NEW BOB THE BUILDER™ 4-D MOVIE FROM HIT ENTERTAINMENT DEBUTS EXCLUSIVELY AT LEGOLAND® PARKS WORLDWIDE
Brand-New Feature Marks Bob’s First Foray Into 4-D and the First Worldwide Deal Between HIT Entertainment and Merlin Entertainments Group
New York, NY – November 17, 2008 – HIT Entertainment, a leading provider of quality children’s entertainment, and Merlin Entertainments Group, the leading name in location-based family entertainment, have commissioned SD Entertainment and Threshold Animation Studios to bring the innovative movie, Bob the Builder™ In 4-D: Bob the Builder and the Roller Coaster exclusively to LEGOLAND® family theme parks worldwide beginning in March 2009. The never-before-seen movie in 4-D debuts at LEGOLAND California and LEGOLAND Windsor in the United Kingdom in March followed by the other two LEGOLAND parks in Denmark and Germany as well as LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in April. Bob the Builder and the Roller Coaster will air in LEGOLAND theaters daily during normal operating hours.
In the movie, Bob the Builder™ and his friends demonstrate teamwork and follow-through as they learn the importance of starting each building project with a plan. Bob, along with his Can-Do Crew, are busy building a roller coaster. They build a model out of LEGO® DUPLO® bricks before starting work on the real roller coaster. When Spud the scarecrow embarks on his own building project, making a birdhouse without a plan, his creation falls apart. Spud learns firsthand that every job – big or small – starts with a plan. At the end of the day, everyone enjoys the new roller coaster and goes for a fantastic ride!
“LEGOLAND Parks, with their focus on providing innovative, quality family experiences, are the perfect home for this new Bob the Builder 4-D movie,” said Gary Krakower, Senior Vice President, U.S. Licensing and Live Events, HIT Entertainment. “The groundbreaking special effects and fresh CG animation provided by SD and Threshold will wow aspiring builders and their families around the world!”
“Bob the Builder is already a popular themed LEGO product and will be a great addition to the more than 50 rides, shows and attractions currently at each LEGOLAND Park,” said John Jakobsen, Managing Director of LEGOLAND Parks. “We’re excited to partner with HIT Entertainment in presenting to our guests from around the world this unique opportunity to build their imaginations with this new Bob the Builder 4-D movie.”
Exclusive to LEGOLAND for one year in the U.K., U.S., Germany and Demark, the 10-minute film uses 3-D computer generated (CG) animation with special glasses and special effects – such as wind and mist in the theatre — for a 4-D effect. The film will use animation developed by SD Entertainment and exclusive 3-D stereoscopic technology from Threshold Animation Studios and IBM.
About SD Entertainment
SD Entertainment is a property launcher and animation studio that develops, enhances and re-brands global intellectual properties, led by one of the most respected teams in animation worldwide. Former MGM Animation heads Paul Sabella and Jonathan Dern and their production team have produced and directed numerous feature films, direct-to-DVD movies and hundreds of hours of television, in both 2D and 3D animation.
About Threshold Animation Studios
Threshold Animation Studios makes family oriented, Computer Generated animated films. Through a revolutionary alliance with the IBM Corporation, Threshold has developed ground breaking 3D technology for its films. Threshold’s first computer animated feature film, Foodfight!, is a $60 million CGI animated feature that tells the story of what happens when the supermarket closes at night is scheduled for wide theatrical release in 2009. Foodfight! stars the voice talents of Charlie Sheen, Eva Longoria, Hilary Duff, Wayne Brady, Chirs Kattan, Larry Miller and Christorpher Lloyd. In addition to producing animated feature films, Threshold is a leading producer of 3D theme park rides including Star Trek: Borg Invasion 4D, and Mission Space for Disneyworld Epcot Center in Florida. Threshold’s principals have been involved with many groundbreaking digital entertainment productions including: Terminator 2, True Lies, and Mortal Kombat.
About LEGOLAND Parks
LEGOLAND® is a brand of interactive theme parks dedicated to families with children between the ages of 2 and 12. Each Park features more than 50 rides, shows and attractions geared towards family fun. There are four LEGOLAND Parks in the world – LEGOLAND Billund in Denmark, LEGOLAND Windsor outside of London, LEGOLAND California in the U.S. and LEGOLAND Deutschland near Günzburg, Germany. The LEGOLAND theme parks are a part of Merlin Entertainments Group., the world’s number two visitor attraction operator in the world. Merlin has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years and aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 33 million visitors worldwide. For the most current information, log on to www.LEGOLAND.com or call (760) 918-LEGO.
About Merlin Entertainments Group
Merlin Entertainments Group is the leading name in location based, family entertainment, which has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over the last five years. The world’s second largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin has 58 attractions and six hotels in 12 countries and across 3 continents. The company aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 33 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13,000 employees. Merlin Entertainments operates the following attractions – SEA LIFE, Madame Tussauds, LEGOLAND, The London Eye, Dungeons, Gardaland, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, Alton Towers, Warwick Castle, Thorpe Park, Chessington World of Adventures and Earth Explorer.
About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment, owned by private equity investment group Apax Partners, is one of the world’s leading independent children’s entertainment producers and rights-owners. HIT’s portfolio includes properties, such as Barney™, Bob the Builder™, Thomas & Friends™, Pingu™, Fireman Sam™, Angelina Ballerina™ and Rainbow Magic™. HIT represents Chapman Entertainment’s Fifi and the Flowertots™ and Roary the Racing Car™ in North America and Japan, as well as Wallace & Gromit™, Shaun the Sheep™ and Aardman Classics from Aardman Animations. HIT also acts as a worldwide representative for The Jim Henson Company’s library of classic family brands and as representative for The Wiggles® in the UK. Launched in 1989, HIT’s lines of business span television and video production, content distribution, publishing, consumer products licensing and live events and has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan. HIT is a part-owner of US-based preschool channel, PBS KIDS SproutSM, and international preschool channel JimJam, (outside of the US, UK and China). For more information, visit
www.hitentertainment.com.
