Zachary Levi will star in the Christmas film “Teddy’s Christmas” as the voice of the main character Teddy. The film about a Teddy Bear and a little girl will have its U.S. theatrical release in time for this year’s holiday season, following its release in several European countries.
Levi is best known for his portrayal of the superhero Shazam in “Shazam!” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” and for his voice actor role in Disney’s “Tangled.”
“Teddy’s Christmas” will be released by Capelight Pictures and Blue Fox Entertainment in the U.S.
Sales agency Sola Media already sold the film to more than 100 countries including Italy (Lucky Red), France (KMBO), Germany (Capelight), Switzerland (Elite Film AG), Spain (Flins & Piniculas), Hungary (ADS), Romania (Idea Film), Poland (Vivarto), Middle East (Krisco) and Baltics (GPI). Sola will be screening the feature on May 18 in Cannes Market.
The film is produced by Fantefilm, one of Norway’s best-known production companies.
Several European distributors have already seen box office success with the film, with more than 350,000 admissions across 550 screens in Germany, Austria and Switzerland alone, making it the most successful theatrical release of a Norwegian film ever. In addition, the film earned a spot in top five rankings for Romania (number three), Hungary (number five) and the Baltics (number two).
In the film, snowflakes, fragrant almonds and twinkling lights create the perfect atmosphere at Mariann’s Christmas market visit when suddenly she discovers an unbelievable secret: on the top shelf of the lottery booth, the sweetest teddy bear has just moved his head and started sniffing.
Feeling an instant connection with the cuddly animal, Mariann can’t think of any better wish for Christmas and tries to win him. However, Teddy has different plans, dreaming of a wealthy owner who can show him everything the world has to offer. But when Teddy is taken away to a woodshed, his new best friend, the hedgehog Bolla, helps him realize what really counts in life.
Solveig Langeland, managing director of Sola Media, which is handling the worldwide rights, said: “We are more than thrilled to have Zachary Levi on board to bring our Teddy to life on the big screens in North America! His great talent and unique voice make him the perfect choice.”
