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CASTING BEGINS FOR A LIVE-ACTION ‘KIM POSSIBLE’ DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE

Casting has begun on a live-action “Kim Possible” movie for the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, 16 years after the popular character – a typical high school girl who, in her spare time, saves the world from evil villains – debuted in the animated comedy/adventure series that became a global hit. The series was lauded for its empowered female role model who uses her brain, heart and expertise to save the day. Throughout 87 episodes and two original animated movies, Kim Possible traversed the social hierarchy of high school and, with her hapless sidekick Ron Stoppable and his naked mole-rat Rufus by her side, thwarted power-hungry villains Drakken and Shego, among others.

The live-action movie script writers are the creators of the animated series – Emmy® Award-winning creators/executive producers Mark McCorkle and Robert Schooley (“Kim Possible,” “Big Hero 6: The Series,” “The Penguins of Madagascar”) – and Josh Cagan (“The DUFF,” “Bandslam”). McCorkle, Schooley and Zanne Devine, who produced or executive-produced over a dozen feature films including “I, Tonya” and “Easy A,” are executive producers.

The movie is co-directed and co-produced by Adam B. Stein and Zach Lipovsky. Stein and Lipovsky met as finalists on FOX’s “On the Lot,” a directing competition produced by Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett, in which they each wrote and directed a new short film every five days. Most recently, they each directed episodes of Disney XD’s sci-fi adventure series “MECH X-4.” Previously, Stein was a staff director for ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (2011-13) and directed more than 50 digital episodes, including “Nerd Court.” It was Lipovsky’s award-winning short, “Crazy Late,” for the 2005 Crazy 8s filmmaking challenge that gained him notoriety and propelled him to the “On the Lot” worldwide search for up and coming filmmakers. Among his subsequent credits are Syfy’s “Tasmanian Devils,” “Afflicted,” “Leprechaun: Origins” and a feature adaptation of “Dead Rising” for Legendary Pictures.

Blyth Nailling (ABC’s “Last Man Standing” and “Scrubs,” FOX’s “LA to Vegas,” “One Tree Hill” and “What I Like About You”) is the casting director.

Adam Bonnett, executive vice president, Original Programming, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “Mark and Bob created an enduring character and kids all over the world found a friend in her, an average girl who just happens to spend her off-school hours thwarting evil villains. Although Kim Possible ‘can do anything,’ kids and tweens found that this animated redhead was just like them. As we embark on the fun challenge of making Kim and Ron fully dimensional, I’m thrilled to be working again with Mark and Bob and to welcome the addition of a dynamic creative team – Josh, Zanne, Adam and Zach – into a world where anything is indeed possible.”

The original animated series, launched in 2002, inspired two hugely popular animated original movies, “Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama” in 2005, which was the first animated title in the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, and “Kim Possible: A Stitch in Time” in 2003.

Viewers’ connection to “Kim Possible” also led to a successful off-TV franchise including Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable characters at Disney Parks & Resorts and a line of “Kim Possible” branded consumer products at mass retail, soundtracks, books and games.

In addition to its Emmy Award and eight nominations, the series’ other accolades are from the Parents’ Choice Foundation, the International Animated Film Society’s Annie Awards and Italy’s Pulcinella Award for Best Program and Best TV Series for Children.