DIC Entertainment and Thomopoulos Productions Form Joint Entertainment Venture, Promise Media Productions

DIC Entertainment and Thomopoulos Productions Form Joint Entertainment Venture, Promise Media Productions

Venture Formed to Build the Positive Value-Based 'Promise Media' Brand for the Christian and Secular Markets

Company to Create, Market and Distribute Animated and Live-Action Content Across Multiple Platforms

BURBANK, Calif., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- DIC Entertainment (DIC), a fully-integrated global brand management company, and Thomopoulos Productions join forces to launch Promise Media Productions, a new venture focused on developing, marketing and distributing properties for children and families under the positive value-based Promise Media brand for both the faith-based and secular markets. The announcement was jointly made today by Tony Thomopoulos, President, Thomopoulos Productions and Andy Heyward, Chairman and CEO, DIC Entertainment.

Promise Media Productions will develop original live-action and animated Promise Media-branded content, as well as acquire properties with strong brand recognition for distribution across film, television, home entertainment, new media and consumer products platforms. In addition to developing comprehensive licensing and merchandising campaigns, Promise Media Productions will build an online community to reach an audience interested in positive value entertainment that will serve as an information and entertainment destination.

The Promise Media-branded content will incorporate virtues such as faith, hope, charity, prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance to create entertaining and inspirational product that ranges from an animated version of "Black Beauty" to a classic remake "Ben Hur" and an original live-action theatrical production "Angel Flight For Life." The programming will avoid all gratuitous sex and violence and will offer parents a safe environment to entertain and inform their children.

"The multi-billion dollar market for positive values entertainment continues to rapidly grow, and Andy and I recognized a tremendous opportunity in this underserved marketplace to create and deliver high-quality product that resonates with faith-based values," comments Mr. Thomopoulous. "DIC has built a solid reputation in the brand management of family and children's properties, and I look forward to working with Andy and his team to develop unique entertaining and inspirational family fare."

"We know there is a vast demand for content that showcases positive values and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit, and we plan to apply our entertainment and consumer products' expertise to promote positive values for kids," states Mr. Heyward. "Tony is a respected industry veteran whose patina of quality and stature of his career is unparalleled, and we plan to set the gold standard in this market with the Promise Media label."

Promise Media Productions is currently forming an Advisory Board which will be comprised of leading media experts and educators who can develop program guidelines that ensure positive values are incorporated into the content. The board will include world-renowned clinical psychologist, author and leadership consultant, Dr. Henry Cloud, who has devoted his time to spreading principals of hope and life change through speaking, writing and the media. As president of Cloud-Townsend Resources, Dr. Cloud has produced and conducted hundreds of public seminars around the country speaking on marriage, parenting, personal growth and spirituality.

Promise Media Productions is currently in development on a slate of animated and live-action projects for theatrical, home entertainment and television:

By returning to the literary roots of Lew Wallace's original inspiring novel, "Ben-Hur, A Tale of the Christ" is a richly animated film that revitalizes the classic story of one man's journey from loss and betrayal to forgiveness and salvation.

"Angel, Flight for Life" is a feature film based on a true story of how a loving father, restricted by his financial limitations and reeling from a devastating loss, must rely on the generosity and ingenuity of his small town community to provide the miracle that will save his gravely ill daughter and renew his faith.

The live-action children's DVD series, "Zakland," produced in association with Jay Silverman Productions, showcases the multi-talented Zak Norman, an award winning musical performer and writer. "Zakland" entertains, inspires and encourages young viewers to explore the world through the magic of their imaginations.

Based on the illustrated children's book, Sophie and Sam, by Tori Cloud and rooted in the principles of the bestselling book, Boundaries, by Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend, "The Animated Adventures of Sophie and Sam" delivers fun, often comical, lessons on how to set and keep boundaries.

"The Jammies of Harmonyville," a television series produced in association with Believe Entertainment, is an innovative series that utilizes original music and CGI animation to teach valuable life lessons while introducing young audiences to a wide range of musical style.

The animated comedy adventure, "Noah's Hope," stars Noah, a hip, nineteen-year-old scientist, and his animal friends, who are concerned about environmental issues such as global warming, deforestation, pollution, etc. To prove to the animals that there's still hope, Noah piles the whole furry/scaly/feathered crew into his eco-bus and takes them on a road trip across America, seeking out real life conservationists who are making a difference in their communities.

"Black Beauty," an animated version of Anna Sewell's classic novel, encompasses its universal and timeless message that all animals deserve to be treated with consideration and respect. It plants the seed that one's own consideration of others is beneficial to all.

Tony Thomopoulos is recognized leader in the motion picture and television industries for his innovation and achievements. Thomopoulos Productions is an independent production company of both motion pictures and television programs.

Mr. Thomopoulos spent 12 years of his career at ABC, moving progressively to the position of President of ABC Broadcast Group. In 1986, he was named Chairman of United Artists Pictures and supervised the production of blockbuster films such as Rain Man and James Bond. From 1991 to 1995, Mr. Thomopoulos was President of Amblin Television, a division of Amblin Entertainment, and was responsible for the original placement of NBC's highly acclaimed program, ER. In 1995, he joined International Family Entertainment, Inc. (IFE) and oversaw all aspects of programming for The Family Channel. Mr. Thomopoulos was named CEO of MTM Entertainment, Inc., a subsidiary of IFE, and was also responsible for all aspects of MTM Television and MTM Distribution. From 2001 - 2004, he served as Chairman and CEO of Media Arts Group a NYSE company.

DIC Entertainment, a fully-integrated global brand management company, is dedicated to creating, developing, producing, distributing, marketing and merchandising family-based intellectual properties. The Company serves as the worldwide licensor for brands such as McDonald's, Strawberry Shortcake, and Classic Trolls. DIC has become an industry leader in developing quality content for kids with an extensive library of over 2,800 hours of animated programming, including "Strawberry Shortcake," "Liberty's Kids," "Madeline," "Care Bears" and "Where On Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?" DIC and AOL's kids' online destination "KOL" have formed a co-production partnership that will launch the new branded kids' programming block, "KOL's Saturday Morning Secret Slumber Party for CBS." As a pre-eminent supplier of kid's programming worldwide, DIC has developed strategic partnerships with key broadcast partners throughout North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America, Africa and Australia. DIC recently announced the acquisition of Copyright Promotions, a Pan-European licensing agency that represents the licensing rights of a broad portfolio of world-renowned companies including DreamWorks Animation, MGM, Marvel, Sony, Twentieth Century Fox, Viacom and The Football Association. DIC is headquartered in Burbank, California with offices in New York, Paris and London.

Source: DIC Entertainment; Thomopoulos Productions

CONTACT: Michelle Orsi of Three.Sixty Communications, +1-310-372-2309,
michelle@360-comm.com, for DIC Entertainment

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