The Jim Henson Company and MEGA Brands enter into global licensing partnership for DINOSAUR TRAIN™
MONTREAL, QC, HOLLYWOOD, CA, and NEW YORK, NY, June 8, 2010 - The Jim Henson Company has awarded MEGA Brands Inc. a multi-year, global licensing agreement to develop construction toys based on the new animated hit children's series, DINOSAUR TRAIN, MEGA Brands announced today.
MEGA Brands was granted the rights to develop all-new construction toy sets based on the exciting world of DINOSAUR TRAIN including characters such as Buddy, the curious young Tyrannosaurus rex. The Mega Bloks licensed product offerings will launch in North America in the spring of 2011 and worldwide in the fall.
"DINOSAUR TRAIN brings new characters and adventures to our preschool construction portfolio, offering young children a fun new way to enjoy the Mega Bloks experience," said Vic Bertrand, Chief Innovation Officer of MEGA Brands. "The Jim Henson Company is a global leader in delivering top-quality properties that are both entertaining and educational, and we look forward to working together to combine our market leading preschool construction brand with this great license."
"We look forward to working with world-class toy partner MEGA Brands to introduce a compelling new construction line that allows kids the opportunity to create their own Dinosaur Train world," said Melissa Segal, Senior Vice President Global Consumer Products for The Jim Henson Company. "MEGA Brands brings exceptional innovation and creativity to their preschool toys, which makes them a great partner to develop exciting products tied to DINOSAUR TRAIN."
Created by Craig Bartlett (Hey Arnold!) DINOSAUR TRAIN airs on PBS KIDS(R) and embraces and celebrates the fascination that preschoolers have with both dinosaurs and trains while encouraging basic scientific thinking skills. Each 30-minute episode includes two 11-minute animated segments featuring Buddy, an adorable preschool age Tyrannosaurus rex and his adoptive Pteranodon family. Also included are live action sequences featuring well-known paleontologist, Scott Sampson, Ph.D. Dr. Scott brings to life the show's natural science and natural history curriculum for preschoolers as he gives specific facts about dinosaurs and compares their features to animals of today.
About MEGA Brands
MEGA Brands is a trusted family of leading global brands in construction toys, games & puzzles, arts & crafts and stationery. They offer engaging creative experiences for children and families through innovative, well-designed, affordable and high-quality products. Visit http://www.megabrands.com for more information.
The MEGA logo, Mega Bloks, Rose Art, MagNext and Board Dudes are trademarks of MEGA Brands Inc. or its affiliates.
About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy(R) nominated SID THE SCIENCE KID, DINOSAUR TRAIN, WILSON & DITCH: DIGGING AMERICA and PAJANIMALS. Features include THE DARK CRYSTAL, LABYRINTH, MIRRORMASK, and UNSTABLE FABLES. Television productions include FRAGGLE ROCK and the sci-fi cult series FARSCAPE.
With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment.
The Company's Henson Alternative brand recently launched the New York run of STUFFED AND UNSTRUNG, a live puppet improvisational show at the Union Square Theatre. http://www.henson.com