Monster Island News: Astroboy coming to theaters in 2009: "Imagi Animation Studios announced that it has optioned rights from Tezuka Productions Company Limited (???Tezuka???) of Japan and is now producing a new CG animated feature length motion picture intended for theatrical release in 2009, based on the renowned anime franchise ???Astro Boy??? originally created by Osamu Tezuka.
Imagi's press release stated, 'Originally known as Tetsuwan Atomu (translating into ???Iron Fisted Atom???) in Japan, the franchise is best known by its American title ???Astro Boy???. Astro Boy first appeared as a manga comic series in 1952, drawn by Osamu Tezuka, who is affectionately known as the 'god of manga'.The original television series, first broadcast in Japan in 1963-1966, was the first to embody aesthetics that later became known as ???anime???."