Acclaimed Children's Series ``The Zula Patrol'' Rockets into Theatres to Entertain Kids with Big Screen Brain Food
CENTENNIAL, Colo., Feb 26, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- In select theatres for one day only, "The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!" will take children ages 3 to 8 on an exciting and fun-filled animated ride through the universe - and teach them about metamorphosis and life cycles along the way. Five never-before-seen episodes from the acclaimed public television series will premiere in this in-theatre special event on Saturday, March 29th at 10:00 a.m. local time, which will include sing-a-longs that enhance children's participation and interest in exploring science, math and astronomy.
"The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!" features five brand-new missions. Kids will follow the Zula Patrollers on their ecological adventures as they search for stolen frog eggs, help restore life in the canyon on Zula, solve the mystery of the missing honey, and tunnel through the dirt with their new worm boot camp comrades to save their little ecosystem. And along the way they will discover a little something about the importance of the plants and animals in our environment.
National CineMedia's (NCM) Fathom, in partnership with Zula USA, is proud to present "The Zula Patrol: Animal Adventures in Space!" on the big screen in high-definition with Cinema Surround Sound to more than 300 participating locations, including Cinemark USA Inc., Goodrich Quality Theaters, Kerasotes ShowPlace Theatres, Marcus Theatres, National Amusements and Regal Entertainment Group movie theatres as well as the Penn Cinema (Lititz, PA) and State Theatre (State College, PA) through NCM's exclusive Digital Broadcast Network.
Tickets for this special one-time-only event are available at presenting theatre box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. For a complete list of presenting theatre locations and prices, please visit the website (theatres are subject to change).
Featuring a group of animated aliens who travel the Galaxies, exploring and discovering all about science, math and astronomy, "The Zula Patrol" debuted on public television in fall 2005 to resoundingly positive reviews. The series, which also reinforces themes of tolerance and non-violence, has been heralded by The New York Times as "'Sesame Street' in outer space." Season Three of the award-winning series is scheduled to premiere in summer 2008, treating young viewers to 26 new scientific adventures with their space traveling pals Bula, Zeeter, Multo, Gorga, Wizzy and Wigg. The show is produced by Zula USA, LLC and was created by Dr. Deborah Manchester.
"'Metamorphosis' and 'habitats' may not be typical topics for a Saturday morning cartoon event but 'The Zula Patrol' engages kids to learn more about their universe in a fun and exciting way that both they and their parents will truly enjoy," said Dan Diamond, vice president of NCM Fathom. "NCM Fathom is excited to partner with Zula USA to bring this entertaining and educational event to big screens nationwide."
"We're thrilled that 'The Zula Patrol' crew will be landing in over 300 theaters nationwide this spring," said Dr. Manchester. "Once kids see our show, they're hooked - and we fulfill our mission, which is to stimulate children's curiosity by making science, math and astronomy appealing and relevant for them."
"The Zula Patrol" will premiere on DVD in March 2008 when two titles - "The Zula Patrol: Explore Space!" and "The Zula Patrol: Explore Weather!" - become available exclusively at Borders and borders.com.
About ZULA USA, LLC
Zula USA, LLC produces a package of entertaining, educational products that are designed to provide early science education and reading literacy for children in pre-school through third grade. Zula's comprehensive program addresses the national call for science literacy education among the very audience for whom research demonstrates that early intervention is most effective. By reaching pre-kindergarten and early elementary students, Zula can provide a critical foundation in understanding science concepts and content. The television program and its supporting materials provide science education and character-building lessons in an entertaining format that encourages whole family participation. The entire Zula package serves many aspects of learning, promotes literacy, and provides a diverse approach to learning styles. The expert team of educators, writers, scientists, and media specialists works to ensure that Zula delivers a dynamic, focused, fun learning experience for children whose natural interest is in learning about the world around them. For more information, please visit: www.zula.com.
About National CineMedia, Inc.
National CineMedia (NCM) LLC operates the largest digital in-theatre network in North America through long-term agreements with its founding members, AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark USA Inc. (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC), the three largest theatre operators in the U.S., and through multi-year agreements with several other theatre operators. NCM LLC produces and distributes its FirstLook pre feature program; cinema and lobby advertising products; comprehensive meeting and event services and other entertainment programming content. NCM LLC's national network includes over 14,400 screens of which over 12,600 are part of the Company's Digital Content Network (DCN). NCM LLC's DCN covers 164 Designated Market Areas(R) (49 of the top 50). During 2006 and the nine months ended September 27, 2007, approximately 550 million and 423 million patrons, respectively, attended movies shown in theatres owned by the NCM LLC founding members (excluding Loews). National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 44.8% interest in and is the managing member of NCM LLC. For additional information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com.
SOURCE: National CineMedia
National CineMedia Michelle Portillo, 303-792-8651 michelle.portillo@ncm.com or Scoop Marketing for National CineMedia Hannah Kampf or Eve Samuels, 213-639-6159 / 213-639-6166 hkampf@solters.com / esamuels@solters.com or Zula USA, LLC Debrah Lederman, 818-840-1695 ext. 33 debrah@zula.com or Nina Stern PR for Zula USA Nina Stern or Ann Schwarz, 818-990-9242 nstern@nsternpr.com / aschwarz@nsternpr.com
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