Beloved Children's Characters to Be Updated for 'Raggedy Adventures' Movie
Series
NEW YORK and BURBANK, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon & Schuster
Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the
world, today announced that it has partnered with Starz Media to develop
and produce a series of "Raggedy Adventures" movies. The movies, based on
the publisher's "Raggedy Ann and Me!" books, will unveil a new and updated
look that will target young children, exposing this new generation to
characters ready to go on countless adventures and who will share the magic
and power of imagination.
Starz Media is a full-service production and distribution company whose
Film Roman unit produces such popular animated programs as "Wow! Wow!
Wubbzy!," the Emmy(R)-winning "Eloise," as well as "The Simpsons" and "King
of the Hill." The company has hired writer Joe Ansolabehere ("Recess," "Hey
Arnold," "Rugrats") to create an updated "Raggedy Adventures" story that
has the excitement that will appeal to today's young audiences, while
retaining the characters' core values of friendliness, imagination and
giving. The animated movies will be produced at Film Roman, with TV sales
handled by Starz Media and DVD releases going out via Starz Media's Anchor
Bay Entertainment.
Along with the "Raggedy Ann and Me!" books and the "Raggedy Adventures"
movies, Russ Berrie will create a new doll based on the updated look.
United Media is currently building a licensing program in support of
Raggedy Ann and Me! and will release merchandise in conjunction with the
videos, dolls and books this fall.
Johnny Gruelle's RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY stories have warmed the hearts of
children for decades. While Johnny, a talented cartoonist, illustrator, and
storyteller, began writing stories about Raggedy Ann as a way to entertain
his ailing daughter Marcella, those stories published in memoriam went on
to become an American classic. Cherished through many generations, the
adventures of Raggedy Ann, a mop-headed rag doll found in a grandmother's
attic, have been shared for generations between parents and children and
grandparents and grandchildren and continue to delight children of all
ages.
"We knew it was only a matter of time before these classic RAGGEDY ANN
& ANDY stories made it onto the television screen," says Mara Anastas Vice
President Sales & Subsidiary Rights at Simon & Schuster Children's
Publishing. "We have had tremendous success with Starz Media in the past
with properties such as Eloise and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy and knew this
transition would be handled properly by a premiere media company; one with
passion and vision for RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY, which is to produce top quality
entertainment."
"RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY is beloved by generations of young children, and
we're sure the characters' positive message and fresh approach will attract
today's girls and boys too," added Scott Greenberg, president and COO of
Film Roman, an animation unit of Starz Media. "We've had great experiences
working with established brands, as well as creating new ones, and we're
looking forward to introducing a whole new generation to this venerable
property."
About Starz Media
Starz Media, LLC, is a programming production and distribution company
operating worldwide. It includes the Film Roman, Anchor Bay Entertainment,
and Manga Entertainment brands. Its units create animated and live-action
programming -- including theatrical films -- and programming created under
contract for other media companies. It distributes that programming, and
programming acquired from outside producers, through home video retailers,
theaters, broadcasters, ad supported and premium television channels, and
Internet and wireless video distributors in the US and internationally.
Starz Media is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation that is attributed to Liberty
Capital Group.
About United Media
RAGGEDY ANN & ANDY is licensed by United Media on behalf of Simon &
Schuster Children's Publishing. United Media (UM) is a worldwide licensing
and syndication company that focuses on building brand equity around a wide
range of creative content. The company recently partnered with Harper
Collins on the best-selling publishing property Fancy Nancy. United Media
licenses and/or syndicates other properties, including Peanuts, Precious
Moments, Televisa's "El Chavo," Mary Engelbreit, Dilbert, Iron Chef
America, Dirty Dancing and Jim Benton's "It's Happy Bunny" (Japan Only).
United Media is an E.W. Scripps Company.
About Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's
book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints:
Aladdin Paperbacks, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Libros para ninos,
Little Simon(R), Little Simon Inspirations(TM), Margaret K. McElderry
Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, Simon
Scribbles, and Simon Spotlight(R). While maintaining an extensive
award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and
best-selling books for children of all ages. In addition to numerous
Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster
publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia,
Raggedy Ann & Andy(TM), Henry & Mudge(R), The Hardy Boys(R), Nancy Drew(R),
The Spiderwick Chronicles, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts(R), Nickelodeon's(R)
Dora the Explorer(R), Blue's Clues(R) and SpongeBob SquarePants(R), and
Mirage studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles(TM). For more information
about Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, visit our website at
http://www.SimonSaysKids.com.
Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in
the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best
in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed,
electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult
Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio,
Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada,
and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at
http://www.simonsays.com.
SOURCE Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
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Related links:
http://www.simonsays.com
http://www.SimonSaysKids.com
CONTACT:
Paul Crichton, Simon & Schuster Children's
Publishing, +1-212-698-2809, paul.crichton@simonandschuster.com;
Jonathan Taylor, +1-818-748-4032, jonathan.taylor@starz.com or
Paul Campbell, +1-212-905- 4230, paul.campbell@starz.com, both of
Starz Media
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