FME Unveils CGI Dinosaur Franchise

LONDON: FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) is partnering with Atlantic Productions, ZOO and Geffen-Medavoy Pictures on the tentatively titled Dinosaurs Resurrected, a CGI franchise encompassing a TV series and a 3-D theatrical movie.

The 360-degree brand will encompass state-of-the-art computer animation and visual effects with the latest research and insights from paleontological finds. The prime-time television series, based on a returning format, is set for delivery in 2011 and there will also be a feature-length narrative 3-D movie for theatrical release. The brand will be accompanied by books, DVDs, tie-in consumer products and educational resources as well as gaming spin-offs and live events.

Dinosaurs Resurrected is apartnership between FME; Atlantic Productions, whose credits include The Link, Predator X and the FME-distributed Egypt Unwrapped; ZOO, a specialist digital effects company; and Geffen-Medavoy Pictures, which creates feature documentaries for theatrical release.

David Ellender, the global CEO of FME, said, "This group of partners has at our collective fingertips the fantastic combination of the most up-to-date production technology and the latest from the science community which means we can create a groundbreaking and completely up-to-date dinosaur franchise across numerous platforms. It is a big undertaking for FME and one we wouldn’t have taken on without the calibre of partners we’ll be working with."

Anthony Geffen, the CEO of Atlantic Productions, added, “We are delighted to be working with Fremantle on this exciting venture. In the same way that Jurassic Park and Walking With Dinosaurs revolutionized our experience of dinosaurs at the end of the 20th century, this project will bring dinosaurs into the 21st century—on HD and in 3-D. We are looking forward to combining the very best of traditional storytelling techniques with all the opportunities new technologies and platforms offer.”

Mike Medavoy, the chairman of Geffen-Medavoy Pictures, noted: “Ever since they were first discovered, dinosaurs have captured our imagination. This project is a fantastic opportunity to bring them back to life for movie audiences around the world in the most realistic, most complex and most terrifying way we’ve ever seen.”