Posted by Chuck E. Cheese isn’t just delighting children at pizza venues anymore. Now he’s setting his sights on Hollywood.
The mouse, formally known as Charles Entertainment Cheese, is making his film debut with a Christmas movie this holiday season. The Chuck E. Cheese Christmas Special aims to transform the iconic cheese-loving character and his friends into an animated story-telling franchise.
“This is more than just a TV special,” said Melissa McLeanas, vice president of global media, licensing and entertainment at Chuck E. Cheese. “It’s a milestone moment for the Chuck E. Cheese brand. We’re entering the entertainment arena in a way that builds on our nostalgic legacy while charting a new future for our characters.”
An announcement by the brand said the show will be a collaboration with family media company, HappyNest Entertainment, noting the venture is not just a seasonal moment, but the beginning of a long-term vision by the brand to become part of the “storytelling universe” for today’s kids.
CEC Entertainment, the brand’s parent company, has already begun production on the Christmas film, which represents the first original animated special from the Chuck E. Cheese brand and restaurant chain.
The project recruited no short list of well-known talent for the venture, including I-Carly’s Nathan Kress who will voice the animated mouse character of Chuck E. Cheese. Other voice actors hail from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Uncharted, Rick & Morty as well as Kung Fu Panda 2.
Chuck E’s story is being written by the producers of Phineas and Ferb and Be Cool Scooby-Doo, with character designs by animator Bobby Pontillas, whose work includes Moana and Zootopia. The special will also feature an original Christmas song co-written by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jeff Barry, known for the hits, I’m A Believer and Sugar Sugar, as well as Mariah Carey’s Christmas Anthem.
The Chuck E. Cheese character dates back to 1977 when the original restaurant to be known as Coyote Pizza was created by Atari founder, Nolan Bushnell. He purchased a mascot costume that turned out to be a rat instead, which led to the name being changed to “Rick Rat’s Pizza.”
That name was eventually ditched and reworked to Chuck E. Cheese, becoming the namesake for the restaurant. Since then the chain has accrued 600 locations worldwide and achieved 99% brand awareness in family entertainment.
Will the brand’s iconic mouse and band of characters soon be reaching across film, TV, children’s books, and plush toys? The creators hope so. Read more here.