eOne and Alibaba are teaming up to co-produce a Peppa Pig movie, which will get a franchise-first theatrical release in China.
Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year, a full-length, live action-animation hybrid pic, is scheduled for release in China on February 5, 2019, and will be distributed by Alibaba Pictures.
The film’s storyline was developed specifically with Chinese New Year in mind and is said to incorporate traditions such as dragon dancing and dumpling wrapping. New characters will include ‘Panda twins’. eOne’s annual results highlighted the growing demand for the Peppa franchise in China so this is a logical next step.
“This cooperation is an important opportunity to promote cultural exchange between China and the West. Alibaba Pictures is excited to share China’s traditions and culture with the rest of the world with a new fun filled storyline featuring a character as popular as Peppa. The Peppa Pig series emphasizes the importance of family values, and that is something that will deeply resonate with Chinese audiences. We hope this family film will pave the way for further development of films for young audiences in China,” said Wei Zhang, president of Alibaba Pictures.
“There is a huge fan base for Peppa Pig in China, so we’re thrilled with the prospect of bringing the brand’s first ever theatrical release to cinemas in the region in early 2019,” added eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands. “We’ve worked closely with Alibaba Pictures to create content and cinema-themed merchandise with special cultural significance that will resonate with Chinese audiences. We look forward to delighting Chinese families with an unforgettable cinema experience when the film opens next year.”
Source: Read Full Article