"Thomas & Friends" Feature Film in Development

Mattel Films and Marc Forster’s 2Dux² Partner to Develop “Thomas & Friends®” Feature Film

    Marc Forster to direct the four-quadrant family adventure that blends live-action and animation
    “Thomas & Friends” marks the tenth Mattel Films project in development

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) and production company 2Dux² announced plans to develop a feature film based on Thomas & Friends®, the global franchise about the iconic blue engine. Mattel Films and 2Dux² will bring Thomas & Friends to life through a four-quadrant family adventure that blends live-action and animation.

Mattel Films will co-produce the film alongside Marc Forster (“Christopher Robin,” “World War Z,” “Monster's Ball”), who will also direct, and Renée Wolfe (“Christopher Robin,” “All I See Is You”), co-founder and co-CEO of 2Dux². Alyssa Hill (“A Taste of Power”) and Jesse Wigutow (“TRON3” - upcoming) have penned the script. Robbie Brenner, executive producer, and Kevin McKeon, supervising producer, will lead the project for Mattel Films.

“Thomas is a beloved global franchise that focuses on the importance of friendship, a theme that resonates deeply with children and parents around the world,” said Robbie Brenner. “Marc is an incredible storyteller and I look forward to partnering with him to tell Thomas’ story in a modern and unexpected way.”

“Thomas has been a personal favorite of mine since childhood,” said Marc Forster. “I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Robbie and the entire team at Mattel, and embarking on this beautiful journey with such a timeless property.”

Thomas & Friends, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, introduces children to the world around them through the wonder and awe of trains. Thomas was first created in 1945 by Rev. W. Awdry in stories for his son, Christopher. Today, the character is just as beloved by children as he was when he first chugged down the tracks. Thomas’ stories are currently told through the “Thomas & Friends” television series (now in its 24th season), toys, books, apps and more.

“Thomas & Friends” joins other Mattel Films projects in development including films based on American Girl®, Barbie®, Barney®, Hot Wheels®, Magic 8 Ball®, Major Matt Mason®, Masters of the Universe®, View Master® and Wishbone™.

Alyssa Hill is represented by Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment as well as Mahdi Salehi and Katherine McClure at HJTH. Jesse Wigutow is represented by Verve, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

About Mattel:
Mattel is a leading global toy company and owner of one of the strongest catalogs of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. We create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play. We engage consumers through our portfolio of iconic brands, including Barbie®, Hot Wheels®, Fisher-Price®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends®, UNO® and MEGA®, as well as other popular intellectual properties that we own or license in partnership with global entertainment companies. Our offerings include film and television content, gaming, music and live events. We operate in 35 locations and our products are available in more than 150 countries in collaboration with the world’s leading retail and ecommerce companies. Since its founding in 1945, Mattel is proud to be a trusted partner in empowering children to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential.

About 2Dux²:
Los Angeles-based 2Dux² develops and produces feature films, TV and transmedia projects for broad and diverse audiences. The majority of their content is written and created by the duo of Renée Wolfe & Marc Forster. Forster & Wolfe are the co-founders and co-owners of 2Dux². Forster is known for directing such award-winning and critically-acclaimed films as Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction and The Kite Runner.

Forster and Wolfe have worked together creatively for over 20 years and decided to form the company eight years ago, in 2012. They both serve as co-CEO’s of 2Dux². Since the founding of the company, this creative team has been making movies loved by fans including award-winning films such as WWZ, Christopher Robin and All I See Is You.

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AMC Theatres and Odeon Cinemas Committ to Remaining Open

With Several New Movie Releases Coming in October and November, AMC Theatres® and Odeon Cinemas in the United States, Europe and the Middle East to Remain Open

More than 80% of AMC Theatres in the U.S. are open now, and will remain open for moviegoers

More than 90% of Odeon Cinemas Group theatres across Europe are open now, and will remain open for moviegoers

Fully 100% of AMC Cinemas in the Middle East are open now, and will remain open for moviegoers

AMC to open more theatres when given permission to do so by local authorities, especially in the States of New York and California

THE WAR WITH GRANDPA starring Robert De Niro makes its debut at AMC Theatres across the United States starting this Friday, October 9, 2020

