E1 has taken UK and DeaPlaneta has acquired Spanish rights to Astro Boy following a work-in-progress screening and marketing presentation by Summit Entertainment and Imagi Studios here.

Summit International has already pre-sold numerous territories on the adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s much loved Japanese project about a young robot’s quest to discover his identity.

Imagi and Summit presented distributors with a raft of merchandising and marketing materials and highlighted product tie-ins with the likes of McDonald’s and Kellogg’s as well as book, video game and even cake decoration ventures.

The new trailer will debut worldwide in July and the promotional push includes high profile events at the upcoming Comic-Con, Anime Expo and Licensing International Expo.

Summit International has coordinated a near day-and-date global launch to coincide with the North American release through Summit Entertainment on October 23. There are some strategic executions to this: Latin American territories will release the film in January. Kadokawa will release it day-and-date with North America.

“We have an incredible property here and the film is shaping up to become an extraordinary event,” Erin Corbett, president of Imagi Studios US and worldwide chief marketing officer, said. “Summit have been amazing partners throughout.”

David Bowers directed and Maryann Garger produced. The voice cast includes Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell, Nathan Lane, Eugene Levy, Bill Nighy, Donald Sutherland and Nicolas Cage.

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