Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, in partnership with Iconic Entertainment Holdings LLC, today announces plans to create new live entertainment spectaculars based on the hit animated films Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (franchise total – $1,147,451,138) and Rio (franchise total – $ 978,347,732). The Alvin and the Chipmunks live show is projected to open in early spring 2015 and a Rio live show will follow in winter 2016 touring in cities around the world.
2013 Entertainment PR Agency of the Year
The Bulldog Reporter
‘ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS’ AND ‘RIO’ FILMS COME TO LIFE ON STAGE!
Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products and Iconic Entertainment Partner for Two New Live Entertainment Shows Touring Worldwide in 2015 and 2016
Los Angeles, Calif. – July 25, 2014 – Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products, in partnership with Iconic Entertainment Holdings LLC, today announce plans to create new live entertainment spectaculars based on the hit animated films Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked and Rio, from two of the studio’s most successful animated film franchises.
The Alvin and the Chipmunks live show is projected to open in early spring 2015 and a Rio live show will follow in winter 2016 touring in cities around the world. The creation of two new live entertainment shows is part of a growing focus for Fox to bring beloved stories and fan-favorite characters to life in new formats and through additional platforms.
The new shows will supplement Fox Consumer Products’ larger global location based entertainment strategy and join Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure, a completely original live entertainment spectacular. Currently in the second year of a five year global tour, Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure combines exceptional ice skating, aerial arts, puppetry and film and takes audiences on an awe-inspiring journey with a new story based on the top-grossing international animated film franchise of all time.
Alvin and the Chipmunks will be centered on the Chipmunks and Chipettes, America’s favorite animated music groups and based on the characters from the hit Fox movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked. The show will bring the music and excitement of a live rock concert to life with a family-friendly twist. For the Rio live show, the exotic scenery and vibrant energy of Rio de Janeiro will serve as the backdrop for a high-flying musical spectacular featuring Blu, Jewel and the entire Rio gang. American production designer Michael Curry (The Lion King on Broadway and Ice Age Live! A Mammoth Adventure) and his team will lend their creative talents to the character design.
“The introduction of these live shows based on our beloved film franchises will introduce new stories and characters to generations of audiences,” said Jeffrey Godsick, president of Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. “Families from around the globe will experience world-class productions and will become part of these unique spectaculars as Alvin and the Chipmunks and Rio come to life before their eyes.”
“Partnering with a world class producer like Iconic Entertainment marks a big step forward in Fox Consumer Products’ global location based entertainment strategy to break the fourth wall and engage with our audiences in continually new, immersive and exciting ways,” said Greg Lombardo, vice president of global live and location based entertainment at Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. “We’re incredibly excited to be working with Michael Cohl and his talented production team on these terrific new live shows.”
“Utilizing cutting edge technology, Iconic Entertainment will showcase FOX’s beloved characters from Alvin and the Chipmunks and Rio for broad audiences around the world” said Michael Cohl president of Iconic Entertainment Holdings LLC. “Our aim is to create live events with the production values of a blockbuster movie, and the emotional connection of the theatre and the concert experience.”
Iconic Entertainment Holdings is the newest venture headed by the co-producers of Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, legendary theatrical producer and promoter Michael Cohl and entertainment technology expert and producer, Jeremiah Harris.
The Alvin and the Chipmunks and Rio live shows join a host of groundbreaking location based entertainment announcements from Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products. FCP recently announced Fox’s first ever theme park, Twentieth Century Fox World, set to open in Malaysia in 2016. The park will feature a fully immersive entertainment experience featuring some of Fox’s most recognized and powerful film brands. FCP also announced the expansion of Springfield at Universal Studios Hollywood, coming in spring 2015, close on the heels of the successful expansion of Springfield USA, a full immersive experience for fans of The Simpsons at Universal Orlando resort.
About Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products
A division 21st Century Fox and recognized industry leader, Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products licenses and markets properties worldwide on behalf of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, as well as third party lines. The division is aligned with Twentieth Century Fox Television, the flagship studio leading the industry in supplying award-winning and blockbuster primetime television programming and entertainment content.
About Iconic Entertainment Holdings LLC
Iconic Entertainment Holdings was established as a partnership between Michael Cohl/S2BN and Jeremiah Harris/PRG to acquire and develop iconic “billion dollar brands.” Michael Cohl is the force behind the hit kids’ Broadway stage show Yo Gabba Gabba! Live”; and “Super WHY Live!” He is also credited with producing and promoting some of the world’s highest profile and most successful music events with legendary artists including U2, Barbra Streisand, Pink Floyd, Prince, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, and The Who. Jeremiah Harris is the founder and CEO of Production Resource Group (PRG), the world’s leading supplier of entertainment technology. He founded Scenic Technologies — a technology that has revolutionized the way scenery in stage productions are automated, that has been used in such popular productions as The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables, and Wicked. PRG has been involved in countless major productions, including Broadway shows and major concert tours, as well as automotive shows, inaugural events, and the opening & closing Olympic ceremonies for London, Beijing and others.
About Rio
From Fox Animation Studios and Blue Sky Studios – the creators of Ice Age, Epic and Robots – the musical animation adventure comedy Rio tells the story of how rare blue macaws Blu and Jewel meet and fall in love in Rio de Janeiro during Carnival. The entire cast of the animated smash Rio returns in Rio 2, and are joined by a new flock of top actors and musical talents.
About Alvin and the Chipmunks
In 2007, Alvin and the Chipmunks, a global phenomenon to generations of fans, became a live action/CGI motion picture event with a contemporary comic sensibility. In the holiday season blockbuster, which grossed over $350 million worldwide, songwriter Dave Seville transformed singing chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore into pop sensations — while the out-of-control trio laid waste to Dave’s home, wreaked havoc on his career, and turned Dave’s once-orderly life upside-down.
Before you could say, “Alvinnnnn!!!” talks began about a new Alvin and the Chipmunks movie. Not content to rest on their laurels, the ‘Munks came up with yet another “first”: a “Squeakquel,” in which Alvin, Simon and Theodore finally meet their match – and maybe more – in the newly arrived female trio, The Chipettes.
Then, the Munks unleashed their greatest, grandest and most spectacular adventure: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked., in which the vacationing Chipmunks and Chipettes turned a luxury cruise liner into their personal playground, until they become ‘chipwrecked’ on a remote island.
###