More new movie releases in October and November are expected to include YELLOW ROSE (October 9), HONEST THIEF (October 16), 2 HEARTS (October 16), THE EMPTY MAN (October 23), COME PLAY (October 30), LET HIM GO (November 6), FREAKY (November 3), THE COMEBACK TRAIL (November 3), SOUL (November 20), THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (November 25), and HAPPIEST SEASON (November 25)

LEAWOOD, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC), the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States, in Europe & the Middle East and the world, announced that it is currently planning for all of its theatres that are now open to remain open for business. More than 80% of AMC’s U.S. theatres are currently open and an even higher percentage of AMC’s international theatres across Europe and the Middle East are open and will continue to be so. In addition, AMC said it is actively planning to open more theatres, especially in New York and California, when authorized to do so by state and county officials.

AMC makes this announcement in light of news reports that other movie circuits may temporarily close.

AMC noted that there are many new movie titles that will be released in October and November, including THE WAR WITH GRANDPA starring Robert De Niro, and YELLOW ROSE, which open this weekend in the United States. Other titles coming soon include HONEST THIEF and 2 HEARTS on October 16, THE EMPTY MAN on October 23, COME PLAY on October 30, LET HIM GO on November 6, FREAKY and THE COMEBACK TRAIL on November 3, SOUL on November 20 and THE CROODS: A NEW AGE and HAPPIEST SEASON on November 25, as well as local language films in certain countries outside the U.S.

Commenting on the announcement, AMC CEO and President Adam Aron said, “Some of our best partners like Disney, with its much anticipated SOUL, and Universal with THE CROODS: A NEW AGE, have new movies scheduled for theatrical release over the next month and a half. Warner Bros.’ TENET has been stimulating moviegoers and is still leading the box office. And this weekend, THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, a new movie title starring the legendary Robert De Niro, will be prominent all across the U.S. on the big screens of AMC.”

Aron added, “Fortunately for AMC, our groundbreaking agreement with Universal Studios announced earlier this summer puts AMC in a position where we can open our theatres when others may feel the need to close. We are fully comfortable showing Universal films in our theaters, even as they implement premium video on demand as we have mutually agreed. This is because AMC will share in premium revenues coming from their early availability in the home.”

Aron concluded, “We take great comfort in knowing that literally millions of moviegoers have already visited our theatres. They have done so in part because of our AMC Safe & Clean protocols, developed in consultation with Clorox and faculty of the Harvard University School of Public Health. Our guests are telling us that our theatres have never been cleaner, and that they recognize the great effort AMC is making to keep them healthy and safe.”

Showtimes can be found at amctheatres.com and on the AMC Mobile app. Showtimes, and the roster of AMC Theatres that are open, are subject to change at any time at AMC’s discretion. Further, in areas where movie theatres are not permitted to open, AMC is in dialogue with state and local health authorities about operating our theatres.

AMC SAFE & CLEAN:
Upon returning to the movies, AMC guests can expect to experience AMC’s comprehensive health and sanitation program: AMC Safe & Clean, which was developed under advisement of current & former faculty of Harvard University’s prestigious School of Public Health, as well as the No. 1 U.S. cleaning brand, The Clorox Company.

AMC Safe & Clean components include significant reductions in the maximum tickets available for each showtime and seat blocking in reserved seating auditoriums to allow for appropriate social distancing between parties, enhanced cleaning procedures that include extra time between showtimes to allow for a full, thorough cleaning and nightly disinfecting utilizing electrostatic sprayers, use of high tech HEPA vacuums, upgraded air filtration efforts including the use of MERV 13 filters wherever possible, new guest and associate safety protocols that include mandatory mask wearing by all guests and associates, hand sanitizing stations throughout the theatre and the availability to guests of disinfectant wipes. The entire AMC Safe & Clean plan can be found at amctheatres.com/amc-safe-and-clean.

About AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.:
AMC is the largest movie exhibition company in the United States, the largest in Europe and the largest throughout the world with approximately 1,000 theatres and 11,000 screens across the globe. AMC has propelled innovation in the exhibition industry by: deploying its Signature power-recliner seats; delivering enhanced food and beverage choices; generating greater guest engagement through its loyalty and subscription programs, web site and mobile apps; offering premium large format experiences and playing a wide variety of content including the latest Hollywood releases and independent programming. AMC operates among the most productive theatres in the United States' top markets, having the #1 or #2 market share positions in 21 of the 25 largest metropolitan areas of the United States. AMC is also #1 or #2 in market share in 9 of the 15 countries it serves in North America, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.amctheatres.com.

