Studio Movie Grill Further Expands its Movies + Meals Program with DreamWorks Animation's 'How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World'

DALLAS, Feb. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Studio Movie Grill announced that Universal Pictures has generously offered multiple screenings of DreamWorks Animation's highly anticipated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (in theatres 2/22/19) to SMG's non-profit partners serving children with special needs, including:

• Bakersfied, CA - Exceptional Family Center/Centro de Familias Excepcionales
• Duluth, GA - Spectrum 
• Seminole, FL - PARCs Discovery Learning Center 
• NW Hwy, TX - Bryan's House
• Spring Valley, TX - H.E.R.O.E.S. DFW 
• Tyler, TX - Tyler Run for Autism 
• Marietta, GA – Variety, the Children's Charity of Georgia 
• Chatham, IL – Variety, the Children's Charity of Illinois 
• College Park, IN - Riley Children's Foundation
• Pearland, TX - BACH Rehabilitation Center

These screenings are offered in support of SMG Access™ and the Movies + Meals outreach program. In keeping with its mission to open hearts and minds, one story at a time, SMG Access^™ launched nationwide in July 2018 and is the only theater-loyalty program focused on positively impacting underserved local community members. Through their purchases, alongside rewards, loyal SMG guests are able to assist SMG outreach in offering movies and meals to local non-profits and underresourced community members with the hope of harnessing the power of movies to inspire and change lives.  Since the program's inception, multiple studios have joined the movement, offering screenings and giving SMG the opportunity to give back more than 10,000 Movies + Meals in the program's first 6 months.  

"SMG is thrilled to announce that Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation have joined us in offering special screenings of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World featuring the voices of Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Gerard Butler, Kit Harington and Craig Ferguson in support of our Movies + Meals program and specifically to non-profits serving special needs families in our communities.  Fans of the movies will know that Hiccup (Baruchel) has a prosthetic lower left leg, and his Night Fury dragon, Toothless, has a prosthetic tail.  These beloved films have such a wonderful, heartwarming and positive message about acceptance and friendship and have subtly explored some important themes, and we know this last film in the trilogy will be no exception," said Lynne McQuaker, SMG's senior director of PR and outreach.

Said Jim Orr, Universal's president of domestic theatrical distribution: "We are delighted to support SMG's efforts by offering screenings of DreamWorks Animation's How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World to local non-profits serving children with special needs and to join SMG guests in supporting purposeful outreach and a loyalty program designed to give back to local community members through Movies + Meals. The How To Train Your Dragon films celebrate the unique gifts of each person and the ability of every person to discover their inner hero, and we can't think of a better partner to help spread that message of kindness and empowerment than SMG."

Studio Movie Grill (SMG) is the leader of the in-theater dining concept operating 314 screens in 30 locations nationwide.  For the past 20 years, committed to making a difference in the communities it serves, SMG has contributed millions of dollars as part of its expansive outreach program.  SMG's legacy programs include Special Needs Screenings, its Chefs for Children program and annual Opening Hearts & Minds Award, which strive to help families and acknowledge local heroes. SMG Access™ further differentiates Studio Movie Grill and allows loyal guests to actively participate in helping support its mission. Going to the movies has never been more meaningful and loyal guests can join SMG on its mission to impact a million lives.  More information can be found at https://www.studiomoviegrill.com/

About Studio Movie Grill
Established in 1998, Studio Movie Grill ("SMG") modernized the traditional movie-going experience by combining first-run movies with full-service, in-theater dining. SMG has swiftly grown to 30 locations in 9 states with further expansion planned.  SMG was named to Inc. Magazine's List of "Fastest Growing Private Companies" three years in a row and placed 12^th in Box Office Magazine's Giants of the Industry in 2018 with key films grossing as high as #4 in North America. For additional information, visit studiomoviegrill.com. 

About How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
From DreamWorks Animation comes a surprising tale about growing up, finding the courage to face the unknown … and how nothing can ever train you to let go. What began as an unlikely friendship between an adolescent Viking and a fearsome Night Fury dragon has become an epic adventure spanning their lives. Welcome to the most astonishing chapter of one of the most beloved animated franchises in film history: How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.

Now chief and ruler of Berk alongside Astrid, Hiccup has created a gloriously chaotic dragon utopia. When the sudden appearance of a female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup and Toothless must leave the only home they've known and journey to a hidden world thought only to exist in myth. As their true destines are revealed, dragon and rider will fight together—to the very ends of the Earth—to protect everything they've grown to treasure.

For How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, series director Dean DeBlois returns alongside the all-star cast. The film is produced by Brad Lewis (Ratatouille, ANTZ) and Bonnie Arnold (Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon, How to Train Your Dragon 2). www.howtotrainyourdragon.com 

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation (DWA), a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, is a global family entertainment company with feature film and television brands. The company's deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world.  DWA's feature film heritage includes many of the world's most beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls and The Boss Baby, and have amassed more than $14.5 billion in global box office receipts.  DreamWorks Animation's television business has quickly become one of the world's leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries.  Creating a diverse array of original content in a variety of formats and delivering deep, fully immersive worlds served up with compelling characters, the prolific studio has garnered 22 Emmy^Ⓡ Awards since inception in 2013.

SOURCE Studio Movie Grill

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