Lionsgate has acquired the home entertainment rights to Marvel Entertainment’s Wolverine & The X-Men cartoon series.  The 26-episode cartoon series, which was produced in India by First Serve International, will debut on the Nicktoons Network in January of 2009 (see “Wolverine Is the Focus of New X-Men Cartoon”).  The first Wolverine & the X-Men DVDs should be released later in 2009.

This agreement extends Marvel Entertainment’s relationship with Lionsgate, a relationship that is rooted in the field of animation and in the deal signed in 2004 (see “Avengers First in Marvel OVA Series”) under which Lionsgate, while allowing Marvel considerable creative control, developed, produced and distributed a series of original direct-to-DVD animated features.  So far four of the animated direct-to-DVD films, Ultimate Avengers 1& 2, Doctor Strange, and The Invincible Iron Man have been released, and collectively they have sold over three million DVDs.  The fifth Marvel OVA produced by Lionsgate, Next Avengers: Heroes of Tomorrow (see “Marvel Direct to DVD Animation Skews Younger”), will be released on September 2nd.

Lionsgate’s relationship with Marvel also includes live action films.  The Punisher: War Zone, the second Punisher film produced by Lionsgate, will open in theaters this December.