Rel BIG Ent inks deal with BBC Earth for producing 3 films

Reliance BIG Entertainment (RBE) today said it has inked a deal with BBC Earth to co-produce and distribute three films, a move that will help the Reliance ADA Group firm strengthen presence in the global entertainment business.

All three films -- 'Walking with Dinosaurs 3D', 'Africa 3D' and 'Life' -- will be distributed by the company's international film sales and financing subsidiary IM Global, RBE said in a statement.

'Walking with Dinosaurs 3D' and 'Africa 3D' will be co-produced by RBE and BBC Earth (the global natural history brand for BBC Worldwide) with a budget of $90 million, it added.

"By partnering with RBE, we have the opportunity to realise a long held ambition of making BBC Earth 3D feature films," BBC Worldwide MD (Global Brands) Marcus Arthur said.

As part of its expansion plans in the global entertainment space, the Anil Ambani Group has inked deals with Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider for DreamWorks Studios. It has joint venture with the production company of Hollywood actor-director Tom Hanks to produce "Electric City" as an animated internet series and online game.

RBE has also entered into development deals with the companies of Nicolas Cage, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Jim Carrey and Julia Roberts.

The first theatrical feature, 'Walking With Dinosaurs', will be a co-produced 3D live action film with a budget of $65 million.

BBC Earth and Evergreen Films will be working with animation house Animal Logic and animation producer Jinko Gotoh on the film.

'Walking With Dinosaurs', which was first broadcast in 1999, accumulated over 700 million viewers worldwide.

The franchise has since got over 70 licensed publications, consumer and educational products globally, including a live arena show that has grossed more than $200 million in the past three years.

The second co-production will be a $25 million- documentary feature 'Africa 3D', which will be filmed alongside 'Africa', BBC's forthcoming television series. 'Africa 3D' will also be in partnership with Evergreen Films.

IM Global will begin international sales on 'Walking With Dinosaurs 3D' at the American Film Market in Santa Monica.

IM Global will also launch worldwide sales of BBC Earth's 'Life' at the AFM. The documentary feature is in post-production and will be released theatrically during 2011.

BBC Earth's previous feature film 'Earth' grossed $119 million worldwide when it was released theatrically in 2007.