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Focus Features to Release Rainmaker’s ‘Ratchet and Clank’

CG-animated feature based on the iconic PlayStation video game franchise is set for release on an April 29, 2016.

Vancouver-based animation studio Rainmaker Entertainment and Blockade Entertainment have announced that Focus Features has been appointed as the U.S. theatrical distributor for Ratchet & Clank, with an April 29, 2016, release date scheduled. Film Financial Services, who organized co-financing for the film, will arrange P&A financing. The CG-animated feature film is based on the iconic PlayStation video game franchise from Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA), created and developed by Insomniac Games.

President and Chief Creative Officer Michael Hefferon, and Blockade Entertainment CEO Brad Foxhoven, together with China’s CNHK Media Ltd., announced today

Ratchet & Clank features the voice talent of an all-star cast including Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe Award winner Paul Giamatti (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Saving Mr. Banks, Sideways) as “Chairman Drek;” Golden Globe Award winner John Goodman (Transformers: Age of Extinction, Monsters Inc., Monsters University, Argo) as “Grimroth;” Young Artist Award winner BELLA THORNE (The Snow Queen 2, Blended) as “Cora;” ALMA Award winner Rosario Dawson (Marvel’s Daredevil,Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Sin City) as “Elaris;” and Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone (Creed, Rambo, The Expendables, Rocky) as “Victor.”  The celebrity cast members join the voice talent from the successful Ratchet & Clank video game franchise: James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars: Clone Wars, TMNT) as “Ratchet”; David Kaye (Up) as “Clank;” Armin Shimerman (Bionicle: The Legend Reborn, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) as “Nefarious;” and Jim Ward (The Fairly Odd Parents, Escape from Planet Earth) as “Captain Qwark.”

Ratchet & Clank is directed by Kevin Munroe (TMNT), co-directed by Jericca Cleland, and produced by Blockade’s Foxhoven and VP of Development David Wohl along with Rainmaker’s SVP of Production and Operations, Kim Dent Wilder serving as Producer. Michael Hefferon serves as lead Executive Producer. Former Insomniac Games writer TJ Fixman wrote the original screenplay draft, with director Kevin Munroe contributing significantly to the script.

Ratchet & Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind -- a foolhardy “lombax” who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way, they will learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one’s own identity.

Already sold in over 25 international territories by leading International Sales Agent, Cinema Management Group (CMG), Ratchet & Clank is set to be the most successful 3D animated feature for CMG since it started licensing independently produced animated features in 2004.

Co-financing was arranged by David Sheldon’s Seattle based Film Financial Services (FFS) and includes Rainmaker as the lead investor along with China’s CNHK (backed by Wang Sicong’s Prometheus Capital), and Cinema Management Group.

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC will release a companion Ratchet & Clank video game, a re-imagination of the origin story for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system along with the release of the film. The game is being developed by franchise creator, Insomniac Games. Since the first Ratchet & Clank video game was released in November 2002, the franchise has been a massive success, quickly becoming one of the most popular franchises in the SCEA portfolio, selling over 26 million copies worldwide.

Source: Rainmaker Entertainment

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.