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Sofia Maldonado Named Official Fine Artist for the 2020 Latin Grammy Awards

The Latin Recording Academy® Names Sofia Maldonado Official Artist for the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Latin Recording Academy® has announced that Puerto Rican fine artist Sofia Maldonado has been selected as the official artist of the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®. Maldonado's work will be featured prominently on collateral materials before and during the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, which will broadcast live on Univision on Nov. 19, 2020 from 8–11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central).

    “Maldonado's art is powerful and full of effervescent colors reminiscent of Puerto Rico, the island where she was born. Her art recognizes resilience amid moments of despair while also celebrating and empowering Latin communities”

"Maldonado's art is powerful and full of effervescent colors reminiscent of Puerto Rico, the island where she was born. Her art recognizes resilience amid moments of despair while also celebrating and empowering Latin communities," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Together, these components reflect the elements of Latin music that unite us all during joyful but also difficult moments."

In the artwork created especially for the 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, Maldonado portrays through vibrant colors the importance of enjoying life even during challenging times. Adjusting to an even more virtual world, the official artwork will be rendered mainly, digitally. Inclusive of the iconic gramophone symbolizing excellence in music, this year's artwork also includes an outline of a tropical tree — a yagrumo, which symbolizes rebirth. The yagrumo is native to Puerto Rico and after a hurricane is the first tree to reemerge. Additionally, in Puerto Rico, the yagrumo is used to create music instruments such as the tiple and cuatro puertorriqueño, a traditional string instrument smaller than a guitar but larger than a mandolin.

An acclaimed painter and muralist from Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, Maldonado graduated from the Pratt Institute of Brooklyn, New York and the San Juan School of Visual Arts. She has shown her work in individual and collective exhibits in galleries, museums and public spaces in all over the world, including top specific locations such as Whitney Biennial, the Museum of Latin American Art, as well as Scope and Art Miami. Maldonado's characteristic style is recognizable for its Caribbean palette and roots in muralism (or muralist art). She deconstructs organic forms in order to explore color fields in her work.

"It is an honor to be the first Puerto Rican artist to collaborate with such an iconic organization and award show, especially during a time when we need to empower and bring joy to our communities. My art has always been in conversation with my context and during the past few months, living in the pandemic and seeing the resilience of our Latino community, inspired the creation of this piece and will continue to inspire my work in the future," said Maldonado.

Use of 21st Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards artwork requires express written permission from The Latin Recording Academy. Send requests to Communications.LatinAcademy@grammy.com.

For more information and latest news, visit the official Latin Recording Academy site at www.LatinGRAMMY.com. Follow us on Facebook (LatinGRAMMYs), Twitter (@LatinGRAMMYs) or Instagram (@LatinGRAMMYs), and use #LatinGRAMMY on popular social media platforms.

ABOUT THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY:
The Latin Recording Academy is an international nonprofit dedicated to nurturing, celebrating, honoring and elevating Latin music and its creators. Established as the global authority on Latin music, the membership-based organization composed of music professionals produces the annual Latin GRAMMY Awards, The Biggest Night in Latin Music, which honors excellence in the recording arts and sciences, in addition to providing educational and outreach programs for the music community through its Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation®. For more information, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com.

ABOUT SOFIA MALDONADO:
Sofía Maldonado-Suárez is a Puerto Rican artist of Cuban descent. She has dedicated her career to transforming derelict spaces, constructing a poetic experience of colorful abstractions, within uninhabited buildings. Maldonado's urban walkabouts inspired a desire to use color to impact the environment and engage the community through workshops and versatile community engagement initiatives. The artist also has a dynamic studio practice as a painter and digital illustrator. Collaborations with musicians and underground subcultures are an integral part of her artistic practice and aesthetic. She represents feminine energy in her expressive outlines and sensually themed drawings that challenge cultural myths and social constructs. Throughout her career, Maldonado’s illustrations of femininity have been defiant and present the pleasure associated with the female experience in detail. Maldonado has earned a BFA from the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico and an MFA from Pratt Institute, in Brooklyn, New York.

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