As DreamWorks and Paramount prepare for the July 3 theatrical launch of the live-action film, Cartoon Network and Hasbro are readying Transformers Animated for a 2008 debut on the US net.

The 26 x 30-minute 2-D series and a 90-minute special are being co-produced by Cartoon Network Studios. Matt Youngberg (Teen Titans, The Batman) is on board as supervising director, Derrick Wyatt (Teen Titans) is providing character designs and CN vet Sam Register (Ben 10, Teen Titans) is serving as executive producer.

For its part, Hasbro’s licensing division HPG is developing a broad global merchandising program based on the new series.

Transformers Animated takes place in the near future in Detroit, where the alien Transformers are thrust into a world populated by humans and automatons. As visitors to Earth, the Transformers end up working on the planet and interacting with the natives in exciting and humorous ways.