Climb aboard the new television series that reimagines the classic Thomas & Friends franchise, as Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go arrives on Channel 5 Milkshake! on 8November, featuring an entirely new storytelling approach, 2D animation, and a collection of new characters.
Produced by Mattel Television in partnership with Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studio, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is only the fourth major revamp for the world-famous children’s animated show in its 75-year history.
Highlights include a greater range of character expressiveness, more physical comedy and music, and core characters that are kids voiced by British child actors. The upbeat and colourful show is crafted to appeal to contemporary audiences’ sensibilities while maintaining Thomas’ core message about the value of friendship. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go incorporates 26 social-emotional, cognitive, and physical life lessons throughout the series, including friendship, taking turns. Teamwork, self-help, and empathy.
Fred Soulie, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mattel Television, said: “This new creative direction for the classic Thomas & Friends franchise is crafted to appeal to contemporary audiences, yet still maintain the beloved characters’ core ethos: the value of friendship. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go features stories that are both timeless and timely, with themes that will resonate with children, parents and caregivers alike.â€
Christopher Keenan, Senior Vice President, Global Content & Executive Producer, Mattel Television, added: “We can’t wait for the next generation of fans to meet Thomas and his friends. In Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, we aim for audiences to have fun as we expand the world of Sodor in new and exciting ways. For the better part of the last decade, I’ve had the privilege of working on the Thomas & Friends television series and I’ve seen first-hand how Thomas and his core message about the value of friendship inspire a broad audience – children, parents, and caregivers alike. These stories are both timeless and timely, with themes that continue to resonate with kids todayâ€.
“Thomas & Friends has 92% brand awareness in the UK, so we are looking forward to exciting our Thomas fans new and old with all the fun and adventure of the show’s new approach”
Kelly Philp, Director of Marketing, Mattel UK
Kelly Philp, Director of Marketing, Mattel UK, commented: “Thomas & Friends has 92% brand awareness in the UK, so we are looking forward to exciting our Thomas fans new and old with all the fun and adventure of the show’s new approach. The singable songs and endless laughs have already tested well with our preschool audience and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go will be a great tool for parents and caregivers too, due to the integrated life lessons and values that are incorporated within the content.†Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go will premiere on Channel 5 Milkshake on 8 November. In the UK, the series will be preceded by a new 60-minute animated motion picture, Thomas & Friends: Race for the Sodor Cup, showing at Vue and Odeon cinemas throughout the UK from 17 September, which will be the first time that children and parents can see the new-look and feel Thomas & Friends before it hits television screens later in the year.
