As part of the character’s 90th anniversary next year, the first original Popeye content in more than a decade will be coming to YouTube in a series of animated shorts, instead of a traditional television show. The new content will be done in the traditional Popeye animation style, and posted to the “Popeye and Friends Official” channel, “the only channel featuring content approved by Popeye and fortified by spinach!” The YouTube channel currently houses many classic segments from the franchise.
The shorts are being produced under a partnership between WildBrain, a digital kids’ network studio, and the license holder for the Popeye franchise, King Features Syndicate. WildBrain will take over management of the official YouTube channel as part of the agreement, and will look to boost the channel’s audience. The initial plan is to produce several compilations of classic Popeye cartoons, before debuting the new shorts. WildBrain has previously worked with various kid-targeted franchises like Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Shopkins and Lazy Town, “Peanuts,” Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Degrassi, and Yo Gabba Gabba!
King Features president C.J. Kettler announced the deal saying, “WildBrain has the secret sauce that will help Popeye connect with his audience of millions around the world while growing his fan base exponentially through fresh new animation as we head into his [90th] anniversary year.”
Popeye the Sailor was originally created by cartoonist E.C. Segar in 1929 as a character in King Features’s daily “Thimble Theatre” comics strip. The character quickly became the main focus of the strip, eventually prompting a re-title of it to just “Popeye.” He has gone on to be featured in comics, television, video games, and even a feature film starring the late Robin Williams.
