It looks like Marc Brown’s beloved animated aardvark, Arthur, will be making a big DVD splash in 2006. According to Daily Variety, Lions Gate has joined forces with Marc Brown Studios and WGBH Boston to co-produce a feature-length animated film based on the popular PBS series Arthur.
Lions Gate’s Family Home Entertainment arm, which is also behind the animated Barbie DVD premiere series, has been increasing its acquisition and co-production projects in recent months. The company has also signed with Mattel to distribute the fourth movie in the Barbie series this fall as well as movies based on Hot Wheels, Rescue Heroes and Popeye. FHE also distributes DVDs of Care Bears and Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Animated by Vancouver-based shop The Cookie Jar (formerly known as Cinar), Arthur’s new spin-off series Postcards from Buster debuts on PBS in the fall.
