FitzRoy Signs on for Daktari Park

NEW YORK: FitzRoy Media has firmed up an agreement with Daktari Productions for the online, feature film, TV/DVD and consumer products rights for the Daktari Park brand.

All of the content related to Daktari Park will be inspired by the African animal stories and adventures of veterinarian Dr. Sue Hart. First on the development slate will be an online virtual theme park, combining live-action footage of animals in the wild with newly created animated characters. The virtual theme park will also have a component for licensed merchandise. FitzRoy will further look to develop a feature-length animated special, suitable for theatrical release as well as broadcast specials and DVD/VOD opportunities. It will also develop an animated CGI TV series, consisting of 52 11-minute episodes.

Rowena Paxton, the director of Daktari Productions, said: "This is a marvelous opportunity and we are very excited at the prospects of working with FitzRoy Media. I have known Sue for almost 30 years, her remarkable life has been an inspiration to me and many others—as a pioneering female vet in Africa during the ’60s, her many adventures and experiences in the African bush will make fascinating viewing."

“The Daktari brand has been synonymous with wildlife adventure and conservation since the live-action TV series debuted over 40 years ago, inspired by Dr. Sue Hart’s life and work in the wild,” added FitzRoy Media’s CEO, Hamp Hampton. “We want to re-introduce a new generation of kids and families to a time when the animals roamed free across great stretches of land, and humans first began to study and interact with them. It’s incredible how many stories are still left to be told.”