Vancouver – Animation house Studio B Productions is in preproduction on George of the Jungle, a new animated series for Teletoon and Cartoon Network, in partnership with George’s rights owner Classic Media.

Studio B partner and executive producer Chris Bartleman says the 52 x 11 series will be animated in Flash for a new updated look, but will remain fairly true to creator Jay Ward’s original designs for George, his girlfriend Ursula, advisor Ape and pet elephant Shep.

‘The challenge was not just to remake old episodes of the [original] cartoon series, but give it a fresh new look and feel,’ says Bartleman. ‘It was difficult to strike that balance, but we worked really hard to find the right tone from both a visual and script point of view.’

Bartleman says the famous George theme song will likely be updated as well. Classic Media will begin delivering to broadcasters – which also include Nickelodeon U.K. and Cartoon Network Europe – in January 2007.

Studio B recently had to abandon a series based on another classic ‘toon, Little Orphan Annie. According to Bartleman, Annie had been in development with Family Channel for the last few years, but the network has recently focused more on live-action content, and dropped it from its slate. Bartleman adds that his shop’s agreement with Annie rights holder, Chicago’s The Tribune Company, has since expired.

Meanwhile, the studio is now well into production on the 2D/Flash series The Amazing Adrenalini Brothers, which began airing on YTV and Cartoon Network in May. The 78 x 7 show – based on a series of web shorts produced by U.K. prodco Pesky, about three daredevil brothers – has been picked up in more than 50 countries via Toronto’s Bejuba! Entertainment. It is clear to Bartleman why the series has such universal appeal.

‘It has a really unique look; it’s difficult to stand out in the marketplace these days with so many shows,’ he says. ‘It is also interesting and different because [the characters] don’t speak any real language. It’s a language [Pesky] developed. It’s great on TV, great on a phone, and it’s really interesting and funny.’