Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions Acquires Distribution Rights to RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly From Toonz Animation

Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions Acquires Distribution Rights to RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly From Toonz Animation

From the Creator of the Best-Selling Goosebumps Series, the Spooky All-New Feature-Length Movie Will Debut This Fall Exclusively on DVD!

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif., May 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Studios Home Entertainment Family Productions has acquired distribution rights from independent production shingle Toonz Animation to RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly, the latest spookfest from the renowned Goosebumps author. An all-new, feature-length family adventure that's sure to have parents and kids happily hiding behind the sofa pillows this Halloween season, the film features a red-hot cast including Madison Pettis (The Game Plan, Horton Hears a Who!, "Cory in the House"), Luke Benward (How to Eat Fried Worms, Because of Winn-Dixie), Maiara Walsh ("Cory in the House"), Ali Lohan ("Living Lohan"), Brian Stepanek ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," Transformers) Kim Rhodes ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody") and introduces Noah Cyrus (younger sister of Hannah Montana's Miley Cyrus) in her first movie. RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly is slated for release exclusively on DVD in fall 2008.

Based on the first in the popular eight-book Mostly Ghostly series by best-selling children's author R.L. Stine (Goosebumps), the film chronicles the eerie adventures of 11-year-old outcast Max as he helps protect Nicky and Tara -- the sibling ghosts who live in his house -- from the fume-spewing demon Phears. The film is directed by "Hannah Montana" co-creator Rich Correll ("The Suite Life of Zack and Cody," "Cory in the House") and produced by Yvonne Bernard, Arthur Cohen and Steve Stabler. The screenplay is written by Emmy(R) nominee Pat Proft (Scary Movie 3 and Scary Movie 4, The Naked Gun series) and Correll.

Stine catapulted to fame with the Goosebumps series of books, a children's publishing phenomenon which has sold more than 220 million copies to date, and became the No. 1 best-selling author in America three years in a row. The "Goosebumps" television series was the No. 1-ranked show on the Fox Kids' Network for four years, and was honored with a Writers Guild Award and twice named by TV Guide among the best television shows for children. 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. He has been honored with a Children's Choice Award, three Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, and three Disney Adventures Kids' Choice Awards.

RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly tells the story of Max, an 11-year-old who is teased for his smarts by his classmates, bullied by his brother and under pressure from his dad to become more athletic or be sent to a military boarding school. Max becomes even more of a target when he meets Nicky and Tara-the ghosts of siblings who used to live in his house and who are desperately trying to find their parents. Max agrees to help them, but is terrorized by Phears -- a fume-spewing demon who gets around by assuming the forms of everyday animals and who is hunting for Nicky and Tara. Things come to a head when Phears -- assuming the form of a giant cockroach -- attacks the school during the Halloween party, threatening to eat everyone. Can Max defeat Phears and save the school? Will he have to go to boarding school? And can he help Nicky and Tara finally find their paranormal scientist parents? Filled with excitement, adventure and chills to thrill the whole family again and again, RL Stine's Mostly Ghostly promises tons of spooky fun!

The Universal Studios Family Productions banner, which includes Universal Animation Studios, develops, produces, and acquires live-action and animated family productions directly for the home entertainment and television markets. Among the group's portfolio of prized properties is The Land Before Time, the most successful feature-length children's home entertainment franchise of all time, having earned more than one billion dollars worldwide to date. Since its formation in 2005, the group has built an exceptional slate of family fare, including the all new DVD Original release Bring It On: In It to Win It, the latest winning installment in the hugely successful Bring It On film franchise; the Daytime Emmy(R) nominated "Curious George" television series on PBS KIDS; "The Land Before Time" television show on Cartoon Network; and a string of Barbie movies, based on the world-renowned Mattel-branded doll. Universal Studios Family Productions is part of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is a unit of Universal Pictures, a division of Universal Studios (http://www.universalstudios.com/). Universal Studios is a part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% owned by Vivendi.

    CONTACTS    Universal Studios Home Entertainment    Lea Porteneuve    Vice President - Publicity    (818) 777-1391    lea_porteneuve@nbcuni.com  

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Source: Universal Studios Home Entertainment

CONTACT: Lea Porteneuve, Vice President - Publicity of Universal Studios
Home Entertainment, +1-818-777-1391, lea_porteneuve@nbcuni.com

Web site: http://www.universalstudios.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment