{"id":11038,"date":"2016-10-13T10:31:47","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T14:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/dhx-mattel-ink-deals-for-trio-of-brands\/"},"modified":"2016-10-13T15:13:09","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T19:13:09","slug":"dhx-mattel-ink-deals-for-trio-of-properties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/dhx-mattel-ink-deals-for-trio-of-properties\/","title":{"rendered":"DHX & Mattel Ink Deals for Trio of Properties"},"content":{"rendered":"

HALIFAX: DHX Media and Mattel Creations have signed various agreements for Fireman Sam<\/em> and Bob the Builder<\/em> specials and series, as well as for the preschool show Little People<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Fireman Sam: Alien Alert<\/em>, a special produced by Mattel Creations and distributed by DHX, is headed to Path\u00e9 Live, which will debut it theatrically in France in February 2017. The special will also be released by Universal on home video in France. Cartoonito in Italy picked up Fireman Sam: Alien Alert<\/em> for TV, and justbridge is on board for a theatrical and home-entertainment launch in Germany, with the special slated to hit theaters in January 2017.<\/p>\n

DHX Media and Mattel Creations also announced they will co-produce an additional 13×10-minute episodes of the Fireman Sam<\/em> series, bringing the number of seasons available to 11, as well as a brand-new special for 2018. The show’s tenth season has been licensed by Clan TV in Spain and France 5.<\/p>\n

Actor David Tennant, who will voice villain Buck Douglas in the special, added: \u201cFireman Sam<\/em> is a true institution of children\u2019s television so naturally it was a joy to be asked to guest-voice the character of Buck Douglas in the new special, Fireman Sam: Alien Alert<\/em>. I had a lot of fun in the studio bringing Buck’s character to life and I\u2019m certain he\u2019ll be a big hit with audiences when he appears on screens throughout the world in the movie. He\u2019s slick and smug, but his adventurous and gregarious persona, as well as his UFO investigative adventures, makes the kids\u2014and quite a few of the grown-ups\u2014want to be just like him!”<\/p>\n

Josh Scherba, the senior VP of distribution at DHX Media, said: \u201cFireman Sam: Alien Alert<\/em> is a dynamic addition to the Fireman Sam<\/em> franchise extending the much-loved elements into an hour-long adventure that features even more heroism, loyalty and teamwork\u2014not to mention the considerable voice talents of David Tennant. Fans in these markets are in for a real treat. The brand is going from strength to strength as shown in the demand for more content. We are excited to see Sam and his co-workers tackling new Pontypandy dramas in 11\u00a0brand-new episodes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christopher Keenan, the senior VP of global content and executive producer at Mattel Creations, noted: \u201cAlien Alert<\/em> is an action-packed Fireman Sam<\/em> adventure for preschoolers, and we\u2019re delighted to have the talented David Tennant on board as the voice of Buck. The special stays true to core Fireman Sam<\/em> values\u2014bravery, loyalty, heroism, community and teamwork\u2014but takes us to new levels of excitement with a sci-fi slant that includes new characters, rescue vehicles, locations and plot twists. This movie and new production for [season] 11 cements the incredible moment the Fireman Sam<\/em> franchise is having in Europe and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

DHX Media and Mattel Creations have also inked broadcast and theatrical licenses in France for the feature-length special Bob the Builder: Mega Machines\u2014The Movie<\/em> with France T\u00e9l\u00e9visions and Pathe Live, respectively, as well as a theatrical agreement with X-Verleih Theatrical in Germany. Pathe Live’s world premiere of the movie will take place on April 29, 2017. In a separate deal, DHX Media and Mattel Creations will co-produce an additional 52×11-minute episodes of the hit Bob the Builder<\/em> series.<\/p>\n

Scherba commented: \u201cThe enduring popularity of Bob the Builder<\/em> shows no signs of slowing down with new generations of kids enthusiastic as ever for the stories of Bob and his crew. The addition of a feature-length special Bob the Builder: Mega Machines\u2014The Movie<\/em> as well brand-new episodes adding to the brand\u2019s content offering are testament to its enduring appeal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keenan stated: \u201cBob the Builder<\/em> continues to build momentum across many new markets and, as our stories get bigger, so too does our global reach. Bob the Builder: Mega Machines<\/em> is a testament to this; the film tells the story of Bob’s biggest build yet and introduces three new ‘mega’ characters who help reinforce the show’s themes of teamwork, perseverance and optimism\u2014with plenty of comedy, construction and conflict-resolution along the way. We are also delighted to be greenlighting new episodes with our partners DHX and growing the franchise even further.”<\/p>\n

Actor Brian Cox, who will voice the villain Conrad in the new movie, added: “Both generations of my kids watched Bob the Builder<\/em> because he\u2019s been around for a very long time. I think the thing about Bob<\/em> is it\u2019s a very simple concept and it\u2019s not too complicated for children. They link on to it because of the trucks, because of all of the accoutrement that goes with Bob. It\u2019s his simplicity that\u2019s really at the heart of it and that\u2019s what makes it last, and has made it last through generation to generation. I am delighted to be part of this new movie!”<\/p>\n

In other news, DHX Media and Mattel Creations have greenlit a 52×11-minute second season of the preschool series Little People<\/em>, based on the iconic Fisher-Price brand. In addition, DHX Media licensed the first season to Lagard\u00e8re in France for its Gulli & TiJi channels; Hop! Media Group in Israel; and De Agostini Editore in Italy for its preschool satellite channel DeAJunior.<\/p>\n

Scherba remarked: \u201cThe original brand has proven success with the preschool demographic and the television show continues the solid themes and style that Little People<\/em> is best-known for. It\u2019s an uplifting preschool series that builds skills of imagination and problem-solving through discovery and group play and we are very pleased by the response from broadcasters globally and the significant demand for additional episodes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keenan added: \u201cLittle People<\/em> has been a joy to produce and we\u2019re thrilled with the reaction from broadcasters and fans around the world. Season two will follow the same great format\u2014discovery and imaginative adventures rooted in an EQ (Emotional Intelligence) message, focusing on topics like nurturing, caring, sharing, concern for others, patience\u2014all complimented with humor and music sure to delight parents and preschoolers alike.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

HALIFAX: DHX Media and Mattel Creations have signed various agreements for Fireman Sam and Bob the Builder specials and series, as well as for the preschool show Little People.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":479,"featured_media":11050,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[266,178,1040,578,1008],"class_list":["post-11038","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-top-stories","tag-bob-the-builder","tag-dhx-media","tag-fireman-sam","tag-little-people","tag-mattel-creations","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\nDHX & Mattel Ink Deals for Trio of Properties - TVKIDS<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/worldscreen.com\/tvkids\/dhx-mattel-ink-deals-for-trio-of-properties\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DHX & Mattel Ink Deals for Trio of Properties - 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