The Last Kids on Earth Announces New Interactive Special, and First Graphic Novel in the Best-Selling Series
Atomic Cartoons, part of Thunderbird Entertainment Group (OTC:THBRF), has launched an interactive special episode of The Last Kids on Earth on Netflix as of April 6, 2021. Titled “Happy Apocalypse to You,” the episode allows viewers to make choices affecting the storyline. Concurrently, the first graphic novel, Thrilling Tales from the Tree House, is now available, featuring new stories from the series. This dual release aims to enhance fan engagement and expand the franchise’s appeal, which has previously won an Emmy and achieved bestseller status.
- Launch of an interactive Netflix special enhances viewer engagement.
- Release of the first graphic novel broadens franchise appeal.
- Franchise has won an Emmy and is a bestseller, indicating strong brand strength.
- None.
Atomic Cartoons (Atomic), the Kids and Family Division of Thunderbird Entertainment Group (TSXV:TBRD, OTC:THBRF), and Penguin Young Readers, along with Max Brallier, are proud to announce two new milestones in The Last Kids on Earth franchise. An interactive special episode of the Daytime Emmy Award-winning animated series will begin streaming today, April 6, 2021 on Netflix. Also available on store shelves today is The Last Kids on Earth: Thrilling Tales from the Tree House, the first-ever graphic novel in the bestselling series.
In the interactive special, titled “Happy Apocalypse to You,” when Jack, Dirk and Quint try to throw June a birthday party, it turns into an action-packed thrill ride. Viewers will use their remote controls to decide what the gang will do as they encounter angry wretches, ferocious maulers, fearsome octogrutes, zombies and more, on the way to the birthday extravaganza. This is a chance for fans of the series to help make June’s birthday a blast, but not get eaten in the process. To produce the interactive episode, Atomic leveraged interactive Netflix technology that requires viewers to make choices using their remote control to advance the story. To view the interactive special trailer, click here.
“With audiences calling the shots, we can’t wait to see what kind of adventures – and calamities – they’ll cook up for Jack, June, Quint and Dirk in this thrilling interactive special episode of The Last Kids on Earth,” said Matthew Berkowitz, Chief Creative Officer of Thunderbird and Atomic Cartoons, and Series Executive Producer. “We have been so honored by the response our series has received so far, and we’re excited to see how fans of The Last Kids on Earth enjoy having the power – and responsibility – of deciding the fates of their favorite characters on screen!”
In its latest book installment, Thrilling Tales from the Tree House, fans get their first chance to experience The Last Kids on Earth in the form of a graphic novel. The kids and their monster buddies are hanging out in their tree house, when Jack launches into an epic, totally-heroic, super-rad story of one of his many post-apocalyptic adventures. Of course, after he’s finished, everyone’s eager to one-up his tale with a story of their own. Soon, Quint, Dirk, June and Skaelka, and even Globlet, regale the group with sometimes outrageous, often hilarious details of their action-packed escapades during the Monster-Zombie Apocalypse.
This graphic novel includes six brand new The Last Kids on Earth short stories by Max Brallier, featuring full-color art by Anoosha Syed, Xavier Bonet, Lorena Alvarez, Jay Cooper, Christopher Mitten and The Last Kids on Earth series illustrator Douglas Holgate. Their stories are capped off by a special double-length feature, which will finally reveal the mysterious whereabouts of two villainous villains to prep readers for the seventh book in the series, coming Fall 2021.
"The behind-the-scenes journey that brought The Last Kids on Earth to life on screen has been incredible. And now, together with Atomic Cartoons, we’re taking another exciting step forward, giving viewers the power to control the destiny of their favourite characters,” said Max Brallier, author of the book series and creator of the animated series. “And being able to time the streaming premiere of our new interactive episode with the launch of the next book in the series, means we’re able to offer fans a double whammy of excitement, laughter and – of course – zombies and monsters.”
The Last Kids on Earth is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling book series. The IP was acquired by Thunderbird Entertainment in 2017. The animated Netflix series debuted in September 2019 with a special 66-minute episode that went on to win a 2020 Emmy Award in the category of “Outstanding Special Class Program.” Season Two began streaming in April 2020, and Season Three launched in October 2020. The series features a star-studded voice cast, including Mark Hamill, Rosario Dawson, Catherine O’Hara, Keith David, Bruce Campbell, Garland Whitt, Montse Hernandez and Charles Demers, in addition to Nick Wolfhard voicing the lead character Jack Sullivan.
The franchise also has launched a toy and merchandise line based on the series with Jakks Pacific, and a T-Shirt line with Hot Topic. A video game based on the series is currently in production with Outright Games, set to be available in 2021.
ABOUT THUNDERBIRD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a global award-winning, full-service multiplatform production, distribution and rights management company, headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Ottawa. Thunderbird creates award-winning scripted, unscripted, and animated programming for the world’s leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and international broadcasters. Thunderbird’s vision is to produce high quality, socially responsible content that makes the world a better place. The Company develops, produces, and distributes animated, factual, and scripted content through its various divisions, including Thunderbird Kids and Family (Atomic Cartoons), Thunderbird Factual and Scripted (Great Pacific Media), and a division dedicated to global distribution and consumer products. Thunderbird is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @tbirdent. For more information, visit: www.thunderbird.tv.
ABOUT ATOMIC CARTOONS
Atomic Cartoons, the Kids and Family Division of Thunderbird Entertainment Group (TSXV:TBRD, OTC:THBRF), is an artist-driven, multifaceted studio that includes some of North America's most creative animators, directors, producers, and writers. With studios in Vancouver, Ottawa and Los Angeles, Atomic produces content for partners around the globe, including the Emmy Award-winning series Beat Bugs (2017, 2019) and The Last Kids on Earth (2020), and the Peabody Award and Television Critics Association Award-winning Molly of Denali (2020), which also won a Kidscreen Award for Best Inclusivity (2021). Thunderbird and Atomic also have a division dedicated global distribution and consumer products. Atomic is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @AtomicCartoons. For more information, visit www.atomiccartoons.com.
ABOUT PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE
Penguin Random House, the world's largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company, which employs more than 10,000 people globally, was formed on July 1, 2013, by Bertelsmann and Pearson. As of April 1, 2020, Bertelsmann is full owner of the company. With more than 300 imprints and brands on six continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children's fiction and nonfiction print and digital English- German- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 15,000 new titles, and more than 600 million print, audio and eBooks sold annually, Penguin Random House's publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world's most widely read authors.
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