Carlton International has struck multiple feature, TV and home entertainment deals for its childrens animated classic, THE LAST UNICORN. First, Carlton has signed a deal with movie production company Continent Film Ltd for a live-action re-make. In addition, the film has been licensed for broadcast to Roadshow Television in Australia. Video deals have been signed with NVC Felix Film in Poland and Goldvision in France and French-speaking territories. In the U.S., Ripple Junction will produce branded womens apparel for THE LAST UNICORN alongside buttons, lunchboxes, stickers and patches. The movie will also be re-released on video and DVD in the U.K. later this year. The film sold 70,000 units on DVD when it was initially released in 2002.
Emma Simpson, international licensing manager at Carlton Consumer Division said, "THE LAST UNICORN has a timeless and magical appeal that still captures the imagination of children and families worldwide. The fairy tale story is particularly popular in German-speaking areas of Europe and is experiencing a revival in the U.S.A., with merchandise being developed to meet that interest. There's currently a real nostalgia for 80s animation, and this is a great example of the genre."
THE LAST UNICORN is an animated fantasy tale based on a novel by Peter S Beagle and tells the tale of a unicorns quest to find another of its kind somewhere in the world. Originally released in 1982, the picture features the voices of Jeff Bridges (K-PAX, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, FABULOUS BAKER BOYS), Mia Farrow (HANNAH AND HER SISTERS, THE GREAT GATSBY), Christopher Lee (LORD OF THE RINGS, THE WICKER MAN) and Angela Lansbury (MURDER SHE WROTE, BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS).
Carlton International Media Ltd, part of the Carlton Communications group, is a media rights owner and rights distributor for a range of broadcasters and independent producers, including Carlton Television, Carlton Factual, Carlton America and U.S.-based Carlton Prods LLC. For more information visit www.carltonint.co.uk/homepage.do.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
