Entertainment One (“eOne”) and Alibaba Pictures Group Limited (“Alibaba Pictures”) jointly announced plans today for their first co-production which will mark Peppa Pig’s big screen debut in cinemas throughout China. The beloved pre-school phenomenon will appear in theaters in China for the first time this Chinese New Year, which coincides with the 2019 Year of the Pig. eOne and Alibaba Pictures are co-producing a full-length feature film which contains live action and brand new animated content, based on the Peppa Pig television series created by Astley Baker Davies. The film, “Peppa Celebrates Chinese New Year,” is scheduled for release in China on February 5, 2019, and will be distributed by Alibaba Pictures.

"This cooperation is an important opportunity to promote cultural exchange between China and the West. Alibaba Pictures is excited to share China's traditions and culture with the rest of the world with a new fun filled storyline featuring a character as popular as Peppa. The Peppa Pig series emphasizes the importance of family values, and that is something that will deeply resonate with Chinese audiences. We hope this family film will pave the way for further development of films for young audiences in China," said Wei Zhang, president of Alibaba Pictures.

The film’s storyline was developed specifically for young families celebrating Chinese New Year and it incorporates many Chinese New Year traditions, such as dragon dancing, dumpling wrapping, and other traditional customs. The film will also introduce brand new characters – including Panda twins. Limited-edition panda-themed merchandise will be released exclusively through Ali Fish, the licensing and entertainment business unit under Alibaba Pictures.

“There is a huge fan base for Peppa Pig in China, so we’re thrilled with the prospect of bringing the brand’s first ever theatrical release to cinemas in the region in early 2019,” said eOne’s Olivier Dumont, President, Family & Brands. “We’ve worked closely with Alibaba Pictures to create content and cinema-themed merchandise with special cultural significance that will resonate with Chinese audiences. We look forward to delighting Chinese families with an unforgettable cinema experience when the film opens next year.”

The Peppa Pig series and related IP have become world leaders in animation programming for pre-school aged children.