The new Thomas and Friends animated series produced by Nelvana

In a blog post from series executive producer Christopher Keenan, Mattel Television announced its latest version of one of its most beloved characters: The Little Train. Thomas & Friends. Premiere this fall, the new series features a new creative approach brought to life by a colorful and flashy 2D animation produced in collaboration with Corus Entertainment's Nelvana.

The little train Thomas & Friends is a brand with a deep legacy of content that has been in tune with families around the world for decades, ”said Fred Soulie, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Mattel Television. “The creative evolution of Thomas & Friends, along with the iconic characters of the franchise, has transcended generations and we look forward to working with broadcasters around the world to bring the latest Thomas stories to existing and new fans alike. way. "

Key creative elements of this latest update of Reverend W. Awdry's Train Heroes, who first delighted children with his books 75 years ago, include:

• Stories told from Thomas's point of view - As the hero of his own adventure, Thomas will take center stage and we will see the world through his young eyes. More playful and recognizable than ever, his competitive spirit will be instantly evident as he strives to be the engine of the number one tank through play, trial and error, and simply having fun being a kid.
• Focused and playful stories - Thomas's new content will continue to feature age-appropriate themes and meaningful lessons in a comical and playful way. In the first episode, Thomas keeps a promise to Gordon, even if it means giving up a race in a competitive Diesel - for Thomas, the "highway" isn't always the easy choice, but it's the one that positions him as a role model. for young spectators.

• A penchant for physical comedy - 2D animation allows the creative team to bring these characters to life like we've never seen them before - the motors can shake, move and wriggle from any whimsical scenario, whether it's an avalanche or just avoiding a family of ducks that suddenly appears ahead.
• More music than ever - Music was a key element of Thomas & Friends, and All engines go will offer more original songs than ever. Frequent songs advance the stories and invite viewers to sing along.

• An adventurous cast - In addition to Thomas, the show features four other young movers who make up the close circle of motor friends:
  • Nia has an adventurous spirit. He loves trying new things and visiting new places. He is from Kenya, has traveled more than any of our friends and often has valuable information on places Thomas has never been.
  • Percy he is Thomas' best friend and a real joker. He has a lot of hidden courage (which not even he knows about!) and will go out of his way to help his friends.
  • Diesel he is Thomas' competitive friend, who always tries to make fun of Thomas and inadvertently causes problems for everyone in his quest to be "the real engine of tank number one".
  • Kana is a brand new high speed electric train from Japan. It pops at electric speed, emits a loud whistle, and often causes trees and telephone poles to bend in its wake.

"Thomas & Friends: all engines go is a series that has been running for 75 years. We can't wait for everyone to join us on this journey when we launch this fall, ”added Keenan.

Thomas & Friends: all engines go will premiere on Netflix and Cartoon Network in the US this fall. International broadcasters TBA.