News brief: Genius concocts Thomas Edison toon

Andy Heyward’s Genius Brands International has begun production on science-themed adventure toon series Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab.

Kids TV veteran Heyward had been developing the 52x11mins series before his A Squared Entertainment imprint merged with GBI last year. The series is now moving forward, with SpongeBob SquarePants writer Steve Banks attached to write the pilot, with Georgia Public Broadcasting and the Edison Innovation Foundation coproducing.

PGS Entertainment handles distribution outside of the US and Cananda.