Toy Biz Named Worldwide Pre-School Toy Licensee for Curious George Universal Pictures' and Imagine Entertainment's Animated Feature Film and Television Series on PBS KIDS-R-

Business Wire, Feb 11, 2005

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- Universal Studios Consumer Products Group today announced a worldwide licensing agreement with Toy Biz, a division of Marvel Enterprises, Inc., pursuant to which Toy Biz will act as the master pre-school toy licensee for Universal Pictures' and Imagine Entertainment's upcoming animated feature film and PBS KIDS' television series based on the classic children's tales, Curious George. The film is scheduled for release on February 10, 2006, with the TV series set to debut in Fall, 2006. The Curious George toy line-up will include action figures, playsets and vehicles, novelty figures, animatronics, role-playing toys, pre-school matching/memory games, infant toys and plush, including a Curious George themed plush with book.

"We are excited to be working with Toy Biz on the Curious George franchise," said Beth Goss, executive vice president of Universal Studios Consumer Products Group. "Toy Biz is a proven leader within the toy industry and will deliver a unique and extraordinary vision to the Curious George toy line."

Alan Fine, president & CEO of Toy Biz and Marvel Publishing added, "We are extremely pleased to be selected by Universal to create a new pre-school and plush line for one of the true icons in children's entertainment. Curious George has a broad multigenerational fan base and we are looking forward to working with Universal to create a compelling product line that celebrates his endearing and playful nature."

Eight years ago, Universal Studios acquired the rights to Curious George and has transformed the brand into a global franchise. Licensing and promotional opportunities are currently in development in support of the new Curious George entertainment franchise across all categories including, apparel, accessories, interactive games, collectibles, fine art, home furnishings, health and beauty aids, food and beverages, gifts, stationery products and wireless communication devices and accessories.

About Curious George books

Originally published in 1941, the book Curious George has never been out of print since. Authors H. A. Rey and his wife Margret, creative partners who fled Europe during the Nazi occupation and settled in Cambridge, Massachusetts, wrote the original seven Curious George tales. In 1998 Houghton-Mifflin began publishing new Curious George adventures and continues to release new titles and formats. Curious George titles have sold more than 27 million copies worldwide and have been published in 17 languages, making the little monkey who left the jungle with The Man With the Yellow Hat one of the best-selling and most enduring characters in children's literature.

About Curious George film

Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment bring Curious George, the original "monkey see, monkey do" chimp, to the screen in an all-new animated adventure based upon the beloved tales that have been enchanting readers for more than 60 years. George, the inquisitive little guy with an insatiable taste for adventure, sets off in a brand new tale for the big screen, where his spunky and fun-loving nature endears him to new friends he meets along the way and (of course) lands him in a series of (mis-) adventures.

Produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Jon Shapiro and David Kirschner, Curious George is directed by Matt O'Callaghan. Will Ferrell (Elf, Old School) lends his voice to The Man With the Yellow Hat. Dick Van Dyke, Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Eugene Levy and Joan Plowright are also among the distinguished cast of voices.

This film has not yet been rated. Please consult www.filmratings.com or www.parentalguide.org for more information.

About Curious George TV

Universal Home Entertainment Productions (UHEP), Imagine Entertainment and WGBH Boston, a leading public television producer, are producing an animated Curious George preschool television series based on the literary classic. Curious George will use George's insatiable curiosity as a way of acquainting preschoolers with key concepts in math, science and design engineering technology. The series will encourage inquiry and curiosity, promote hands-on exploration, and show parents and caregivers how to support children's science and math-related play. George's memorable misadventures from dismantling clocks to rounding up errant bunnies will offer a perfect vehicle for motivating kids to expand their own investigations of the word. William H. Macy will narrate the series.

About Marvel Enterprises, Inc.

With a library of over 5,000 proprietary characters, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in four areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios), licensing, comic book publishing and toys (Toy Biz). Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters and plot lines are created by its comic book division, which continues to expand its leadership position in the U.S. and worldwide while also serving as an invaluable source of intellectual property.