India is getting bigger and bigger on the global animation map!
Thiruvananthapuram based Toonz Animation India, Paramount Home Entertainment and Commotion pictures have signed a deal to produce an animated feature film entitled Dragonlance based on Hasbroâ€?s “Dungeons and Dragons” property.
The film will be distributed theatrically in India by Toonz and on DVD in the U.S. and internationally (except for Asia) by Paramount Home Entertainment. Commotion Pictures� veteran producer Steve Stabler and former Paramount Pictures marketing president Arthur Cohen will produce the film.
Commenting on the deal, Mr. P. Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Animation India said, “We are thrilled to have entered into an agreement with accomplished producers like Steve Stabler and Arthur Cohen. This is an incredible opportunity to create an exciting film with global appeal and iconic characters.”
Later on speaking exclusively to AnimationXpress.com, Jayakumar added that, “The production for Dragonlance began at Toonz in September and the final film is scheduled to be delivered by end of April 2007. The pre production for the movie has been done by Toonz in the US and most probably the post shall also be done in India, though we are currently evaluating options”
Dragonlance will feature the voice talents of Keifer Sutherland (“24”), Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess” ), Michael Rosenbaum (“Smallville”) and Michelle Trachtenberg ( Ice Princess, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”).
“Weâ€?re very excited to bring the wildly popular world of Dungeons and Dragons to the screen,” said Ellen Pittleman, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Acquisitions and DVD Premieres for Paramount Home Entertainment . “We are confident that Commotion Pictures and Toonz will do the property justice to the delight of fans around the world.”
The Dragonlance animated movie is based on Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the first novel in the bestselling Dragonlance fantasy franchise, published by Wizards of the Coast. Though the gods have long battled for control of this beautiful sword-and sorcery world, it has always been the heroic deeds of mortals that decide its fate. The story begins as Tanis Half-Elven meets up with his old friends Flint Gireforge ( a grumpy dwarven warrior), Tasslehoff Burrfoot (a tiny and inquisitive rogue), Raislin Majere ( the dark, mysterious human wizard) and Sturm Brightblad ( valiant human knight). Reunited after an unsuccessful five-year journey to seek out signs of the old gods, these companions are thrown into a conflict over a legendary blue crystal staff, wielded by the barbarian princess Goldmoon.
Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA, VIA.B) and is responsible for the worldwide sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS, PBS and Hasbro and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.
Toonz, a major provider of animation to the top US and European producers and is headquartered at a sprawling, 18,000 sq ft state-of-the-art studio based in the electronic city of Technopark in Trivandrum. Over 500 artists work in this facility staffed with top creative professionals from across the world, including Philippines, Singapore, Canada, USA and India.