The new Transformers Animated series is going to debut on the Cartoon Network with the airing of a 90-minute special, Transform and Roll Out, on December 26th at 8pm (ET, PT).  Regular episodes of the new Transformers Animated series will debut on Saturday morning January 5th, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (ET, PT). 

The new Transformers series, which is co-produced by the Cartoon Network and Hasbro, was originally supposed to debut last summer in conjunction with the release of the live action Transformers movie (see 'Transformers Animated Series Delayed').

The tremendous success of the live action Transformers movie, which earned $704 million at the box office worldwide, and which is on track to become the bestselling DVD of the year (see 'Clash of the DVD Titans'), has fueled a major revival of the property.  Transformers has become the #1 action figure toy line of 2007 and Hasbro plans to produce a special line of Transformers toys based on the Transformers Animated series. IDW is publishing a line of Transformers comic books and Wizards of the Coast has issued a Transformers CSG (see 'WotC's Transformers 3-D Battle Card Game').