Press release from The Jim Henson Company:
Hollywood, CA -- The Jim Henson Company has signed an agreement with its first partner in China, Nine Eyes Stone & Shanghai Animation Film Studios, to co-produce SID THE SCIENCE KID: THE MOVIE, based on the Company’s popular television series. The all new feature film is the Company’s first animated movie available in both a 3D format and standard HD. The announcement was made today by LisaHenson, CEO of The Jim Henson Company, and Al F. Barry, Chairman of Nine Eyes Stone. The Jim Henson Company represents worldwide rights to the movie outside of China, including all theatrical, television, DVD and digital platforms and will meet with international buyers for the feature film at the upcoming MIPTV market. As part of the financingagreement, Nine Eyes Stone & Shanghai Animation Film Studios has obtained distribution rights for both the existing series and new film in the Chinese market.
“The SID THE SCIENCE KID television series has proven to be incredibly popular in many key territories around the world. We know there is high demand for 3D movies across all platforms so the time is right to extend the brand into its first, full-length feature, with our new co-production partners Nine Eyes Stone & Shanghai Animation Film Studios,” comments Henson.
“Introducing SID THE SCIENCE KID in China is a tremendous opportunity for Nine Eyes Stone & Shanghai Animation Film Studios, and we look forward to collaborating with the many talents at The Jim Henson Company to bring this critically-acclaimed property to a whole new audience,” states Barry.
Continuing to encourage youngsters’ early exploration of science, SID THE SCIENCE KID: THE MOVIE will feature Sid and his classmate Gabriela who enter a science experiment contest and win the exclusive opportunity to experience a new modern science museum before it opens to the public. At the museum, they meet contest winners from China, and together they encounter aquirky scientist, voiced by special guest Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), who has designed robot tour guides of the future. When one of the robots goes haywire, it is up to Sid and his friends to work as a team to find the rogue robot and save the day.
The new feature is written by long-time show runner Bradley Zweig, who also serves as an executive producer. Other executive producers are Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford for The Jim Henson Company. For Nine Eyes Stone, Al F. Barry is the executive producer and David Miller is producer. The Jim Henson Company is handling all ancillary distribution of the property including licensing, video and merchandising.