Press Release from Moi j'aime la television and Helion Pictures
Paris/London 12 May 2009. Award-winning independent producers Moi j'aime la television (MJTV) and Helion Pictures are making a trilogy of feature-length films based on their hit long-running television half hour comedy series GENIE IN THE HOUSE.
Currently in its third season, with a total of 78 episodes, GENIE IN THE HOUSE has become a major success for commissioning broadcasters Nickelodeon UK and Canal J in France and has sold to 110 territories worldwide including Italy, Germany, Belgium, Russia, Australia, New Zealand and across Africa and Asia.
On the back of this broadcast acclaim, MJTV and Helion are creating a movie franchise and will be heading to the Cannes Film Festival looking to secure financing and a distribution deal.
The first GENIE IN THE HOUSE movie will start shooting in 2010 with release in 2011. Managing Director of French production company MJTV Phil Ox will produce the films and American Steven Bawol, MD of Helion Pictures will direct. Award-winning Grant Cathro and Lee Pressman are already on board as writer and Estelle Lafoy will be responsible for the films' international sales and financing. The cast will include Adam Morris, Angus Kennedy, Jordan Metcalfe, Katie Sheridan and Victoria Longley who all star in the television series.
Phil Ox says: "We are delighted with the success of the Genie TV series and the movie franchise is a natural extension of the brand. We are excited by the possibilities of taking a half hour show to a feature-length film and we're delighted to have secured our extremely talented young cast for all three movies."
The GENIE IN THE HOUSE trilogy will be comedy family movies filled with special effects. The movies will follow the antics of two teenage girls Sophie and Emma who find themselves with their very own genie -- Adil. Against their father's strict orders, they try to make use of his powers. As well as the tricky problem of getting Adil to grant their wishes without anyone finding out, the girls must also hide the fact that he is really a genie - and not a distant cousin who has come to stay -- from their neighbours and school friends. Moreover, their Adil is not a fully-fledged genie. He's just 15 (1500!) and hasn't quite mastered his abilities!
Created by Phil Ox, Isabelle Dubernet, Eric Fuhrer and Steven Bawol, GENIE IN THE HOUSE is made for the international market and is team-written with the feel and production values of an American sitcom.
MJTV has also recently launched its own licensing division to further extend the brand into merchandising and across all media including music and books, video games and educational language learning toys.
