Grom Social Enterprises, Inc. today announced that its storytelling division Curiosity Ink Media and WEP, LLC (World Events Productions) will jointly co-develop and co-produce a feature film based on the iconic animated hit series, Denver, The Last Dinosaur. The announcement was made jointly by Curiosity Ink Media’s CEO Jared Wolfson and Bob Koplar, President of WEP, the rights holder to the property.
The film’s storyline is inspired by the characters and plot lines from the hit 1980s/’90s animated series, centering around a group of California kids who — upon discovering a prehistoric-looking egg which hatches into a real dinosaur — decide to name him Denver and teach him a thing or two about what they know best. Their adventures also focus on protecting Denver from an opportunistic and unscrupulous promotor, who hopes to exploit Denver’s novelty and rarity for personal financial gain.
“Denver, the Last Dinosaur has all the trappings of a multi-generational hit,” explains Wolfson. “We are developing this film to deliver on all the comedy, action, adventure and heart that will make every child want a dinosaur like Denver in their lives, all while making sure to honor the established retro dino-character the fans love and expect.”
Koplar agrees, “We are thrilled to partner with the creative minds at Curiosity Ink Media to introduce this beloved dino to a new generation. Denver’s coming back with a fresh look and feel, while retaining the totally radical ’80s vibe from the era in which he was born. This fun and fun-loving dino is ready to make a splash!”
Earlier this month, WEP and Curiosity announced that the Grom subsidiary will also spearhead licensing efforts for Denver. Together, the partnership will pursue ancillary brand extensions to leverage and maximize Denver’s consumer appeal through consumer products in over two dozen retail categories.
The two companies will team up at Licensing Expo 2023 to meet with potential licensee partners. The nearly two dozen categories that Curiosity Ink Media and WEP will pursue for Denver, The Last Dinosaur include toys & collectibles, games, apparel, bedding, home décor, footwear, accessories and more.
Denver, The Last Dinosaur originally aired in 1988 with 50 episodes, across two seasons, quickly growing into a #1 rated show with kids, regularly beating out shows like Smurfs, Transformers, My Little Pony, GI Joe, The Jetsons, Popeye, Gumby, Yogi Bear and more. The series was distributed in 120 countries around the world.
The property was rebooted in 2018 for a new CGI-animated series, produced by ON kids & family and ZAG Toons, commissioned by M6 and Globosat in France and distributed by PGS Entertainment.
