All aboard for a new chapter on the Island of Sodor. Mattel, the global toy and entertainment company has launched Thomas & Friends: Railway Stories, an all-new animated preschool series, kicking off with the 30-minute special Really Helpful Engines, now available on YouTube. The special arrives on Netflix on 30 September, with the full series set to steam in during 2027.
Mattel Studios, Mattel’s film and television production division, produces the series, with animation services handled by Brown Bag Films, the Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated studio behind Octonauts. Serving as the supervising head writer is Emmy-winning writer Jill Cozza-Turner, whose credits include as head writer on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and Mattel Studios senior vice president of animation and an executive producer Rob David.
“For generations, Thomas & Friends has inspired children through timeless stories about friendship, teamwork and the importance of being a really helpful engine,” David expressed. “With this new series and content special, we’re honouring everything families have always loved about Thomas and we can’t wait for fans old and new to climb aboard for a new era of adventures on the Island of Sodor.”
In Really Helpful Engines, Thomas, Percy and Rosie team up with a new character, Deepak, a crane truck, for a music-filled adventure centred on teamwork and what it means to be helpful. Actor Henry Golding, known for Crazy Rich Asians narrates in English, while actress Karla Souza, known for How to Get Away with Murder narrates in Spanish. The special also features three new songs.
Golding shared that, “We’re bringing new excitement to a franchise I grew up loving, and as someone who always identified with the character Henry, literally sharing his name, I’m incredibly proud to be part of this new chapter.”
The series is part of a wider relaunch of the 80-year-old franchise, bringing refreshed character designs and a new look to the Island of Sodor.
The new series follows the franchise’s previous reimagining, the 2D-animated Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, which launched on Netflix in October 2021.
When the full series arrives next year, it will roll out across YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime and free-to-air channels globally.
Mattel is also putting a fresh spin on playtime with a new Thomas & Friends toy line built around its Easy Connect track system, a beginner-friendly toy train track and playset range. It features magnetic connectors and 26 characters and is available now at retailers.
To mark the launch, Mattel will host a free pop-up at the High Line in New York City on 2 October, from 5pm to 7pm, featuring a life-size Thomas and a screening of the special.
With a new look, new characters and new tracks to explore, Thomas is back on the rails and this time, the franchise is pulling into a whole new era.
