All Aboard for new Thomas & Friends™ Feature Length Film Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure on DVD this September

New friends introduced to mark anniversary year voiced by all-star talent Eddie Redmayne, John Hurt, and Jamie Campbell Bower

HIT Entertainment, one of the world’s leading children’s entertainment producers and a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., welcomes the DVD release of its latest CGI feature length Thomas & Friends™ special Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure on 28th September 2015.

Under the direction of Executive Producer Christopher Keenan, 60-minute movie Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure sees Thomas and his friends embark on a spectacular new adventure scouring the Island of Sodor for lost treasure. When Thomas rocks the boat with some new friends, trouble soon rushes in. Will Thomas track down the treasure in time or will Sailor John set sail with it? This latest and greatest adventure introduces a host of new characters with a stellar voice cast bringing them to life. New engine Ryan is voiced by Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything, Les Misérables, Elizabeth I), while John Hurt (Harry Potter, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) takes the part of Sailor John and Jamie Campbell Bower (Harry Potter, Twilight) voices trusted sail boat Skiff.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, who voices new tank engine Ryan, commented: “I grew up loving to watch Thomas and his pals getting caught up in unexpected and mischievous adventures. I jumped at the opportunity to get involved and what fun it was! I have never voiced an animated character before, and I had a complete blast.”

Actor John Hurt, who plays Sailor John, explained: "I remember watching Thomas the Tank Engine with my children when they were young and I'm delighted that it continues to appeal to each successive generation. I enjoy working vocally and have voiced many animated characters. Sailor John was something of a departure from what I usually do and a lot of fun to play as you can see from the pictures."

Voice of Skiff, Jamie Campbell Bower, added: “I’m thrilled to be a part of this project. I grew up with Thomas & Friends so it’s been really exciting to be able to get involved in this new feature special and voice the character of Skiff. It is a great show to be involved in and incredibly fun to record. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first animation and I look forward to everyone seeing the end result.”

It’s been a big year for content and also for the brand as in 2015; Thomas & Friends celebrates 70 years of friendship with a year-long program of friendship-themed activity around the world.

Christopher Keenan, VP Global Content & Executive Producer, HIT Entertainment said “Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure is an epic story of friendship, betrayal and, ultimately, loyalty where Thomas is at the centre of the action. We’re introducing a whole host of exciting new characters which is one of the great joys of writing for Thomas & Friends.

We have introduced a wide variety of friends over the years and look forward to the audience’s reaction to these unique characters”.

The announcement of the Sodor’s Legend of the Lost Treasure’s stellar voice cast kicks off a big year for content and also for the brand in 2015 as Thomas & Friends celebrates its 70th anniversary with a year-long program of friendship-themed activity around the world.

For the latest news, visit the all new Thomas & Friends website.

DVD SYNOPSIS
When Thomas takes a joke too far and runs Gordon’s coaches off the rails, he is sent to work on another part of the island. The Fat Controller brings in a new engine called Ryan, while Thomas joins the little engines, Rex, Mike and Bert as well as his old friend Marion, the railway steam shovel, in the work of constructing a new branch line. Thomas is determined to prove how useful he can be, but when the new track collapses under him, he crashes down into a hidden cavern where he finds an old three-­master pirate ship. Soon an exciting new adventure begins as Thomas joins up with Sailor John and Skiff, a sailboat on rails, in a hunt for lost pirates’ treasure.

About Thomas & Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine™ was created by a father for his son 70 years ago and today is enjoyed by families in more than 300 territories and in over 40 languages. The No.1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train and the words of a story. Children embark on adventures with their engine friends while experiencing timeless life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation. Thomas & Friends makes tracks to great destinations on PBS KIDS® and Sprout® in the US and on Five’s Milkshake! and Nick Jr in the UK and on CCTV in China. Downloadable episodes are available through iTunes. For more information about the world of Thomas the Tank Engine™ and his friends, please visit Thomas & Friends.

About HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment is one of the world's leading pre-school entertainment companies, specialising in building powerful brands based on engaging stories. HIT Entertainment’s world-class portfolio includes Thomas & Friends®, Mike the Knight™, Fireman Sam®, Bob the Builder™, Barney®, Angelina Ballerina®, Pingu® and Rainbow Magic®. HIT Entertainment excels at creating and building globally successful brands which capture the hearts and imaginations of pre-schoolers and their families. This is achieved through exceptional storytelling in multiple formats, enhanced by creating high quality character-based products and experiences with best-in-class partners. HIT Entertainment’s lines of business span television and home entertainment production, content distribution, digital media and live events and attractions. HIT Entertainment, a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc., has operations in the UK, US, Canada, Hong Kong and Japan.

About Mattel
The Mattel family of companies (Nasdaq: MAT) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. Mattel’s portfolio of best-selling brands includes Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever produced, Hot Wheels®, Monster High®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends® and Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People® and Power Wheels®, MEGA® Brands, including MEGA BLOKS® and RoseArt®, as well as a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2013, Mattel was named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by Ethisphere Magazine and in 2014 ranked No. 5 on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel’s companies employ nearly 30,000 people in 40 countries and territories and sell products in more than 150 nations. At Mattel, we are Creating the Future of Play. Visit Mattel online and Facebook or Twitter.