) (1985, featuring Jem, Inhumanoids, Robotix, and Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines)
- Inhumanoids (1986)
- Jem (1986)
- My Little Pony and Friends (1986)
- My Little Pony: The Movie (1986)
- Transformers: The Movie (1986)
- G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987)
Henson Properties
- Note: All programs are co-productions with Henson Associates, eventually doing business as Jim Henson Productions. Rights now held by The Muppets Studio, LLC.
- Muppet Babies (1984)
- Little Muppet Monsters Animated Segments (1985)
- Fraggle Rock (1987)
Other licensed properties
- The Pink Panther in: Pink at First Sight (1981, co-production with Mirisch-Geoffrey-DePatie-Freleng and United Artists)
- The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat (1982, co-production with DFE films (in name only) and Dr. Seuss)
- Meatballs and Spaghetti (1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment)
- Pandamonium (1982, co-production with InterMedia Entertainment)
- Dungeons & Dragons (1983, co-production with TSR Hobbies, Inc.)
- Defenders of the Earth (1986, co-production with King Features Syndicate)
- The Little Wizards (1987)
- Dino Riders (1988, aired as part of Marvel Action Universe)
- RoboCop (1988, co-production with Orion Pictures; aired as part of Marvel Action Universe)
- Rude Dog and the Dweebs (1989)
- Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (1990, co-production with Fox Children's Productions)
- Kid 'n Play (1990-1991, co-production with Saban Entertainment)
- Space Cats (1991, co-production with Paul Fusco Productions)
- Biker Mice from Mars (1993 (New World Family Filmworks would assume production), co-production with Brentwood Television Funnies)
For a more complete list see Saban Entertainment.
See also
External links
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