BBC Worldwide is to partner with Indian firm Reliance Big Entertainment on three feature-length films, including a 3D version of Walking With Dinosaurs.
The 3D live action feature, inspired by the ground-breaking Walking With Dinosaurs series made in 1999, will be co-directed by Pierre de Lespinois of LA-based 3D studio Evergreen Films and BBC Earth’s Neil Nightingale, the former head of the BBC Natural History Unit.
The two companies will work with Animal Logic, the animation house behind kids movie Happy Feet, and animation producer Jinko Gotoh on the film, that has a budget of $65m (£40.5m).
It will be distributed by Reliance’s international film sales and financing subsidiary, IM Global.
The second co-production between BBC Earth and Reliance will be $25m (£15.6m) documentary film Africa 3D, which will be filmed alongside the coproration’s forthcoming landmark TV series, Africa. The 3D film will also be made in partnership with Evergreen Films.
IM Global will begin international sales at the forthcoming American Film Market in Santa Monica, where it will also launch BBC Earth doc Life, currently in post-production for theatrical release in 2011.
The co-production and distribution deal was brokered by BBC Worldwide’s managing director for global brands Marcus Arthur and BBC Earth director Amanda Hill with IM Global chief executive Stuart Ford and board colleague Deepak Nayar.
source: http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/international/bbcw-unveils-40m-3d-dinosaur-project/5020003.article