The BBC and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) are delighted to announce Russell T Davies return to children’s television with brand new action adventure drama Aliens Vs Wizards.
Aliens Vs Wizards has been created by Russell T Davies and Phil Ford (The Sarah Jane Adventures, Doctor Who) and will be produced by BBC Cymru Wales in association with FME’s Kids & Family Entertainment division. FME will also manage worldwide distribution of the series (excluding the UK), as well as the brand licensing, home entertainment and other ancillary rights including publishing.
From the dark side of the moon, aliens are scanning the Earth searching for magic and are prepared to destroy everything in their path to get it. All that stands in the way of Earth’s imminent destruction are two 16-year old schoolboys, Tom and Benny. It’s Ray Guns vs Wands; Science vs Magic and Aliens vs Wizards.
Russell says: “Writing for children is the biggest challenge of all and I think CBBC stands right at the heart of broadcasting. So I'm delighted to launch this show, a true nationwide collaboration – a Salford commission from a BBC Wales team. We're joining genres too – the show's a wild, funny, thrilling and sometimes scary collision of magic and science fiction.”
Tom Clarke lives a seemingly ordinary life with his dad and grandmother. However he hides a deep secret – Tom’s family are Wizards and when the Nekross arrive, hungry for magic, they find themselves on the menu.
The Nekross may be equipped with ray guns, teleports and high-tech robots but they haven’t reckoned on Tom and his friend, science super-brain Benny. They form an extraordinary duo, using Tom’s magic and Benny’s science to battle the Nekross and save the Earth.
Russell adds: “Wizards have never met aliens before, and when they do, the result is spectacular! The mysterious Nekross know exactly what to do with magicians. Eat them! Let battle be joined!”
CBBC Controller Damian Kavanagh, who commissioned the new series, says: “This is going to be an incredible rollercoaster ride of an adventure. We believe children deserve the best and we’re delighted to be working again with Russell and the talented teams at BBC Wales and FME to bring the story to life.”
Sander Schwartz, President, Kids & Family Entertainment, FME comments: “This series has all the ingredients to become a global hit – the extraordinary battle between aliens and wizards is guaranteed to entertain kids around the world, not to mention the incredibly talented team behind the series, led by the wonderful Russell T Davies. We are thrilled to be partnering with CBBC once again on what will be a fantastic addition to FME’s ever expanding portfolio of family entertainment brands.”
Faith Penhale Head of Drama BBC Cymru Wales, says: We're so excited to be working with Russell again on this ground breaking and hugely ambitious drama for CBBC. Filmed here in our brand new studios in Roath Lock, Cardiff, Aliens Vs Wizards promises to be spell binding television drama for children."
Russell started his career in children’s television, writing and producing dramas such as Dark Season (BBC One) and Children’s Ward (ITV) before going on to pen a host of hit adult award-winning dramas including Queer as Folk (Channel 4) and Casanova (BBC Three). In 2005, he brought Doctor Who back to the BBC after a sixteen-year hiatus and, as executive producer, oversaw the production of two spin-off series Torchwood (BBC Three) and The Sarah Jane Adventures (CBBC) that ran for five series on the Channel.
Aliens Vs Wizards (12 x 30mins) will be produced by BBC Cymru Wales for CBBC for broadcast in Autumn 2012. The Executive Producers are Russell T Davies, Bethan Jones and Gina Cronk for the BBC and Bob Higgins and Sander Schwartz for FME. The Producer is Brian Minchin and Co-Producer Phil Ford.
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ABOUT FREMANTLEMEDIA ENTERPRISES & FREMANTLEMEDIA
FremantleMedia is one of the leading creators and producers of entertainment brands in the world. FremantleMedia is part of the RTL Group, Europe's largest television and radio broadcast company, which is in turn 90 percent owned by Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's major media and entertainment companies. FremantleMedia’s worldwide production arm is responsible for many of the world’s highest rated prime time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programmes. FremantleMedia Enterprises is the brand extension arm of FremantleMedia, offering a one-stop-shop for all Licensing, Distribution and Home Entertainment around the world. The FremantleMedia Group (which includes FremantleMedia North America, UFA, talkbackTHAMES, FremantleMedia Australia and Original Productions amongst others) has operations in 22 countries, one of the most comprehensive global networks, creating nearly 10,000 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 300 individual titles. FremantleMedia has some of the world’s most sought after and long running formats in its catalogue, and globally, produces such programmes as: Idols (co-produced with 19 Productions in the US), Hole In The Wall, Got Talent (co-produced with Syco in the UK and the US), The X Factor (co-produced with Syco in the UK), Take Me Out, Family Feud, The Price is Right, Farmer Wants A Wife, Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten, and Neighbours.
About FremantleMedia Enterprises’ Kids & Family Entertainment Division
FME Kids & Family Entertainment division was founded in 2009 and has quickly become a worldwide leader in the Family Entertainment business. With 12 titles in production in collaboration with top producers on four continents, FME Kids & Family Entertainment is already one of the most prolific independent producers and distributors of content in the sector today. Its growing portfolio of content spans across four key genres: preschool, kids comedy, action/adventure and tween/teen fare. FME Kids & Family Entertainment is bringing to networks around the world innovative and exciting shows for television and new media platforms in live-action, 2D animation, CGI, stop-motion, puppetry and real-time animation with programming targeting demographics ranging in scope from preschool through high school.
CBBC
CBBC is the BBC’s multiplatform offering for 6-12 year olds bringing the very best drama, entertainment and factual programmes to its young viewers.
CBBC is the most-loved and most-watched channel of children in its target age group. Almost a third of children (6-12) consider it one of their favourites and over a third tune into the CBBC channel each week.
CBBC aims to encourage children to find out more about existing interests and inspire them to develop new ones; helps them understand the world around them and provides an entertaining watch when they just want to relax.
The majority of our output is UK-made, reflecting children’s lives in the UK today. Popular programmes on the channel include Horrible Histories, Deadly 60, The Sarah Jane Adventures and Tracy Beaker Returns as well as long-running favourites Blue Peter and Newsround.
As well as a dedicated channel and website, CBBC also broadcasts every weekday evening on BBC One and every morning on BBC Two. Last year, the CBBC website attracted over 820k weekly unique users.
BBC Cymru Wales
BBC Cymru Wales provides a wide range of English and Welsh language content for audiences across Wales on television, radio and online. Outside London, BBC Wales is the largest BBC production centre in the United Kingdom and its network TV productions and commissions - including Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin and Torchwood - attract millions of viewers worldwide.
BBC Cymru Wales is a drama centre of excellence. Its new, purpose-built 170,000 sq ft Roath Lock studios in Porth Teigr, Cardiff Bay, are home to core drama productions including Casualty, Upstairs Downstairs, the BBC's longest-running TV drama soap Pobol y Cwm and Doctor Who.
For more information please contact:
Mary Jones
Interim Sr. PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7691 6515
mary.jones@fremantlemedia.com
Jumana Rizwan
PR Manager
FremantleMedia Enterprises
Tel: 07775 035 317
jumana.rizwan@fremantlemedia.com