Danger Mouse is an animated television series, produced by FremantleMedia and Boulder Media, though it started being produced by Boat Rocker Media in 2018 after they acquired FremantleMedia Kids & Family. The series, which is a revival of the 1981 television series of the same name, revolves around the return of Danger Mouse, the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Secret Agent", and his hamster sidekick Penfold, who protect the world from a variety of dangers. With help from his boss Colonel K and the genius scientist Professor Squawkencluck, Danger Mouse is equipped to defeat his nemesis, Baron Silas von Greenback.
| Danger Mouse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | |
| Developed by | Brian Cosgrove |
| Directed by |
|
| Voices of | |
| Narrated by | Dave Lamb |
| Theme music composer | Mike Harding |
| Opening theme | "Danger Mouse" by Sanj Sen and Phillipa Alexander |
| Ending theme | "Danger Mouse" (Short Version) by Sanj Sen and Phillipa Alexander |
| Composer | Sanj Sen |
| Country of origin |
|
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 99 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Running time | 11 minutes 22 minutes (special episodes only) |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBBC |
| Release | 28 September 2015 – 5 March 2019 |
| Related | |
| Danger Mouse (original series) | |
Plans for a revival of Danger Mouse were first considered in 2013, before being announced the following year, with original series co-creator Brian Cosgrove helping to develop the series.[5] The main cast were announced in 2014, with more cast members being announced later in the year. The series premiered on CBBC on 28 September 2015, more than 20 years after the end of the show's original run.[6]
Within three weeks of the series running, Danger Mouse achieved 2.4 million viewers and became the highest rated show on the CBBC channel.[7] On 19 May 2016, the series was commissioned for a second series[8] and on 4 April 2017, for a third series of 26 episodes.[9]
Danger Mouse won the Best Sound Design and Best Music awards at the 2017 and 2019 Irish Animation Awards.[10][11] Aidan McAteer also picked up the award for 'Best Director' at the 2019 awards.[11]
Production
editIn 2013, FremantleMedia confirmed to Broadcast that an updated version of the series was being considered,[12][13] and in June 2014 it was announced that a new series consisting of 52 episodes; was being made for broadcast on CBBC in 2015.[14] The series is produced by Boulder Media for Boat Rocker Media, who acquired FremantleMedia's kids and family entertainment business in January 2018.[15]
It is directed by Robert Cullen,[16] with Brian Cosgrove, one of the original creators, as a creative consultant.[17] Alexander Armstrong and Kevin Eldon voice Danger Mouse and Penfold, Dave Lamb takes the role of the narrator, whilst Stephen Fry and Ed Gaughan take on the roles of Colonel K and Baron Greenback respectively.[18] Armstrong's Pointless co-host Richard Osman also appears in the series as Professor Strontium Jellyfishowitz.[19] It was also announced that John Oliver would voice Dr Augustus P. Crumhorn IV and Lena Headey would voice new character Jeopardy Mouse.[20] According to Eldon, the animation style is 'much the same as the original'.[21] The series is animated in Toon Boom Harmony, as the animators thought that Flash was too limited.[22]
The series was picked up by Netflix in several countries, including the United States.[23] In August 2019, CBS All Access acquired the US streaming rights to the series.[24]
Characters
edit- Danger Mouse (voiced by Alexander Armstrong) is the main protagonist and title character, Danger Mouse is the world's greatest secret agent. Supremely confident in his abilities, Danger Mouse can be narcissistic, which sometimes leads him to take actions that create risky situations.
- Ernest Penfold (voiced by Kevin Eldon) is a timid and neurotic hamster who works as Danger Mouse's assistant and is his best friend.
- Colonel K (voiced by Stephen Fry) is a chinchilla who serves as Danger Mouse and Penfold's boss. His beard and moustache is a sentient lifeform and now and then detaches itself from his face.
- Professor Squawkencluck (voiced by Shauna Macdonald) is a chicken who is head scientist of the secret service.
- Baron Silas Von Greenback (voiced by Ed Gaughan) is the main antagonist, a criminal mastermind and Danger Mouse's archenemy.
- Nero (vocal effects by Marc Silk) is Greenback's pet fluffy white caterpillar, whose intelligence and duplicity is often underestimated.
- Stiletto Mafiosa (voiced by Dave Lamb) is Greenback's dim-witted Italian crow sidekick.
