D3Publisher, an independent game developer and (surprisingly enough) publisher, recently announced a publishing agreement with Imagi Studios for a video game based on the upcoming animated movie remake of Astro Boy. The game is set to be released simultaneously with the movie on both consoles and handhelds in October 2009. The movie itself, distributed by Summit Entertainment, is of course based on Osamu Tezuka’s animated series from the 1950s of the same, and features the voices of such actors as Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Bill Nighy, Eugene Levy and Donald Sutherland. It certainly has the strength of nostalgia and star power, but so did Speed Racer, so obviously those alone are insufficient for the success of a motion picture.

"The rich history and endearing story of Astro Boy appeals to fans around the globe and translates exceptionally well to the interactive space,” said Yoji Takenaka, president and CEO of D3P in North America and Europe. “We look forward to working with Imagi to bring the film’s unique cast of characters to life in a compelling videogame that fans and gamers of all ages will enjoy.”

Imagi Studios has been involved with the development and production of such CG movies as TMNT. The company’s US president, Erin Corbett, said, “We are delighted to have D3Publisher as our exclusive worldwide interactive partner, and we look forward to seeing Astro Boy raised to new superhero heights in the videogame universe.”

As a licensed game, quality will likely have little effect on sales. Nevertheless, considering the venerated shooter developer Treasure, Inc. developed a great game called Astro Boy: Omega Factor based on the original series a few years ago, it certainly has some tough comparisons to live up to. Since almost no one played that game, though, I doubt it will matter much.