82.1 F
San Fernando
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Hair-Raising Stars Step Into Spotlight

DreamWorks Animation SKG has had a tough year, writing off $87 million and laying off some 350 employees after “Rise of the Guardians” landed with a thud at the box office. Now, the Glendale animation studio is seeking to get a lift – from a few inches-tall plastic doll that lives under a bridge. The company this month acquired the intellectual property rights to the troll franchise from Dam Things APS, a Danish family company that began making troll dolls 57 years ago when creator Thomas Dam fashioned the prototype out of wood as a gift for his daughter. Trolls were a toy phenomenon in the 1960s and have had others spurts of popularity. DreamWorks plans to release a series of 3-D films that will touch upon the mythology of the Scandinavian legend, as well as bring in new characters. The first films could hit in 2015. “I used to play with (Trolls) and my husband used to play with them. It’s unique that you could have a brand that is beloved throughout the generations and whose story hadn’t been told yet,” said Shawn Dennis, who was hired by the studio from Mattel Inc. in November to lead the project. DreamWorks actually had bought the rights to make a trolls movie in 2010 but has now decided to go full out with a worldwide franchise and merchandise spinoffs. So why trolls, especially for a studio that already has a close association with another rather ugly but lovable ogre called Shrek? Studio research, Dennis said, found their “ugly cuteness” appealing to young girls. Marla Backer, an analyst with Research Associates, is optimistic for DreamWorks. “It’s the movie business so it’s always hit or miss, no matter what the property is, but Trolls is a well known property,” she said. – Lucy Guanuna

Featured Articles

Related Articles