Pranke Forum

Ultraman show sold in 12 markets

(Bangkok Post (Thailand) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Feb. 3--Despite being less than half complete, the first Thai Ultraman TV series has been sold to 12 countries, which is expected to generate 600 million baht for the producers this year.

Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, China are among the markets that have bought the programme.

The 52-episode Ultraman series, costing more than 100 million baht, is being produced by three companies: Chaiyo Productions Co, which claims ownership of the Ultraman copyright, with a 50 percent investment; Ruishi Culture Developing Co from China, with 40 percent; and Bangkok-based Apex Toys Co with 10 percent, according to Perasit Sangduenchai, CEO and director of Chaiyo Productions.

He said the firm expected to realise at least one billion baht from the Ultraman character next year, including gains from merchandise and advertising on TV.

His is the first Ultraman project to take place since the battle over the copyright of the character in Japan ended in 2004.

The Tokyo Supreme Court ruled early last year that Sompote Sangduenchai, the founder of Chaiyo Productions and Mr Perasit's father, owned the rights to Ultraman characters everywhere except Japan, ending a dispute with Tsuburaya Productions.

"It is a first time too for Ultraman characters played by Chinese and Thai performers, not Japanese," Mr Perasit said.

The stars of the series are the Chinese kung-fu film actor Ekin Cheng, as Ultraman Elite, and two Thai teen idols: Ray McDonald as Dark Ultraman and Matthew Deane as Ultraman Millennium.

The series is being shot in the Gobi desert and in Thailand.

"Using stars from the two nations was part of a marketing plan to capture wider audiences across Asia, including Thailand," said Mr Perasit.

He said Ultraman roadshows in Asia would help promote the character as a regional superhero.

The series is due to air in China first in December this year on an entertainment channel of the CCTV network. Thailand and other nations will be able to show the programme at a similar time.

Mr Perasit said the company was also in talks with buyers in Brazil, Argentina, the United States and Europe about the rights to Ultraman.

In Thailand, he said the company was still in talks with a TV station for broadcasting the series. However, he believed it would receive a warm welcome from local viewers.

Ultraman rights have also been disputed in Thailand, the case has gone to the International Trade and Intellectual Property Court.