BUILD-A-BEAR ENTERTAINMENT AND FOUNDATION MEDIA PARTNERS ROUND OUT CAST FOR 'GLISTEN AND THE MERRY MISSION'

Billy Ray Cyrus, Chevy Chase, Freddie Prinze Jr, Morgan Simianer, Tim Johnson Jr, Michael Rappaport and Reginald VelJohnson join star-studded cast in first Build-A-Bear animated Christmas film based on best-selling holiday plush collection

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW), along with Foundation Media Partners, announces that Billy Ray Cyrus, Chevy Chase, Freddie Prinze Jr, Michael Rappaport, Morgan Simianer (star of Netflix's hit series "Cheer"), Tim Johnson Jr, and Reginald VelJohnson have been added to the cast of the animated Christmas feature GLISTEN AND THE MERRY MISSION. The film stars five-time Grammy-nominated and multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Julia Michaels, six-time Grammy-winning legend Dionne Warwick and Trinity Jo-Li Bliss (AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER). This anticipated film is the first animated Christmas feature for Build-A-Bear based on the company's multi-year best-selling Holiday plush collection and is a partnership between Build-A-Bear Entertainment and Foundation Media Partners, who are co-producing the film.

GLISTEN AND THE MERRY MISSION follows a young elfling Marzipan (voiced by Bliss) and her mother Cinnameg (voiced by Michaels) as Marzipan must believe in the magic of the season as she goes on the adventure of a lifetime to rediscover the enchanted snow deer named Glisten and save Christmas.  Their mission is aided by a colorful cadre of reindeer and elves, including the wise Sage Evergreen (voiced by Warwick).

Additional voice roles include Chevy Chase as Santa, Freddie Prinze Jr as Crumble Starsnaps, Santa's workshop manager, Morgan Simianer as Estrellastar the workshop elf, Tim Johnson Jr. as Egard the workshop elf, Michael Rappaport as GRIZZ, the village grizzly bear with a tough reputation, Billy Ray Cyrus as the reindeer Donner and Reginald VelJohnson as Snowy Owl. 

Build-A-Bear President and Chief Executive Officer Sharon Price John will executive produce the film based on a story written by Ms. John, and Foundation Media Chief Executive Officer Patrick Hughes will produce the film.  The screenplay was written by Temple Mathews ("Mariah's Once Upon a Christmas") and Ms. John and will be art-directed, designed and animated by Ontario-based Big Jump Entertainment with Big Jump's Chief Creative Officer Cory Morrison directing. Michael Mariano (RAISING HOPE, LAST OG) and his frequent collaborator Traci Burwitz will voice direct. 

Chase is an iconic comedian and actor known for many comedy roles including CADDYSHACK, FLETCH, NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VACATION and NBC's "Community." He will next be seen in ZOMBIE TOWN.

Freddie Prinze Jr. is best known for his roles in SHE'S ALL THAT, SCOOBY-DOO, I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. He was most recently seen in CHRISTMAS WITH YOU, which was released nationally in November.

Morgan Simianer is best known for her role in the Emmy-Winning Netflix series "Cheer."

Tim Johnson Jr. is best known for roles in PACIFIC RIM: UPRISING, FIST FIGHT, and roles on the series "Ballers," "Future Man," "FBI," and "Hit the Road." He will next be seen as a series regular on Disney's "Saturdays."

Michael Rappaport is best known for iconic roles in TRUE ROMANCE, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, LIFE & BETH and ATYPICAL.  He's most recently been seen in CONFLICTED.  

Billy Ray Cyrus has achieved global success as a singer, songwriter, actor, producer and philanthropist. Cyrus is a multi-GRAMMY® Award, Billboard Music Award, BET Hip Hop Award, MTV VMA Moonmen, Country Music Association Award, American Music Award and Canadian Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences Juno Award-winning entertainer. Recently, Cyrus release his current single "Time," a duet with FIREROSE.  Cyrus is also a successful actor with credits including "Doc" and "Still The King," as well as the hit Disney Channel series "Hannah Montana," among many other film and TV roles.

Reginald VelJohnson is best known for roles in DIE HARD, DIE HARD 2 and the hit series "Family Matters."  He has also been seen in GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS ALWAYS and television series TURNER & HOOCH.

Chase is repped by APA and Link Entertainment.  Prinze Jr. is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.  Simianer is repped by CAA. Johnson Jr. is repped by MMV and Foundation Media Partners.  Rappaport is repped by A3 Artists Agency and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.  Cyrus is repped by UTA, MicnE Productions and Adkins Entertainment..   VelJohnson is repped by David Shapira and Associates and The Beddingfield Company.

ABOUT BUILD-A-BEAR ENTERTAINMENT
Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a division of Build-A-Bear Workshop, the IP-based company best known for its memorable and unique 'build-your-own' retail concept, has been actively creating a variety of content while cultivating the right relationship for its big screen debut. In addition to the upcoming project with Hello Sunshine, the company has produced several feature-length films in conjunction with Foundation Media Partners, including Honey Girls, Deliver By Christmas and Christmas CEO. Separately, the highly anticipated documentary from award-winning director Taylor Morden, which chronicles the compelling journey of Build-A-Bear's rise from a 1997 retail-tainment start-up, to a successful multi-million dollar public company, to its current evolution and digital transformation into a multi-generational, diversified, omni-channel organization that posted its most profitable year in 2021, is currently in post-production.  

ABOUT BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP, INC. (NYSE: BBW)
Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational global brand focused on its mission to "add a little more heart to life" appealing to a wide array of consumer groups who enjoy the personal expression in making their own "furry friends" to celebrate and commemorate life moments. Nearly 500 interactive brick-and-mortar retail locations operated through a variety of formats provide guests of all ages a hands-on entertaining experience, which often fosters a lasting and emotional brand connection. The company also offers engaging e-commerce/digital purchasing experiences on https://www.buildabear.com/ including its online "Bear-Builder", the animated "Bear Builder 3D Workshop" and its age-gated adult-focused "Bear Cave". In addition, extending its brand power beyond retail, Build-A-Bear Entertainment, a subsidiary of Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc., is dedicated to creating engaging content for kids and adults that fulfills the company's mission, while the company also offers products at wholesale and in non-plush consumer categories via licensing agreements with leading manufacturers. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $411.5 million in fiscal 2021. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

ABOUT FOUNDATION MEDIA
Foundation's clients and executive team have produced a number of commercially successful and award-winning films for major studios and independent financiers. Foundation's slate includes movies from some of the most prolific filmmakers in the world, cultivating some of today's most dynamic and cutting edge new voices. Recent titles include THE BAD GUYS, based on the best-selling book franchise by Aaron Blabey, which was released earlier this year by Dreamworks Animation and Universal Pictures; THELMA THE UNICORN, based on another best-selling book franchise by Blabey, is currently in PRODUCTION with director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) for Netflix; DELIVER BY CHRISTMAS, which was Build-A-Bear Entertainment's first film with Hallmark released in Fall of 2020; and HONEY GIRLS, the first Build-A-Bear Entertainment feature film for Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, based on Build-A-Bear Workshop's pop music trio and released in 2021.

SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop