Grom Social Enterprises, Curiosity Ink Media and WEP, LLC, will jointly co-develop and co-produce a feature film based on the iconic animated hit series, Denver, The Last Dinosaur. The announcement was made jointly by Curiosity Ink Media chief executive officer, Jared Wolfson, and WEP president Bob Koplar, the rights holder to the property.
Grom Social Enterprises is a media, technology and entertainment company while Curiosity Ink Media is the company’s prolific storytelling division.
The film’s storyline is inspired by the characters and plot lines from the hit 1980’s/90’s animated series, centering around a group of California kids who – upon discovering a prehistoric-looking egg which hatches into a real dinosaur – decide to name him Denver and teach him a thing or two about what they know best. Their adventures also focus on protecting Denver from an opportunistic and unscrupulous promotor, who hopes to exploit Denver’s novelty and rarity for personal financial gain.
“Denver, the Last Dinosaur has all the trappings of a multi-generational hit,” explained Wolfson. “We are developing this film to deliver on all the comedy, action, adventure and heart that will make every child want a dinosaur like Denver in their lives, all while making sure to honour the established retro dino-character the fans love and expect.”
“We are thrilled to partner with the creative minds at Curiosity Ink Media to introduce this beloved dino to a new generation. Denver’s coming back with a fresh look and feel, while retaining the totally radical 80’s vibe from the era in which he was born. This fun and fun-loving dino is ready to make a splash,” said Koplar.
Earlier this month, WEP and Curiosity announced that the Grom subsidiary will also spearhead licensing efforts for Denver. Together, the partnership will pursue ancillary brand extensions to leverage and maximise Denver’s consumer appeal through consumer products in over two dozen retail categories.
The two companies will team up at Licensing Expo 2023, a global trade show that brings thousands of attendees and brands together to maximise a property’s influence among consumers through products, partnerships, and innovation. For Denver, The Last Dinosaur, Curiosity Ink Media and WEP will meet with dozens of potential licensee partners to leverage Denver’s broad-based consumer appeal.
Among the nearly two dozen categories the partners will pursue include: toys and collectibles, games, apparel, bedding, home decor, footwear, accessories and more. Denver originally aired in 1988 with 50 episodes, across two seasons, quickly growing into a number one rated show with kids, regularly beating out shows like Smurfs, Transformers, My Little Pony, GI Joe, The Jetsons, Popeye, Gumby, Yogi Bear and more. The series was distributed in 120 countries around the world.