Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP) has announced that an animated preschool series based on H. A. and Margret Reys children's classic, CURIOUS GEORGE is in development with Imagine Entertainment and PBS-affiliate WGBH Boston. The series is scheduled to debut in early 2006 after the theatrical release of an animated CURIOUS GEORGE feature on November 4, 2005. The show will incorporate early childhood science and math educational content.
"Preschool aged kids are incredibly inquisitive about absolutely everything, which is why they can relate perfectly to the character of Curious George," said Louis Feola, president, Universal Worldwide Home Entertainment. "WGBH is very dedicated to developing children's programming that is both entertaining and educational, and with them and Imagine, we are working to create a series that will organically foster learning experiences through Curious George's adventures."
The feature and series will employ different production teams, but will try to keep the same visual sensibility. Universal Cartoon Studios will oversee physical production of the series, which is looking for a distribution outlet.
The feature is in the pre-production stage and is being produced by Imagine head Brian Grazer. Will Farrell (ELF) will voice The Man with the Yellow Hat. Jun Falkenstein (THE TIGGER MOVIE) will direct the film from a screenplay by Michael McCullers (AUSTIN POWERS: THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME and the upcoming THUNDERBIRDS) and Daniel Gerson & Rob Baird (MONSTERS INC.) and Joe Stillman (SHREK and SHREK 2).
Universal Worldwide Home Entertainment (UWHE) is responsible for managing the studio's two specialty production units, Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP) and Universal Pictures Visual Programming (UPVP). Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP) is responsible for the development and production of made-for-video entertainment, family oriented live-action and animated television programming, the animation production facility Universal Cartoon Studios and acquisitions for video. UWHE is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Vivendi Universal Entertainment (VUE) (www.universalstudios.com ).
WGBH Boston is America's preeminent public broadcasting producer and the source of nearly one-third of PBS's prime-time programs, as well as the award- winning children's series ARTHUR, BETWEEN THE LIONS and ZOOM. Since its establishment in 1951, WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors, including Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and two Oscars. For more information visit www.wgbh.org .
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
