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Full-Steam Ahead With An All-New Thomas & Friends™ Movie Featuring Pierce Brosnan As The New Narrator!

All New, Direct-to-DVD Movie Thomas & Friends™: The Great Discovery Is The Biggest Event Of The Year For The #1 Preschool Brand! From Lionsgate/HIT Entertainment

Street Date: 9/9/08
Order Date: 8/13/08
DVD SRP: $19.98

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Everyone's favorite blue engine puffs into new and uncharted territory in Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery Movie, the first-ever feature length Thomas & Friends DVD release, and the first Thomas title narrated by Pierce Brosnan. Available Sept. 9 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, young engineers will meet a new engine named Stanley and follow Thomas on his greatest adventure yet. Also featuring favorite engines James, Duncan, Gordon, Emily, Percy and Edward, and coaches Annie and Clarabel -Thomas & Friends: The Great Discovery introduces 5 new original songs, including the new dance-along music video "Thomas You're the Leader" featuring Thomas and his friends.

With his enduring grin, cheeky personality and expressive eyes, Thomas and his Really Useful Engines - each with their distinctive personalities - have captivated children everywhere with their timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation. Thomas the Tank Engine has over 60 years of rich history, and Thomas & Friends ranks as the #1 brand for preschool boys in both toys and entertainment!

The Great Discovery movie is the biggest Thomas & Friends event of the year! Great Discoverythemed toys and licensed product will be available at retail this fall and will continue to be promoted throughout the Holiday season.

DVD SYNOPSIS
Join Thomas in his biggest adventure yet! One day, while racing James across the Island of Sodor, Thomas discovers Great Waterton, a long-lost deserted town high in the mountains. Everyone on the island is thrilled with his discovery and Sir Topham Hatt, controller of the railway, declares that the town will be restored to mark Sodor Day!

Thomas is given the important job of overseeing the restorations. While Thomas is busy, a new engine arrives on the Island - Stanley. Stanley is similar to Thomas only a bit bigger, a bit stronger and in Thomas' eyes a bit more popular. Thomas feels his position as the Island of Sodor's #1 engine is under threat and he decides to play a trick on Stanley to make him look silly. The plan backfires, and Thomas finds himself in trouble. While lost, Thomas stumbles into an action-packed adventure down an old mineshaft, along a raging river and leaping over huge mountainous chasms!

Sir Topham Hatt orders the biggest search ever and who should come to Thomas's rescue, but none other than Stanley! On the way back to town Stanley breaks down and now it's Thomas's turn to do the rescuing. The two engines make a great team and with their friendship now on track Stanley and Thomas finish the restoration of Great Waterton in time for Sodor Day.

DVD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Behind-the-Scenes featurette with Pierce Brosnan
• Learn With Thomas featurettes:
  • "Spot the Difference"
  • "Tough Trucks"
  • "Thomas Puzzle Parts"
• "Thomas You're the Leader" music video

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2008
Title Copyright: Copyright: © 2008 HIT Entertainment Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends™ Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W Awdry. © 2008 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Thomas & Friends are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Design is Reg. U.S. Pat. & Tm. Off.
Type: Home Entertainment Premiere
Rating: NR
Genre: Children/Family/Animated/Ages 2-5
Closed Captioned: English Closed Captioned
Format: Full Screen
Feature Running Time: 60 minutes
DVD Audio Status: English, French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital
Website: www.thomasandfriends.com
To download art, visit www.lionsgatepublicity.com or www.hitnewsonline.com