- The Narrator (voiced by Dave Lamb), as with the original series, an unseen character, frequently breaks the fourth wall, interacting with both the viewer and the other characters and often finds himself in danger from the episode's antagonist.
Episodes
editHome media
editThe first DVD of the series was released on 2 November 2015.[25] The whole of series 1 has been released across 6 DVDs, with 1 being released in 2015, 2 in 2016 and 3 in 2017. All 2015 episodes have been released for digital download through Amazon and other services.
| DVD title | Series | Episode count | Total running time | Release date(s) | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danger Mouse: Mission Improbable[25] | 1 | 7 | 88 mins approx | 2 November 2015 | "Danger Mouse Begins... Again" "Planet of the Toilets" "Danger at C-Level" "The Other Day the Earth Stood Still" "Welcome to Danger World" "Big Head Awakens" "Greenfinger" |
| Danger Mouse: Quark Games[26] | 9 | 99 mins approx | 15 August 2016 | "Quark Games" "Pink Dawn" "The World Wide Spider" "Jeopardy Mouse" "The Return of Danger K" "Danger Fan" "Big Penfold" "The Unusual Suspects" "The Inventor Preventor" | |
| Danger Mouse: Merry Christmouse[27] | 7 | 89 mins approx | 24 October 2016 | "The Snowman Cometh" "#Sinister Mouse" "There's No Place Like Greenback" "Happy Boom Day!" "Frankensquawk's Monster" "Escape From Big Head" "Megahurtz Attacks" | |
| Danger Mouse: The Mouse Awakens[28] | 9 | 105 mins approx | 6 February 2017 | "The Hamster Effect" "The Good, the Baaaaa and the Ugly" "Attack of the Clowns" "Cheesemageddon" "Send in the Clones" "Hail Hydrant" "Wicked Leaks" "Queen of Weevils" "Masters of the Twystyverse" | |
| Danger Mouse: The Agents Who Saved Summer[29] | 10 | 17 July 2017 | "Never Say Clever Again" "Tomorrow Never Comes" "Half the World Is Enough" "Danger Is Forever" "The Spy Who Came in With a Cold" "Agent 58" "Thanks a Minion!" "High School Inedible" "Mousefall" "Mouse Rise" | ||
| Danger Mouse: From Duck to Dawn[30] | 8 | 93 mins approx | 18 September 2017 | "From Duck to Dawn" "The Duckula Show" "Very Important Penfold" "The Cute Shall Inherit the Earth" "All 5 It" "Dream Worrier" "The Confidence Trick" "Sir Danger de Mouse" |
Other media and merchandise
editVideo games
editIn July 2017, it was announced that an official Danger Mouse mobile game was in development by 9th Impact[31] and the game Danger Mouse: The Danger Games was released on iOS App Store and Google Play Store in August 2017. The game is a multiplayer racing battle with card trading.[32] It was nominated for Best Mobile Game at the 2017 Best of Gamescom awards, but lost to Metroid: Samus Returns.[33] It was also nominated for "Best Racing Game" at The Independent Game Developers' Association Awards 2018, but lost to F1 2017.[34][35] The game was released for the Nintendo Switch on September 13, 2018.[36]
Stage adaptation
editIt was announced in December 2016 that there would be a live stage show based on the TV series in 2017. The show was produced by FremantleMedia who created the series for CBBC and is also produced by Butlins holiday park where it toured around all three of its parks from Easter 2017 until January 2018.[37] The show is titled Robo Mop. The stage show returned in 2018.
