Anchor Bay To Release Chuggington On DVD For First Time

Anchor Bay Entertainment has secured U.S. DVD rights to the popular new preschool entertainment franchise: “Chuggington,” from children’s entertainment company, Ludorum.

Press Release from Anchor Bay Entertainment

October 19, 2010 – Anchor Bay Entertainment has secured U.S. DVD rights to the popular new preschool entertainment franchise: “Chuggington,” from children’s entertainment company, Ludorum. “Let’s Ride The Rails,” the first “Chuggington” release from Anchor Bay Entertainment, pulls into retail stores nationwide, February 8, 2011.

An exciting new train property for preschoolers, “Chuggington” currently airs daily on Disney Channel’s learning-focused Playhouse Disney programming block. The colorful and contemporary CGI-animated TV series follows the amusing adventures of three young trainees, Wilson, Brewster and Koko, as they learn to “ride the rails” of life and become productive chuggers. Featuring a dynamic fleet of relatable and diverse characters, each engaging episode of “Chuggington” is filled with positive life lessons that encourage and promote early social skills.

“We’re thrilled to be on the ‘Chuggington’ express and excited about the strength of this new property and the tremendous sales potential it represents for the upcoming DVDs,” said Julie Cartwright, SVP of Brand Marketing for Anchor Bay Entertainment. “‘Let’s Ride The Rails’ and each of our new ‘Chuggington’ titles to follow bring home all the best aspects of the popular series and will have preschoolers and families nationwide climbing aboard again and again.”

“We’re delighted to have Anchor Bay Entertainment on board as our master U.S. DVD licensee for ‘Chuggington,’” said Maureen Taxter, SVP U.S. Consumer Products, Ludorum. “Parents are eager to have ‘Chuggington’ episodes at their fingertips, so their kids can watch the trainees’ adventures wherever they are – whether at grandma’s house, in the car or in the comfort of their own homes. More importantly, parents know that the episodes on the ‘Chuggington’ DVD help reinforce the lessons their preschoolers are learning every day.”

“Let’s Ride The Rails” (SRP: $16.98) welcomes preschoolers to the vibrant world of “Chuggington” with six fun-filled episodes that take young viewers on entertaining explorations, while gently reinforcing valuable lessons such as humility, trust, respect and teamwork. The episodes featured on the new DVD are “Clunky Wilson,” “Braking Brewster,” “Can’t Catch Koko,” “Old Puffer Pete’s Tour,” “Koko On Call” and “Hodge And The Magnet.” Special bonuses include “Chuggington”-themed coloring pages and activity sheets.

Riding closely on the heels of “Let’s Ride The Rails” are more “Chuggington” DVDs from Anchor Bay Entertainment, which are scheduled to head out of the station in 2011. Among the new titles are “Chuggers to the Rescue,” “It’s Training Time” and “Wheels To The Rails.” “Chuggington” episodes also will be available on iTunes beginning in October 2010.

“Chuggington” has quickly become a global sensation since its debut in September 2008 in the U.K. The show has been licensed to more than 175 territories worldwide and has established a highly-successful ratings record in several key international markets, including the U.K., Germany, France and Australia. The series made its stateside debut on Playhouse Disney in January 2010. The channel has acquired all U.S. television rights to the property for a second season that will begin airing in 2011. Disney Channel is currently available on basic cable in more than 99 million U.S. homes.

About “Chuggington”“Chuggington” is a computer-generated 3D series as well as a fully-immersive interactive website. The series follows the adventures of Wilson, Brewster and Koko, trainee engines, each with their own unique personality and learning style. The series is set in a world much like our own with cities, villages and diverse cultures and geography. Entertainment and enjoyment is at the heart of “Chuggington,” but embedded within each story are important educational and developmental messages centered on learning and social-emotional development. “Chuggington” is directed by Sarah Ball, who won a BAFTA award for her work as a director and writer of Bob the Builder™. The property was conceived to seamlessly integrate television, books and interactive. Further information is available at www.chuggington.com.

About Anchor Bay EntertainmentAnchor Bay Entertainment is the home entertainment division of Starz Media, LLC. It includes the Anchor Bay Films and Manga Entertainment brands. It distributes feature films, children’s entertainment, fitness, TV series, documentaries, anime and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray formats. It is the exclusive distributor in the U.S. of the theatrical titles from Overture Films. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Starz Media (www.starzmedia.com) is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ: LSTZA).