Jim Henson Offering New CGI Series

LOS ANGELES: Dinosaur Train, which is scheduled to debut this fall in the U.S. on PBS KIDS, is a highlight on The Jim Henson Company’s MIPTV slate.

The show was recently acquired for broadcast in Canada on TV Ontario and Knowledge. RC2 Corporation’s already on board as global master toy licensee, and a line of preschool products is slated to debut in the last half of 2010. Created by Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!), Dinosaur Train combines preschoolers’ interest in trains and dinosaurs, and presents themes of natural science, natural history and paleontology. The series is set to join other Jim Henson series on PBS KIDS, such as Sid the Science Kid, which will also be on offer at MIPTV.

"Based on input from paleontologists, science educators and early childhood education experts, Dinosaur Train has developed an ambitious and creative curriculum that harnesses children’s enthusiasm for and curiosity about dinosaurs, sparking children’s interest in life science and natural history," said Lisa Henson, co-CEO of The Jim Henson Company. "PBS KIDS has been an incredible partner with our current series Sid the Science Kid, and our new project Dinosaur Train extends our mutual vision of creating quality, educational preschool programming by encouraging even more young viewers to get excited about science and the role it plays in our lives every day."

"Programming for preschoolers has to be fun, and Dinosaur Train hits the mark perfectly bringing together two of their favorite themes—dinosaurs and trains," added Sam Ewing, The Jim Henson Company’s head of international sales for new programming. "Dinosaur fossils continue to be found all over the world, and kids are going to love identifying with these marvelous creatures through the eyes of Buddy and his adoptive family."