Merchandising
editJazwares is the master toy partner, Penguin Books publish a range of printed books, including story books, official guides, sticker books, novelty books, annuals and electronic titles and D.C. Thomson & Co. have started publishing a monthly magazine (from July 2016) with comic strips, puzzles, fact files, poster and competitions.[38] Marc Silk read Danger Mouse audiobooks, the first one being released on 2 June 2016.[39] A Danger Mouse Scribble Book was also released on 2 June 2016, as well as Sticky Situations! Colouring Book[40][41] and License to Chill.[42]
References
edit- ^ Cullen, Robert (6 October 2015). "Directing Danger Mouse: An interview with Robert Cullen Part Two". Skwigly (Interview). Interviewed by Henderson, Steve. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ a b Wolfe, Jennifer (17 June 2014). "'Danger Mouse' Readies for Return to TV". Animation World Network. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ Thill, Scott (4 November 2014). "Rebooting 'Danger Mouse' For A New Generation: Interview with Directors Robert Cullen and Paul O'Flanagan". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ "DangerMouse". Windmill Lane. Archived from the original on 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: Still 'the greatest' secret agent in the world?". BBC News. 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 November 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ "WATCH: New 'Danger Mouse' Trailer Now Online". Animation World Network. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ "DANGER MOUSE IS THE BIGGEST NEW HIT OF THE YEAR FOR KIDS". Fremantle Media. Archived from the original on 27 May 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
- ^ "BBC - World's greatest secret agent Danger Mouse given extended mission on CBBC - Media Centre". bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "CBBC gives Danger Mouse third mission". C21media. Archived from the original on 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
- ^ "2017 Winners". Animation Ireland. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ a b "2019 Winners". Animation Ireland. Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "'Danger Mouse' reboot considered after CITV Old Skool weekend success". Digital Spy. 12 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ "FremantleMedia eyes Danger Mouse reboot". broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ "Danger Mouse to return to TV screens". BBC News. 17 June 2014. Archived from the original on 17 June 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ White, Peter (25 January 2018). "FremantleMedia Moves Out Of Kids Content, Sells Unit To Canada's Boat Rocker". Deadline. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
- ^ Koch, Dave (18 June 2014). "Three New Animated Series, Reboots All". Big Cartoon News. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 18 June 2014.
- ^ "BBC – Danger Mouse back on TV as new series announced for CBBC – Media Centre". bbc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 March 2019. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
- ^ "Danger Mouse to be voiced by Alexander Armstrong". Archived from the original on 14 December 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- ^ "Stephen Fry and Richard Osman join cast of CBBC's Danger Mouse". Prolific North. December 2014. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
- ^ Ben Beaumont-Thomas (13 July 2015). "Crumbs! Lena Headey and John Oliver join Danger Mouse remake". the Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- ^ "Kevin Eldon on Danger Mouse reboot: 'It's pretty imaginative'". WOW247. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ^ Thill, Scott (11 April 2015). "Rebooting 'Danger Mouse' For A New Generation: Interview with Directors Robert Cullen and Paul O'Flanagan". Cartoon Brew. Archived from the original on 2 July 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ Jacob Kastrenakes (25 February 2015). "Netflix picks up Inspector Gadget and Danger Mouse reboots". The Verge. Vox Media. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- ^ "CBS All Access Adding Children's Programming; 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs', 'Danger Mouse', 'Inspector Gadget' Among Content". 8 August 2019. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Danger Mouse – Mission: Improbable: DVD & Blu-ray". Amazon.co.uk. 2 November 2015. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: Quark Games [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2016.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: Merry Christmouse [DVD]". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 April 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: The Mouse Awakens". 6 February 2017. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2016 – via Amazon.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: The Agents Who Saved Summer". 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2017 – via Amazon.
- ^ "Danger Mouse: From Duck to Dawn". Amazon UK. Archived from the original on 19 August 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- ^ "FremantleMedia teams with 9th Impact for Danger Mouse app". Archived from the original on 24 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "The Danger Mouse App 'The Danger Games' is here – Ireland's Technology Blog". Ireland’s Technology Blog. 23 August 2017. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
- ^ "Super Mario Odyssey Walks Away with Lots of Gamescom Awards". 25 August 2017. Archived from the original on 9 September 2017. Retrieved 9 September 2017.
- ^ Stephenson, Suzi (19 September 2018). "TIGA Announces Games Industry Awards 2018 Finalists". The Independent Game Developers' Association. Archived from the original on 21 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ^ "2018 Winners". The Independent Game Developers' Association. 1 November 2018. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
- ^ "The world's number one mobile and handheld videogame website | Pocket Gamer". 19 January 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
- ^ "Danger Mouse is Live at Butlin's in 2017 - Butlins". Butlins. Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- ^ "Jazwares, Penguin and DC Thomson sign with Danger Mouse". licensing.biz. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
- ^ Penfold, Ernest; Silk, Marc (2 June 2016). Danger Mouse: Licence to Chill: Case Files Fiction Book 1. Penguin. ASIN 0141371099.
- ^ Danger Mouse: Scribble Book. Puffin. 2 June 2016. ASIN 0141366850.
- ^ Danger Mouse: Sticky Situations!: Sticker Activity Book. Puffin. 2 June 2016. ASIN 0141373113.
- ^ Penfold, Ernest (2 June 2016). "Danger Mouse: Licence to Chill: Case Files Fiction Book 1". Puffin. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016 – via Amazon.