Empire Pictures has struck a deal with Transcience Corp. to develop an animated film and possible franchise from the infamous children's toy line "The Amazing Live Sea-Monkeys." Under the deal, Empire acquired entertainment rights to the line, which has been on the market for 45 years and sold in more than 50 countries.

Empire founder and prexy Michael Birnbaum is focusing first on an animated feature, but possible spinoffs down the line could include a television series and merchandising. Birnbaum currently is meeting with writers to develop a take for the story before shopping the project to studios.

Product line features the tiny pets, which hatch instantly and live up to two years in a special tank. Their bigscreen story will be set in a microscopic ocean world, Birnbaum told Daily Variety.

"I grew up with Sea-Monkeys," he said. "The property's instant name recognition on a global basis makes it a platform from which to launch an animated film franchise."