Fitz Roy Teams with Magic Lantern on Daktari Park Projects

NEW YORK: Fitz Roy Media has aligned with Magic Lantern Entertainment to develop and produce a new slate of entertainment projects inspired by African animal stories and the adventures and experiences of wildlife veterinarian Dr. Sue Hart for the newly revived Daktari Park.

The projects will refresh the Daktari Park brand for the 21st century in the form of new feature films, TV and direct-to-DVD projects, set to begin production in 2010. Under a previously announced deal with Daktari Productions, Fitz Roy has already started developing an interactive Daktari Park website that will take kids on a daily safari in the African bush country, guided by a few new animated characters.

“The new Daktari Park will re-introduce a new generation of children and family audiences to the pioneering work of Dr. Sue Hart and her many adventures in the African bush at a time when humans first began to interact with the animals who roamed free across great stretches of land,” said Fitz Roy Media’s CEO, Hamp Hampton. “Her experiences provide a wealth of exciting and informational stories about some of the most amazing wildlife in the world.”

“Daktari Park is long overdue for a revival of a brand that captured audiences of all ages over 40 years ago,” added Magic Lantern Entertainment’s president, Jeff Segal. “In an era of heightened awareness of the plight of endangered species whose habitat continues to be encroached by deforestation and the development of the lands where they once prospered, this project provides a wonderful vehicle to get the message out on conservation and create awareness of the fragility of all life forms on the planet."