New broadcast deals in Australia, Portugal, Norway, Russia and Turkey made on the back of ratings success in France, Germany, Poland, Netherlands and the U.K.
CANNES, FRANCE -- Mattel content arm Mattel Creations announced at MIPTV brand new international deals for all-new Bob the Builder with Channel 11 (Australia), Dreamia-Panda (Portugal), NRK Super (Norway), Karusel (Russia) and ATV-Minika (Turkey). These deals come on the heels of European ratings success for Bob the Builder Series 1, which recently launched in several territories with broadcasters France 5 (France), Zapplin (Netherlands), Turner (UK), Super RTL (Germany) and MiniMini (Poland), with high ratings achieved across the board. Bob the Builder is now the number-one preschool show in France as well as a top five preschool show in other key European countries.
It’s an exciting time for the brand, as production continues on the upcoming movie special Bob the Builder: Mega Machines – The Movie, the title of which was announced at MIPTV. The special is set for television and DVD release next year and will introduce brand new characters and a new storyline for Bob and his trusty team, as they continue to bring construction to life for millions of children across the globe.
The new special, which is being produced by Mattel subsidiary HIT Entertainment, is being distributed worldwide by Canada-based DHX Media who struck an exclusive deal with Mattel in December 2015 to distribute Bob the Builder content worldwide. As with series 1 and 2, the special will be animated by Canadian studio Rainmaker. The voice cast will include regulars Lee Ingleby (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Inspector George Gently), who voices Bob in the UK version, Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey) as the voice of Wendy, and Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners) who voices Scoop. Froggatt and Harrison both feature in the UK and US versions of the show.
“Bob the Builder continues to build momentum across many new markets and, as our stories get bigger, so too does our global reach,” commented Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President Global Content & Executive Producer at Mattel Creations. “Bob the Builder: Mega Machines is a testament to this; the film tells the story of Bob's biggest build yet and introduces three new mega characters who help reinforce the show's themes of teamwork, perseverance and optimism - with plenty of comedy, construction and conflict resolution along the way. We're confident that Bob the Builder: Mega Machines will delight young audiences around the world and pave the way for further adventures with Bob and the team.”
“Bob the Builder is a tremendous kids brand and DHX is delighted to be the worldwide distributor,” said Josh Scherba, SVP of Distribution for DHX Media. “The new Mega Machines movie will be a terrific addition to the franchise.”
Bob the Builder, which was originally created in 1996 and has been broadcast in over 175 countries and translated into 40 languages, is a multi-award winner production including Best Animation from BAFTA (2003), Best International License of the Year (2000), and Entertainment Property of the Year (2001). The franchise is gaining further traction with a brand new Fisher Price toy line later this summer as well as several further licensees signed up to start rolling out consumer products from autumn in the US and Europe. Additionally, the live events group has recently opened Mattel Play! in Liverpool featuring a dedicated Bob the Builder play zone which will be followed by Mattel Play Town! in Dubai. Bob the Builder series two will launch later this year and Bob the Builder: Mega Machines – The Movie is slated for next year.
Source: Mattel Creative
