4Kids Ent. to Merchandise Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Film
4Kids Entertainment Inc. will handle exclusive worldwide merchandising rights TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES CGI-animated feature film expected to be released in early 2007. Playmates Toys will develop a toy line for the all-new TURTLES film from The Weinstein Co., Warner Bros. Pictures and Imagi Animation Studios
The all-new TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES movie is an exciting opportunity for the brand, said Alfred R. Kahn, 4Kids Ent. chairman/ceo. To have Playmates Toys on board will guarantee a unique and innovative line of toys for all TURTLES fans. Since its re-launch, the TURTLES have enjoyed tremendous success as a television series and at retail, which we expect will continue as the Turtles head for the big screen. 4Kids Ent. will continue to extend and build the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES licensing program globally based on the upcoming movie with both existing and new licensees.
We are thrilled that the new TURTLES film is attached to The Weinstein Co. and Warner Bros. Pictures and we look forward to strengthening our long-term relationship with 4Kids Ent., said Michael Rinzler, director of boys marketing for Playmates Toys.
A worldwide retail success, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES toys by Playmates Toys are distributed in more than 45 countries, and the action figures rank among the top sellers at major retailers around the globe. We are anxious to get started on the development of movie-based toys that will engage fans and build even more excitement surrounding the brand, said Rinzler.
The film will be produced by Thomas K. Gray, producer two of the earlier TURTLES films, and Galen Walker. It will be directed by Kevin Munroe from his own screenplay, developed in consultation with TMNT' co-creator Peter Laird. The exec producers are Francis Kao, Peter Laird, Gary Richardson and Frederick U. Fierst. The CGI-animated, PG-rated movie will derive its tone from the original Mirage comicbook series. Imagi Animation Studios' state-of-the-art facility in Hong Kong will do the CG animation.
The TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES' motion picture history began in the early 1990s, with three live-action films that grossed a cumulative total of $256,196,337 domestically, adding to the entertainment phenomenon that spawned games, toys, and a virtual TURTLES industry. In 2003, the TURTLES returned to television after a five-year hiatus, now appearing on 4Kids TV 4Kids Ent.'s Saturday morning programming block on FOX and Cartoon Network in the U.S., and on major TV channels around the world.
Headquartered in New York City with international offices in London, 4Kids Ent. (www.4Kids.TV) is a global provider of children's entertainment and merchandise licensing. 4Kids through its wholly owned subsidiaries provides domestic and international merchandise licensing; product development; television, film, music and home video production and distribution; media planning and buying; and website development.
With more than 35 years of experience, Playmates Toys Inc., headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, is among the leading marketing companies in the global toy industry. Playmates designs, develops, markets and distributes its products in more than 60 countries worldwide. Playmates Toys Inc. is a division of Playmates Holdings Ltd, a Hong Kong-based company whose stock is traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.