The Hindu : Kerala News : Toonz to bring ghost siblings on screen

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 29, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala

Toonz to bring ghost siblings on screen

The film, based on the children’s book series ‘Mostly Ghostly,’ will be released this year

‘Mostly Ghostly,’ the popular children’s book series by best-selling author R.L. Stine, is set to storm the silver screen.

Produced by Toonz Animation, a Technopark- based animation studio, the feature film is expected to hit theatres across the world later this year.

Toonz Animation announced here on Wednesday that Universal Studios had bagged the distribution rights of the film.

Based on the first in the eight-book Mostly Ghostly series, the film chronicles the eerie adventures of an 11-year-old outcast Max as he protects Nicky and Tara – the sibling ghosts who live in his house –from the fume-spewing demon Phears.

$3.6-million project

‘Mostly Ghostly’ is directed by Hannah Montana co-creator Rich Correll and produced by Yvonne Bernard, Arthur Cohen and Steve Stabler.

Screenplay is by Correll and Emmy Award nominee Pat Proft, whose credits include Scary Movie 3, Scary Movie 4 and The Naked Gun series.

The movie is slated for release this year and is made with a budget of $3.6 million solely funded by Toonz Animation.

“We are ecstatic at this deal which would complement our efforts to deliver innovative entertainment experience to audience across the globe. We are hopeful that ‘Mostly Ghostly’ will be well received by children as well as adults,” said P. Jayakumar, CEO, Toonz Animation India Pvt Ltd.

The cast includes Madison Pettis, Luke Benward, Maiara Walsh, Ali Lohan, Brian Stepanek, Kim Rhodes and debutante artiste Noah Cyrus.

Other works

Stine’s books, including The Nightmare Room, Fear Street and Nightmare Hour, have been translated into more than 20 languages and published in more than 30 countries.

The author has been honoured with a Children’s Choice Award, three Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards and three Disney Adventures Kids’ Choice Awards.

Toonz, a major provider of animation to the top US and European producers, is South Asia’s pioneering animation studio and part of the international business conglomerate, Comcraft Group, based out of Geneva.

The 18,000 sq ft state-of-the-art studio is based in the electronic city of Technopark here.

Over 500 artists work in this facility staffed with top creative professionals from across the world, including the Philippines, Singapore, Canada, the U.S. and India.

Founded in 1999, Toonz Animation’s client list includes the biggest names in media and entertainment like Marvel, Hallmark, Paramount, Disney, BBC and Cartoon Network.

T. Nandakumar

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala