“The Boxcar Children” could be solving a mystery near you before you know it.
Shout Factory and Legacy Classics have entered into a production partnership and film distribution deal for a slate of new family movies based on several best-selling classic and contemporary children’s book series, with Gertrude Chandler Warner‘s “The Boxcar Children” first on the list.
With an initial plan to output a minimum of four feature-length movies over the first two years, the first wave of films will include three new animated features adapted from several best-selling titles in “The Boxcar Children” book series.
The companies are working with publisher Albert Whitman & Company, with an eye toward launching the first movie timed to the 75th anniversary of the first book’s publishing.
“The Boxcar Children” by Gertrude Chandler Warner is one of the best-selling children’s book series of all time. Over 70 million books have sold worldwide. There are 150 books in the series. Over one million kids read the books in schools across North America every year.
The series followed the Alden siblings, orphans who briefly live in an old boxcar in a forest. They eventually move in with their wealthy grandfather, who brings the boxcar to his home for them. They would go on to have numerous adventures and solve mysteries over the course of the books.
“We are excited to be working with Shout! Factory,”Legacy Classics co-founder Dan Chuba said. “Our films will be based on some of the most cherished books in children’s literature. Shout’s on-going success with family entertainment and their entrepreneurial spirit make them an ideal partner. Together, we are committed to creating family entertainment that has a positive social impact on children and families around the world. We could not be happier!”
The deal was negotiated by Shout’s SVP of Business Affairs, David McIntosh and Aaron Meyerson of Qualia Legacy Advisors for Legacy Classics.
The partnership will see Shout Factory and Legacy Classics jointly develop, produce and market new animated features and live-action family movies for entertainment distribution.
Legacy Classics will leverage their extensive relationships with publishers and authors, and bring hands-on production experience and marketing support for future film productions. Shout Factory will co-produce these films with Legacy Classics and handle the sales and distribution for each movie across all platforms in North America, including theatrical, digital, broadcast, inflight and home entertainment.