NEW YORK, Nov. 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- This Thanksgiving, a Dragon Warrior takes Manhattan ready to kick and karate chop his way into the holidays. On Thursday, November 25, 2010 at 9:00 a.m., DreamWorks Animation's Kung Fu Panda(TM) will make a thrilling debut above the skies of New York City as a giant character helium balloon in the 84th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®. Po, the loveable Kung Fu Master will take larger-than-life form ready to show more than 3.5 million spectators and over 50 million viewers nationwide just how awesome he is... even when filled with helium instead of his favorite noodles!
At more than 16,000 cubic feet of helium, Po from Kung Fu Panda(TM) is truly a larger-than-life master of the ancient Chinese art of Kung Fu. Designed by the magicians at Macy's Parade Studio, Po is created with the help of more than half a mile of fabric and is covered in 17 gallons of paint. For his Parade debut, Po the Panda measures 42-feet tall, 46-feet long, and 34-feet wide, giving him the scale to take giant leaps down the route, poised to deliver his signature martial arts moves along the way.
"Po is an incredible new addition to the Macy's Parade balloon lineup," said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. "He is poised to become an instant Parade classic. From the moment we saw Kung Fu Panda, we instinctively knew Po would be a huge hit with millions of children and their families that tune in to the Parade year after year. We anticipate his inaugural flight down the streets of New York this November will further establish Po as everyone's number one panda!"
"Po makes us feel like there is a hero inside of everyone and it is very exciting for millions of fans to get to witness our Panda balloon make its kung fu-kicking debut in the skies of Manhattan alongside DreamWorks Animation's iconic 'Shrek' in the 2010 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," commented Kerry Phelan, Head of Worldwide Consumer Products for DreamWorks Animation.
Ahead of his Macy's Parade debut, Po will become the star of his own seasonal special, as NBC-TV airs the "Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special" on Wednesday, November 24th at 8:30 p.m. ET. However, fans of the high kicking Panda will be thrilled to hear that Po will be returning to the big screen in Kung Fu Panda 2, out on May 27, 2011.
For fans who can't wait until November for Po's holiday special and Parade debut, they can interact with their favorite character in the online destination found at Kung Fu Panda World (http://www.kungfupandaworld.com/). The interactive experience for kids allows enthusiasts to follow in Po's footsteps to become their own Kung Fu Master. Featuring games, chat and trading activities, there are tons of elements to explore and enjoy at this exciting virtual world.
Kung Fu Panda's DreamWorks Animation pal, Shrek® will also be returning to the 84th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade line-up this year and both can be seen on the NBC-TV national broadcast airing on Thursday, November 25, 2010 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., in all time zones.
About the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
With more than 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5 million spectators that line up along the streets of New York City each year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For more than 80 years, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade proudly marches down a more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000 participants in tow including Macy's employees, their families, celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer. The Parade also features America's best marching bands, fabulous floats and Macy's signature giant helium character balloons. For more information on the Macy's Parade please visit http://www.macys.com/parade or call the Parade hotline at (212) 494-4495.
About DreamWorks Animation SKG
DreamWorks Animation SKG is devoted to producing high-quality family entertainment through the use of computer-generated (CG) animation. Utilizing world-class creative talent and state-of-the-art technological capabilities, the company is committed to making two computer-animated feature films a year that appeal to a broad movie-going audience.
DreamWorks Animation SKG
CONTACT: Orlando Veras of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade,
+1-646-429-7450, Orlando.Veras@macys.com; or Jeff Hare of DreamWorks Animation
SKG, +1-818-695-6055, Jeff.Hare@DreamWorks.com
Web Site: http://www.macys.com/parade
http://www.kungfupandaworld.com/
