Lionsgate in Care Bears Home-Entertainment Deal

SANTA MONICA, January 7:
In a deal with American Greetings Properties, Lionsgate has scored the North
American home-entertainment rights to an assortment of titles based on the Care
Bears brand.

Lionsgate has been
representing Care Bears
properties in the home-entertainment market for the last five years, including
the classic television series and direct-to-DVD CGI-animated features. With
this new agreement, the independent studio takes on 48 episodes of the all-new Care
Bears television series, Care
Bears: Adventures In Care-A-Lot,
along with a new CGI-animated movie scheduled to launch in the fall. Lionsgate
has also extended its rights to the Classic Care Bears catalogue.

Lionsgate has also taken
on the home-entertainment distribution rights to the CBS television series
based on the all-new American Greetings Property Sushi Pack, which follows four pieces of sushi and a wad of
wasabi who are brought to life with special powers to help rid the world of
evil. Lionsgate will distribute the titles on DVD and electronic sell-through.

"Expanding our
relationship with American Greetings Properties has been a major priority for
us in the family entertainment area," said Anne Parducci, the executive VP
of marketing at Lionsgate Home Entertainment. "The Care Bears have been an important and successful brand in our
family entertainment portfolio for the last five years and we wanted to
complement our existing product with new content. The new Care Bears television series and CGI movie are just the type
of releases that the ever-growing fan base of parents and children are seeking
from this beloved property—and Hasbro's participation as the new master
toy licensee promises to take the brand to even greater heights. We are also
impressed with what the American Greetings Properties has accomplished in a
very limited time with the new Sushi Pack property and look forward to participating in growing the brand into
a kids favorite."

Lionsgate is the
fourth-largest distributor in the children's non-theatrical home-entertainment
category with a 13-percent market share.

—By Mansha Daswani