This September marks 50 years since Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s ground-breaking Thunderbirds series blasted onto TV screens in the UK. To celebrate this special anniversary, the iconic puppets will be making a spectacular return in three brand new episodes in Thunderbirds 1965, a project created by director Stephen La Rivière.

In addition to the much-loved television series, three Thunderbirds audio episodes were recorded and launched in 1966, with music and dialogue from the show’s original voice cast. Thunderbirds 1965 will see La Rivière film the Thunderbirds puppets and sets he faithfully recreated for the Filmed in Supermarionation documentary, using all of the classic Supermarionation techniques, and combine this with the original audio footage to create three brand new video episodes in the distinctive Thunderbirds style.

The Thunderbirds 1965 project will launch on crowdfunding website Kickstarter on Thursday 9th July at 9am, and backing the project is the only way that fans from around the globe will be able to watch these new episodes. In addition to a DVD / Blu-ray of the finished production, project backers have the opportunity to receive other exclusive rewards including a commemorative photo-book featuring rare and previously unpublished stills from the original series and an exclusive ‘Thunderbirds Experience’. This experience will give backers the chance to visit the Thunderbirds 1965 production studio and experience first-hand the classic model and puppet filmmaking techniques first developed fifty years ago. The recreated marionette stars will also be around for meet and greets.

The Thunderbirds 1965 Kickstarter campaign is aiming to raise £75,000 to fund the first of the three special episodes. If the project surpasses this initial target, the remaining episodes will be also produced.

Thunderbirds 1965 will be produced by the team behind the critically acclaimed Filmed in Supermarionation documentary, which tells the story of the pioneering production of Thunderbirds, Stingray, Captain Scarlet and other memorable marionette television shows. Sylvia Anderson and the estate of the late Gerry Anderson have welcomed the initiative.

Sylvia Anderson, co-creator of the classic series says:Jamie Anderson, son of Gerry Anderson says: Stephen La Rivière says:Further information can be found at thunderbirds1965.co.uk.

A preview image of the new Thunderbird 1 from the forthcoming series Thunderbirds Are Go! has been released by ITV Studios.

The major new children's series, which is a co-production between ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in association with Weta Workshop, is set to make its international debut early next year in the UK on ITV and CITV.

Set against the backdrop of the Hollywood sign, the rocket maintains its distinctive silver bullet style from the original show, which first aired on ITV from 1965 to 1966.

The reboot, comprising 26 half-hour episodes, will be produced using a mix of CGI animation and live-action model sets to deliver a new level of action-adventure animation while also paying tribute to the classic 1960s phenomenon.

As previously reported, the reinvention of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's iconic series will star Rosamund Pike as the voice of Lady Penelope and original cast member David Graham, who reprises his role as Parker.

Other star voices will include Kayvan Novak as inventor Brains and Thomas Brodie-Sangster voicing John Tracy.

Executive producer Giles Ridge said:

Original Thunderbirds cast member David Graham is to provide the voice of Parker once again in the new version of the TV series, it was announced today - on the 48th anniversary of the original show's first broadcast.

He will be joined by Rosamund Pike as Lady Penelope, to whom Parker is chauffeur, Kayvan Novak as Brains, Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Gordon and John Tracy, Rasmus Hardiker as Alan and Scott Tracy, and David Menkin as the fifth Tracy brother, Virgil, in Thunderbirds Are Go!, which has just started production.

Meanwhile, Tracy Island matriarch Grandma Tracy will be voiced by Sandra Dickinson (the former wife of Peter Davison) and Andres Williams is to play master villain The Hood, said ITV.

Debuting in 2015, this reinvention of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's much-loved series featuring the exploits of International Rescue will be produced using a mix of CGI animation and live-action miniature sets. Thunderbirds Are Go! will also feature new characters including Kayo, the Tracy brothers' friend and fellow island resident, who will be played by Angel Coulby, and Colonel Casey, voiced by Adjoa Andoh.

Graham said: Pike commented: And co-executive producer Giles Ridge, of ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: Thunderbirds Are Go! is being produced by ITV Studios and New Zealand-based Pukeko Pictures, with Weta Workshop designing the series and producing the miniatures. The 26 30-minute episodes will debut on CITV in 2015.

Ridge's fellow executive producers are Estelle Hughes for ITV Studios and Richard Taylor and Andrew Smith for Pukeko Pictures. The head writer is Rob Hoegee and the series director is David Scott, with Theo Baynton as episodic director.

Thunderbirds originally aired on ITV from 1965 to 1966, with 32 episodes over two series. The first episode - Trapped In The Sky - was first broadcast 48 years ago today, with ATV Midlands, Westward, and Channel being the first TV regions in the UK to show it.

ITV is to reinvent the cult TV series Thunderbirds, it announced today.

The broadcaster will be working with the New Zealand-based Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop on 26 30-minute episodes, which will mix CGI animation and live-action model sets. They are scheduled to debut on CITV in 2015 - 50 years after the Gerry Anderson Supermarionation series first hit TV screens in the UK on the commercial channel ITV.

Currently in pre-production, it has been given the working title of Thunderbirds Are Go! and will once again see the five Tracy brothers piloting their vehicles into international rescues.

The series head writer is Rob Hoegee, and it has been commissioned by Jamila Metran, head of programming for CITV, who said:
Denise O'Donoghue, the managing director of ITV Studios UK, said:
Richard Taylor, the co-owner of Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, said:
Andrew Smith, the chief executive of Pukeko Pictures, commented:
It is being executive-produced by Estelle Hughes for ITV Studios, Giles Ridge for ITV Studios Global Entertainment, and Taylor and Smith for Pukeko Pictures.