HMF Handmade

RNS Number:5444I
Handmade PLC
27 November 2007


For immediate release                                           27 November 2007



                                  HandMade plc

                         ("HandMade" or "the Company")



     US Distribution Partnership Signed with New Line Cinema for Planet 51





HandMade Plc (HMF.L), the rights ownership, film production, merchandising and
licensing company, is pleased to announce today that New Line Cinema, the
multi-media company that has created some of the most successful film franchises
in history, has acquired the US distribution rights  for the $60 million CGI
animation feature "Planet 51" from HandMade.



In March 2007, HandMade announced that it had joined Madrid-based Ilion
Animation Studios as the UK production partner and worldwide sales agent for
the studio's first animation film, Planet 51 (formerly known as Planet 1).



Planet 51, which was written by Oscar(R) nominee and BAFTA winner Joe Stillman,
writer of Shrek and Shrek 2, is currently in production and will be  completed
and theatrically released  in 2009.  HandMade anticipates that the animation
film will generate sales commissions in excess of $6M for the Company in 2009
plus profits from participation in the film.  Planet 51 has already been sold to
more than 30 territories including the UK to the leading independent UK film
distributor Entertainment Film Distibutors.



The film, which is expected to be a blockbuster production with similar
potential to that of Shrek, Finding Nemo and Ratatouille, shows the inhabitants
of Planet 51 who live in fear of alien invasion.  Their paranoia is realised
when astronaut Captain Charles "Chuck" Baker arrives from Earth.  Befriended by
a young resident, Chuck has to avoid capture in order to recover his spaceship
and return home.



New Line Cinema's releases include The Lord of the Rings, Austin Powers, Wedding
Crashers, A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Mask,  Blade, Rush Hour and Elf. The
studio's The Lord of the Rings trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion at the
worldwide box office, and over $3 billion in consumer spending in home
entertainment and merchandising.



Ilion Animation Studios' founder and CEO, Ignacio Perez Dolset,  set up the
purpose-built studio five years ago to produce Planet 51, where cutting edge
technology in-house has been developed.  With the skills of highly talented
programmers, artists and designers at the forefront of the animation sector,
Ilion is rapidly becoming recognized as a leader in the animated feature film
production. Ilion's sister company Pyro Studios, is currently developing a video
game based on the film for worldwide distribution. Pyro Studios is one of the
world's leading video games developers and producers.



Commenting on this announcement, David Ravden, Chief Executive Officer of
HandMade plc, said: "New Line is one of the most successful marketing forces in
the business and the perfect partner for this blockbusting animation.  Planet 51
has the potential to be one of the top box office family film successes of 2009,
combining massive merchandising potential with its unique concept to a global
market."


For further information please contact:

HandMade plc                                                       020 7518 8230
David Ravden, CEO

Buchanan Communications                                            020 7466 5000
Tim Anderson, Mary-Jane Johnson

Canaccord Adams                                                    020 7050 6500
Mark Williams





Notes for editors:



About HandMade



Handmade Plc, which encompasses Handmade Films International and Handmade Film
Productions, is an international rights and film Production Company with one of
the UK's largest independent film libraries. The Handmade Group acquires, owns
and exploits intellectual property rights, comprising film, TV and theatrical
productions, book and music rights, and merchandising. They are the sole owners
of all ancillary and merchandising rights  to the bestselling book 'Eloise' and
specialise in the marketing and branding of all 'Eloise' merchandise plus
production and marketing of remakes of all films in their library.  Handmade plc
was re-admitted to trading on AIM in May 2006 and has offices in both London and
Los Angeles.



Under the original ownership of George Harrison, HandMade was responsible for
producing some of the great British films of the 70's and 80's: The Long Good
Friday, Mona Lisa and Time Bandits to name but a few.



About New Line Cinema

Celebrating its 40th anniversary year, New Line Cinema is the most successful
independent film company in the world.  Its mission is to produce innovative,
popular and profitable entertainment in the best creative environment.  In
addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion
pictures, the fully-integrated studio has divisions devoted to home
entertainment, television, music, theater, merchandising and an international
unit.  In 2005, New Line partnered with HBO to form Picturehouse, a new
theatrical distribution company to release independent films.  A pioneer in
franchise filmmaking, New Line's Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy is
one of the most successful film franchises in history.  New Line is a division
of Time Warner, Inc. (TWX).



About Ilion Animation Studios

Ilion Animation Studios was set-up in 2002 by the founders of Pyro Studios, one
of the world's leading video game developers, to create state-of-the-art
computer animated movies for theatrical release around the world, using
purpose-build technology enabling it to compete on the highest level with other
leading animation studios.  Ilion is a subsidiary of Supreme Entertainment, one
of the leading European entertainment conglomerates, devoted to the development
of hi-tech videogames, animation, interactive and wireless entertainment.  The
founders of Supreme Entertainment are the owners of LaNetro Zed, a multinational
leader in the development and marketing of mobile phone content operating in
more than 30 countries, with more than 1600 employees.






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            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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