The Jim Henson Company Announces Tiered Release Of "Sid the Science Kid: The Movie" The New Preschool Adventure Debuting On PBS KIDS March 25 And Coming To DVD And iTunes On April 2 From NCircle Entertainment

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., March 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SID THE SCIENCE KID: THE MOVIE, a co-production with The Jim Henson Company and Chinese partners Nine Eyes Stone Pictures and Shanghai Animation Film Studios Group, is making its broadcast premiere on PBS KIDS on March 25 (check local listings) and young fans of the popular, award-winning series are in store for more fun when NCircle Entertainment releases "Sid the Science Kid: The Movie" on DVD and on iTunes April 2 ($12.99 SRP). The feature length program, the first-ever for the series, continues the show's mission of engaging preschoolers' natural curiosity in the world around them. 

Select PBS stations across the U.S. will be hosting Sid-themed movie premiere events with hands-on educational activities throughout the month of March. Participating stations include KPTS/Wichita, WPBS/Watertown, WSRE/Pensacola, WYES/New Orleans, WEDU/Tampa, Mississippi Public Broadcasting/Jackson, WGTE/Toledo, KLRN/San Antonio, WYCC/Chicago, WFYI/Indianapolis, KUED/Salt Lake City, KNPB/Reno, Louisiana Public Broadcasting/Baton Rouge, PBS SoCal/Los Angeles, KACV/Amarillo, WNET/New York, WTCI/Chattanooga, WFSU/Tallahassee, WXXI/Rochester, WFWA/Fort Wayne and WHYY/Philadelphia. Select events will include meet and greets with Sid the Science Kid, red carpet arrivals and presentations by real scientists! To learn more go to: https://www.facebook.com/sidthesciencekid.        

Additionally, NCircle Entertainment is sponsoring more fun events for kids and families at children's museums in over 20 cities across the U.S. in March and April. The venues include: National Children's Museum (Washington) 3/20-3/30,  Fernbank Science Center (Atlanta) 4/6, Discovery Museum Science & Space Center (Sacramento) 4/6-4/7, Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh) 4/13, Pacific Science Center (Seattle) 4/14, Perot Museum of Nature and Science (Dallas) 4/7. More information is available at http://www.facebook.com/NCircleEntertainment.

Sid the Science Kid: The Movie follows Sid and his friend Gabriela through their adventure in The Super Ultimate Science Museum. After winning a science contest in the "Junior Investigator" category for creating an awesome science experiment, Sid and Gabriela are awarded a special inside look at the new museum before it opens to the public.  Once there, they meet quirky scientist Dr. Bonabodon, voiced by guest-star Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future), who has designed robot tour guides of the future, including Bobbybot, his greatest creation. Sid and Gabriela also meet Yangyang and Niuniu, from China, the winners of the "Future Scientist" category. The four young scientists observe giant honey bees, investigate robots, and even encounter a Tyrannosaurus Rex! But when their robot guide short-circuits, Sid, Gabriela, Yangyang, and Niuniu must use teamwork to save the day.  Together they learn that you can be a scientist at any age and that thinking like a kid is sometimes the best way to solve a problem! 

The new feature was written by Bradley Zweig, who also serves as an executive producer. Other executive producers are Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford for The Jim Henson Company. For Nine Eyes Stone, Connie Wang is the executive producer and David B Miller is producer. The Jim Henson Company is handling all ancillary distribution of the property including licensing, video and merchandising.

About SID THE SCIENCE KID:
The Award winning "Sid the Science Kid" (PBSKIDS.org/sid) is part of a long line of successful preschool programming from The Jim Henson Company that includes "Dinosaur Train" as well as "Fraggle Rock, "Bear in the Big Blue House," and "Pajanimals." "Sid the Science Kid" is produced using the revolutionary Emmy® Award-winning Henson Digital Puppetry Studio, a proprietary technology that allows performers to puppeteer and voice digital characters in real-time, creating an unprecedented level of spontaneity, quality and interactivity. "Sid the Science Kid" airs on PBS KIDS with funding provided by The Boeing Company, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and VINCI Early Learning Systems. Additional funding is provided by MetLife Foundation, The Rose Hills Foundation, the S.D. Bechtel., Jr. Foundation, the Johnny Carson Foundation and The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.

About Nine Eyes Stone and Shanghai Animation Film Studios:
Founded in April 1957, Shanghai Animation Film Studio is the largest animation production base in China. It is a comprehensive film and animation institution, capable of developing and managing the production and distribution of animation and children's films; the publication and marketing of animation books, magazines and other media formats; as well as commercializing intellectual property rights and handling the merchandising of clothes, toys and stationary based upon animation designs. Over the past 50 years, films produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio have earned more than 200 national & international film festival awards, including a Golden Prize at Denmark's Odense Fairytale Film Festival, a Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, Five No1. Project Prizes from the Ministry of Propaganda of P.R.C, and Golden Rooster, Hua Biao and the Calf Prizes at Chinese film festivals. Uproar in Heaven, The Cowboy's Flute, Three Monks and Lotus Lantern have all helped to develop the studio's reputation at home and abroad.

Whilst devoted to developing Chinese animation, Shanghai Animation Film Studio has also collaborated with France, Germany, the United States, Japan, Canada and Australia to co-produce many TV series and animated feature films, including Fox Liena, Noah's Ark, To Shoot without Shooting, Around the World in 80 Days, Ketchup, Miss Mallard Mystery and Tracey McBean. Shanghai Animation Film Studio maintains a mature distribution network for both its animated films and animation television series output. Its animation films are distributed to Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. Domestically, whilst its television output is broadcast by nearly 30 television stations across China.

Nine Eyes Stone Pictures is a financing and production studio based in Tianjin China. In a short two years it has initiated and provided financing for three projects all with international partners. Nine Eyes Stone will be bringing the successful kids science show "Sid the Science Kid" to China to initiate and develop innovative educational programming. Additionally, working in partnership with The Jim Henson Company, new programming and film initiatives will be created for the Chinese and international markets with a focus on kids and family entertainment.

The Jim Henson Company:
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 50 years and is recognized worldwide as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics and digital animation. Best known as creators of the world famous Muppets, Henson has received over 50 Emmy Awards and nine Grammy Awards. Recent credits include the Emmy® nominated "Sid the Science Kid," "Dinosaur Train," "Wilson & Ditch: Digging America" and "Pajanimals." Features include "The Dark Crystal," "Labyrinth," "MirrorMask," and "Unstable Fables" and television productions include "Fraggle Rock" and the sci-fi cult series "Farscape." With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and postproduction facilities. Independently owned and operated by the five adult children of founder Jim Henson, the Company is also home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative brand has recently launched the national tour of "Stuffed and Unstrung," a live puppet improvisational show named one of the top 10 "Best Stage Shows of 2010" by Entertainment Weekly. www.henson.com Join us on www.facebook.com/hensoncompany and follow us at www.twitter.com/hensonparents.

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, online, mobile and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby-award winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including the PBS KIDS video player, now offering free streaming video accessible on computer- and mobile-device-based browsers. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE The Jim Henson Company