PorchLight Ent.s Emmy award-winning animated kids show, Tutenstein, will be unwrapping more ancient mysteries for Jetix Europe. The broadcaster has ordered an additional 13 half-hour installments for delivery in 2006, bringing its number of available episodes to 39. As with the first 26 episodes, Jetix Europe has also acquired free TV distribution rights for Europe and the Middle East.
Tutenstein centers on a 3010-year-old boy-mummy-Pharaoh who is brought back when lightning strikes his sarcophagus in a modern-day museum. The once powerful king believes he is the supreme ruler of the world and schemes to take his rightful place with the help of Cleo, a hip, 21st-century 12-year-old girl and Luxor, his faithful feline servant. The series combines ancient Egyptian mythology with contemporary, urban humor. PorchLights production team works closely with Dr. Peter Lacovara, an Egyptology consultant who makes sure the historical content is authentic.
In addition to heading up production on Tutenstein Los Angeles-based PorchLight (www.porchlight.com) holds all TV rights in Asia, Africa and Canada, and the free TV rights in South America. It also holds the worldwide video and licensing rights, excluding North and South America where Discovery communications represents the Pay TV, video and licensing rights.
PorchLight has produced the award-winning animated PBS children’s series, Jay Jay The Jet Plane and Adventures From the Book of Virtues, as well as animated long form movies The Night Before Christmas: A Mouse Tale, The Haunted Pumpkin Of Sleepy Hollow and The Christmas Dinosaur. In addition to Tutenstein, the companys current production slate includes the animated series Four Eyes for France 3 and Nickelodeon Asia.
Tutenstein can be found on the web at www.tutenstein.com and www.discoverykids.com.