Quote:Activision Blizzard today announced the launch of Activision Blizzard Studios, a new film and television studio devoted to creating original content based on the company’s extensive library of iconic and globally-recognized intellectual properties. Activision Blizzard’s owned content includes some of the most popular entertainment franchises in the world, including Call of Duty, Skylanders, Diablo, Hearthstone and StarCraft. Former Disney executive Nick van Dyk has been tapped to co-head the division, along with a senior creative executive who will be announced soon.

Activision Blizzard Studios’ first production will be Skylanders Academy, an animated TV series based on the award-winning Skylanders game. Currently in production under the supervision of showrunner Eric Rogers (“Futurama”), Skylanders Academy will feature the voices of Justin Long (Alvin and the Chipmunks, Ask Me Anything) as Spyro, Ashley Tisdale (“Phineas and Ferb,” High School Musical) as Stealth Elf, Jonathan Banks (“Breaking Bad,” “Better Call Saul”) as Eruptor and Norm Macdonald (“Saturday Night Live”) as Glumshanks. Additional voice talent includes Harland Williams and Richard Horvitz. The award-winning, $3 billion Skylanders franchise has sold through more than 250 million toys since pioneering the toys-to-life category in 2011.

Another near-term initiative for Activision Blizzard Studios will be the development of a robust cinematic universe based on the Call of Duty franchise. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare remains the number one-selling title on next-generation consoles and today marks the launch of the highly-anticipated new Call of Duty: Black Ops III. Activision Blizzard Studios envisions a series of Call of Duty feature films as well as the possibility of television adaptations.