Arthur Christmas Brings the Regent Street Christmas Lights to Town

Join in the festivities on Tuesday 8 November 2011 with Sony Pictures and Aardman as Regent Street’s festive activities celebrate the 3D cinema release of ARTHUR CHRISTMAS

World famous shopping and lifestyle destination Regent Street, London W1 is pleased to announce its annual switch-on of Christmas lights, this year adorned with extra festive flair as it celebrates the eagerly anticipated release of the 3D family movie, ARTHUR CHRISTMAS, starring a stellar line-up of UK talent including Bill Nighy, James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie and Ashley Jensen.

From 5pm on Tuesday 8th November 2011, there will be fun and entertainment for all the family, culminating with the countdown to the all-important switch-on moment when the skies will be lit to herald the start of the Christmas season. Hosted by Jamie Theakston & Emma Bunton from London’s Heart 106.2, the full line-up of stars attending the event will be announced shortly.

After the event shoppers will be able walk the Mile of Style under a canopy of glittering lights whilst they seek out that special Christmas gift from the wide array of flagship stores along Regent Street, including Omega, Gant, Ferrari, Banana Republic, Armani Exchange, Anthropologie, Jaeger, Liberty, Apple and Michael Kors. Visitors can then extend the Christmas cheer in one of the many restaurants and bars on offer and even enjoy a cocktail with a roof top view of the lights at Aqua.

Released on 11th November 2011, the 3D, CGI-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas, an Aardman production for Sony Pictures Animation, reveals the incredible, never-before-seen answer to every child’s question: “So how does Santa deliver all those presents in one night?” The answer: Santa’s exhilarating, ultra-high-tech operation hidden beneath the North Pole. But at the heart of the film is a story with the ingredients of a Christmas classic – a family in a state of comic dysfunction and an unlikely hero: Santa’s youngest son, Arthur. When this amazing operation misses one child out of hundreds of millions, the least capable Claus embarks on a hilariously exciting rogue mission against the clock to deliver the last present before Christmas morning dawns.

Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation present an Aardman production, Arthur Christmas. Starring; James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, and Ashley Jensen. Directed by Sarah Smith. Produced by; Peter Lord, David Sproxton, Carla Shelley and Steve Pegram. Written by; Peter Baynham & Sarah Smith.

David Shaw, Head of Regent Street Portfolio at The Crown Estate, said: “With Sony Pictures and Aardman as our partner celebrating the release of Arthur Christmas, Regent Street’s Christmas lights switch-on this year will yet again signal the start of Christmas in the West End.”

ARTHUR CHRISTMAS will be released at cinemas nationwide by Sony Pictures Releasing on 11th November 2011

For further information on the Regent Street Christmas Lights switch-on, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: 020 7287 9601

REGENT STREET
The world class shopping destination of Regent Street was one of the first purpose built shopping streets in the world and today celebrates over 180 years of shopping.

Regent Street is undergoing a £1bn investment and has attracted many new flagship brands including Anthropologie, Gant, Apple, and Banana Republic as well as the finest toy shop in the world, Hamleys.

There are two main food quarters in Regent Street, Heddon Street and Swallow Street.
Visit regentstreetonline.com.

For further information and images of Regent Street and the Regent Street Christmas lights contact
Susie Howard or Lucia Ruz at Sister on 020 7 287-9601 or email [email protected] or [email protected].

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits, the 2011 hybrid live action/animated family blockbuster, The Smurfs (3D) and the 2009 mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (3D), with the family comedy Hotel Transylvania (3D) in Fall 2012. The division is also in production with Aardman Animations on two feature films, the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas (3D) in theaters November 2011 and the stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits (3D) in March 2012. Open Season 3, the third adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s successful Open Season franchise, was released on DVD and Blu-ray January 2011. In 2007, Surf’s Up received an Academy Award®-nomination for Best Animated Feature Film. Sony Pictures Animation is an operating unit of Sony Pictures Digital Productions.
• Website: http://www.sonypicturesanimation.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SONYPicturesAnimation
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/sonyanimation

ABOUT AARDMAN
Aardman, based in Bristol (UK), co-founded and run by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, is a world leader in animation. It produces feature films, television series and television commercials for both the domestic and international market. The studio has won over 400 international awards including 4 Oscars®.

Aardman’s highly creative stop-motion style and creative sensibilities have proven popular with critics and audiences around the world. In 2000, Chicken Run, their debut feature, took in nearly $225 million worldwide; since then, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit grossed nearly $200 million and Flushed Away, their first CG feature, earned $176million. All three films have achieved enormous critical acclaim, with the three films earning a total of 27 Annie Award nominations (the animation community’s highest honor). In addition, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was honored with the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. http://www.aardman.com. In addition to Arthur Christmas, Aardman is also in production on Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists.

HEART 106.2
Playing More Music Variety, Heart’s range shows and presenters include Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston & Harriet Scott, along with Toby Anstis, Emma Bunton and Jason Donovan. As well as the music, Heart proves up-to-the-minute local information with news bulletins throughout the day and the very latest traffic and travel information when you need it most. Heart also offers listeners access to the world’s biggest artists and bands, exclusive showbiz interviews, plus exciting money-can’t-buy competitions and giveaways from intimate gigs to worldwide holidays. Tune into Heart on 106.2 FM, digital and online at heart.co.uk