YTV Eats Up The Airwaves With Monster Warriors Programming Highlights / YTV Posted by RAD on Mar 11, 2006 - 12:00 AM Who do you call when giant earthworms are eating subway trains, a 60-foot bumblebee is sucking up the city’s electricity and a gigantic squid is munching ferry boats? The Monster Warriors, of course. This new 26-episode YTV Original Canadian series, a live-action/3-D animation hybrid, premieres in Vortex Saturday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m. Using everyday household objects to make low-tech weapons, the Monster Warriors—Luke, Vanka, Tabby and Antonio—defend Capital City against an onslaught of creatures straight out of a 50’s monster movie, like a giant anaconda, Tyrannosaurus Rex and a skeleton army. In the premiere episode, Giant Spider Invasion, Capital City is threatened by giant 25-foot spiders. The Monster Warriors suffer a few close calls, but when they spot an old monster movie poster in a video store window, they believe they’ve found their first solid lead towards solving the mystery and stopping the spiders from destroying the city. “Featuring an all-Canadian cast, Monster Warriors is a made-in-Canada success story—and one with international appeal, thanks to Coneybeare Stories and the support and involvement of Jetix Europe,” said Bonita Siegel, Director, Original Productions, Corus Children’s Television. “The YTV Original Productions group is thrilled that kids in both Canada and Europe will be treated to this unique show beginning in spring 2006. Its mix of comic book styling, amazing CGI creatures and tongue-in-cheek humour make Monster Warriors our unique custom-made addition to the YTV programming lineup.” Monster Warriors features the talents of comedian and two-time Gemini Award-winner Sean Cullen of Toronto, who plays evil-doer Klaus Von Steinhauer. Vancouver’s Jared Keeso (Smallville) plays the leader Luke; Montreal’s Lara Amersey (Radio Free Roscoe) is Vanka, the group’s stealthy warrior; Mandy Butcher (Naturally Sadie) of Cambridge plays Monster Warriors’ junior MacGyver, Tabby; and Toronto’s Yani Gellman (The Lizzie McGuire Movie) is Antonio, the brains behind the Monster Warriors. Created and directed by Wilson Coneybeare of Coneybeare Stories, Monster Warriors is a YTV Original Production, produced in association with Jetix Europe. “I believe that Coneybeare Stories has again created a show that kids will love and parents can trust. That's truly important to us,” said Wilson Coneybeare, Executive Producer, Coneybeare Stories. “But let's face it, the best part is that we've got a really cool show with really big, scary monsters that our cool teenager heroes have to battle with weapons made from household appliances.” “What kids are not obsessed with the thought of dinosaurs or giant spiders rampaging down their street?” said Michael Lekes, Senior Vice President Programming, Jetix Europe. “We are delighted to have worked closely with Coneybeare Stories and YTV to bring this unique and timeless action-fantasy monster-fest to kids internationally.” Filmed in Barrie, Ontario, the city’s quarries, junkyards and waterfront set the perfect photo-realistic stage upon which visual effects team Bullseye Post Production created the show’s 3-D animated monsters and brought them to life. Premiering in its regular timeslot Saturday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m., Monster Warriors repeats Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. This article is from CHANNEL CANADA   http://www.channelcanada.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.channelcanada.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1273