All aboard with Thomas & Friends™ as new film hits cinema screens for ‘The Great Race’ weekend in May

Thomas & Friends™ is back with a new feature length adventure, including a line-up of 13 magnificent new international engines, steaming in to cinemas nationwide for a special weekend of screenings on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd of May.

Thomas & Friends: The Great Race sees Thomas wishing he could represent Sodor at the Great Railway Show, which is taking place on the mainland. But the bigger engines just laugh at him and say he's not big, strong or fast enough to compete with the best engines from around the world. Thomas is up against international competition from a host of new engines including Raul of Brazil, Yong Bao of China, Ivan of Russia and the brightly decorated engine from India, Ashima, (voiced by Tina Desai), but he is determined to find a way - even when his plans all go wrong and the devious Diesel threatens his chances to compete. This exciting international musical adventure - where friendship always wins the race - promises to delight children and families across the world.

Following its recent and highly publicised real-life restoration, cinema-goers will be able to see the animated version of The Flying Scotsman in the film.

Mattel. HiT and distributor National Amusements UK Ltd are excited to bring Thomas & Friends The Great Race to over 300 cinemas across the UK & Ireland for a special weekend of screenings. The film will continue to be shown in selected cinemas from May 23rd through half term and into the summer.

To find participating cinemas and to book tickets please visit

Thomas and Friends™: The Great Race Film Page

THOMAS AND FRIENDS™: THE GREAT RACE HITS CINEMAS ON MAY 21

About National Amusements
National Amusements, Inc., is a world leader in the motion picture exhibition industry operating in more than 940 screens in the US, UK, Brazil and Argentina. National Amusements delivers a superior entertainment experience under its Showcase, Showcase Cinema de Lux, Multiplex and UCI brands. Based in Massachusetts, National Amusements is a closely held company operating under the third generation of leadership by the Redstone family. National Amusements is also an equal partner in the online ticketing service, MovieTickets.com, and is the parent company of both Viacom and CBS Corporation. For more information, please visit Showcase Cinemas, follow @showcasecinemas or search 'Showcase Cinemas UK' on Facebook.

About Thomas & Friends™
Thomas the Tank Engine™ was created over 70 years ago by a British clergyman, the Rev W Awdry, as a storybook for his son. That story quickly grew to become the award-winning global brand franchise it is today, enjoyed by families in more than 150 territories and in over 40 languages across multiple touch-points and formats, including: 400+ original TV shows; 11 feature-length films; 14 websites in nine languages; apps; toys (ranked number one property in the pre-school toys category in the UK and Australia and number two in the US); consumer products; publishing; live attractions and much more. Thomas & Friends has scooped prestigious accolades including a Parent’s Choice Award, a Webby and a Licensing Award for Best Classic Licensed Property. The famous and cheeky No.1 blue engine and his friends invite children to enter a world of imagination through the tracks of a train. Together, the children and engines embark on timeless adventures while experiencing valuable yet fun life lessons of discovery, friendship and cooperation. Thomas & Friends™ is viewable on more than 30 world-class broadcasters including PBS KIDS® in the US, Super RTL in Germany, and on Five’s Milkshake! and Nick Jr. in the UK. Downloadable episodes are available through iTunes and on YouTube. For more information about the wonderful world of Thomas & Friends, please visit Thomas and Friends, Facebook and Twitter @ThomasFriends

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 at their official website, Facebook and Twitter.