Cartoon teams up with The Fantastic Four

Cartoon Network Europe has signed on to co-produce a small-screen series starring Marvel’s classic superhero crew The Fantastic Four, scooping up global broadcast rights outside the U.S. as part of the deal. Slated for a fall 2006 debut, the 2-D/CGI toon is currently being co-developed by Marvel and French animation house Antefilms. The 26 x 26-minute series will be distributed by Antefilms’ Moonscoop sales unit, and French broadcaster M6 has already picked the show up. Marvel will manage U.S. TV and DVD rights, as well as worldwide merchandising. Taking The Fantastic Four out for a TV spin is part of a broader Marvel campaign to build up the franchise, beginning with the summer launch of a feature film from Twentieth Century Fox.

Alphanim snags sales vet for first international office

Former Penguin TV sales director Anne Magnol has opened Alphanim’s first international office in London, England and will take charge of selling the studio’s 550 half hours of animation to international TV and home entertainment buyers in the U.K., Spain, Italy, Germany and North and South America. She will also work closely with business affairs exec Cédric Petitpas in Vincennes, France on licensing and merchandising initiatives.

Magnol says she’s concentrating on securing TV commitments and consumer products licensees for Zombie Hotel and Cooking? Child’s Play right now. She’s also looking to lock in more presales for Robotboy, which will be delivered to co-production partners Cartoon Network Europe and France 3 in December.