ITV Studios Signs New Pre-Sales For Thunderbirds Are Go

ITV Studios Global Entertainment Signs New Pre-Sales For Thunderbirds Are Go

Deals come ahead of the world premiere of the reboot of the classic children’s show at MIPJunior

Monday October 13 2014 – ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) has signed further pre-sales for Thunderbirds Are Go, ITV Studios and New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures’ major new reinvention of the iconic children’s series, ahead of its world premiere at MIPJunior.

Thunderbirds Are Go has been acquired by Noga in Israel, where it will launch in Summer 2015 on its Kids Channel. Pan-Arab broadcaster MBC has also bought the series to air on its children’s edutainment channel MBC3. This follows its acquisition by Australia’s Nine Network.

Thunderbirds Are Go will be the first ever MIPJunior World Premiere TV Screening on Saturday 11th October at 6pm at the Palm Beach in Cannes. Richard Taylor, the co-owner of Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, and ITVS GE’s executive producer, Giles Ridge, will attend the screening.

Steve Green, EVP, Kids’ Content and Distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: “Thunderbirds is one of the most enduring classics of kids’ television, and we’ve seen a real appetite forThunderbirds Are Go, which will appeal to a whole new generation of children around the world. We’re delighted that viewers across Israel and the Middle East will have the opportunity to watch the show and look forward to debuting it to all of our international clients for the first time at MIPJunior’s World Premiere TV Screening.”

Produced by ITV Studios and Pukeko Pictures in collaboration with world-famous Weta Workshop (Avatar, King Kong, The Lord of the Rings), Thunderbirds Are Go is a new 26 x 30’ children’s series. It will debut on ITV and CITV in the UK in 2015, 50 years after Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s classic Thunderbirds series first aired. It will be produced using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action model sets, delivering a new level of action-adventure animation for today’s audience while paying tribute to the legacy of model locations from the original series.

Featuring the world’s most famous family of heroes, International Rescue, Thunderbirds Are Go will blast the five brave Tracy brothers back on to television screens piloting their incredible vehicles into impossible rescues across the globe.

The Thunderbirds Are Go cast is led by Rosamund Pike (The World’s End, Gone Girl) as Lady Penelope and David Graham reprising his role as chauffeur and International Rescue agent Parker. Inventor Brains will be voiced by Kayvan Novak (Fonejacker, Facejacker). Tracy brothers Alan and Scott Tracy are both played by Rasmus Hardiker (Saxondale, Lead Balloon). David Menkin has been cast as both Virgil and Gordon Tracy. The fifth Tracy brother, John, will be played by Thomas Brodie-Sangster (Love Actually, Game of Thrones).

The deals were brokered by André Renaud, Senior Sales Executive – SE EMEA, for ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

Weta Workshop is not to be confused with Weta Digital, the VFX company owned by Peter Jackson.

ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) is one of the world’s leading international TV distribution, home entertainment, publishing, merchandising and licensing businesses. ITVS GE distributes celebrated content across all genres from both its in-house production business, ITV Studios, and in collaboration with leading producers from around the world.

Part of ITV PLC, which includes the UK’s largest commercial broadcaster, ITV Studios Global Entertainment has offices in London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Sydney.

About Pukeko Pictures
Pukeko Pictures is an independent entertainment production company focused on the development and production of excellent quality multi-platform entertainment for a global audience. Pukeko Pictures was formed in 2008 by Sir Richard Taylor, Tania Rodger and Martin Baynton, and is located in Wellington, New Zealand. With a connection to the world famous Weta Workshop (Avatar, King Kong, Lord of the Rings), Pukeko Pictures is uniquely positioned in the creation of world-leading entertainment, harnessing the best in global talent and world-class production processes.

ENDS

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