Lionsgate has extended its relationship with American Greetings Properties by acquiring the exclusive North American home entertainment distribution rights to numerous Care Bears titles, including the new series and CG-animated movie. In addition, Lionsgate has acquired the home entertainment rights to Sushi Pack, the animated CBS television series based on the new American Greetings Property. The deal grants Lionsgate rights to distribute the titles on DVD and electronic sell-through.
Having distributed the classic Care Bears television series and direct-to-DVD CG features for the last five years, Lionsgate is significantly expanding its Care Bears content through this deal. The agreement includes distribution rights to 48 episodes of the all-new television series Care Bears: Adventures In Care-A-Lot, along with a new movie scheduled to launch this fall. The deal also broadens Lionsgate’s rights to the classic Care Bears catalog.
‘Expanding our relationship with American Greetings Properties has been a major priority for us in the family entertainment area,’ says Anne Parducci, Lionsgate Home Entertainment’s exec VP of marketing. ‘The Care Bears have been an important and successful brand in our family entertainment portfolio for the last five years, and we wanted to complement our existing product with new content. The new Care Bears television series and CGI movie are just the type of releases that the ever-growing fan base of parents and children are seeking from this beloved property, and Hasbro’s participation as the new master toy licensee promises to take the brand to even greater heights. We are also impressed with what the American Greetings Properties has accomplished in a very limited time with the new Sushi Pack property and look forward to participating in growing the brand into a kids favorite.’
Sushi Pack centers on five crime-fighting pieces of sushi that protect Wharf City from over-the-top diabolical villains. The humorous and action-packed television treatment was written by Tom Ruegger and Nicholas Hollander, the Emmy Award-winning writers/producers behind such hits as Animaniacs, Tiny Toon Adventures and Pinky and the Brain. British-born Rick Adams (a.k.a. DJ Rick), best known for hosting gigs on CBS’ Dance Revolution and AOL.com, voices the character Tako. The show features educational and pro-social messages created in consultation with a renowned child development expert.
