MUMBAI: Animation, gaming and entertainment company DQ Entertainment (DQE) has partnered with US-based Classic Media to co-develop an animated TV series based on the legendary character Lassie. Under the agreement, DQE will not only co-produce the series along with Classic Media (owner of the Lassie brand) and its affiliate in France and Ireland, but will also be able to commercially exploit the brand along with the partners.

Says DQ Entertainment chairman & CEO Tapaas Chakravarti, "Our association as production and distribution partners with Classic Media after the successful debut of CGI "Casper‘s Scare School" now gets into another long term artistically and commercially fruitful relationship with the co-development of TV series in 3D animation. We are also happy that we will draw on the creative and commercial experience of Classic Media, M6 and ZDF Group along with our other French and Irish affiliates for this co-development." Lassie, a brave and loyal collie dog, first appeared in Eric Knight‘s 1940 novel, Lassie Come-Home. She was so well received that, in 1943, MGM Studios debuted the canine heroine in her first silver-screen appearance alongside Hollywood legend Elizabeth Taylor, followed by 10 more feature films in the 40s and 50s -the first eight of which grossed over $285 million.In 1954, Lassie made her small-screen debut in an Emmy® Award-winning television series that continued to air for 19 seasons - making it one of longest-running series in television history.