WORLD’S MOST RENOWNED ANIMAL ACTOR RETURNS TO BIG SCREEN

New Benji Movie to Begin Production May 14, 2003

Repeating Formula for Worldwide Success of Original Benji Movies,
New Family Feature Film has been Privately Financed; will be Independently Produced and Distributed

March 19, 2003 -- Benji, one of the world’s most beloved canine actors, returns to theatres in the all-new family feature film Benji Returns: Rags to Riches (ultimately re-titled: Benji Off the Leash!). The announcement was made by producers Joe Camp and Margaret Loesch. Production will begin May 14, 2003 for a summer of 2004 release. Camp, Benji’s creator, has written and directed all previous Benji movies and will do so again for Benji Returns. Ms. Loesch is the founder and former Chairman of Fox Kids Network Worldwide and founding President & CEO of cable television’s Hallmark Channel.

All three previous Benji movies have been privately financed and all three have been in the top ten-percent of box office grosses for their year of release. The first two, including the original Benji, were distributed worldwide by Mulberry Square Releasing, who will manage distribution of Benji Returns.

In what Ms. Loesch describes as the most unique Benji movie yet, Benji Returns: Rags to Riches will explore the personalities of two dogs, not just one.

“Benji movies have all been told from the dog’s point of view,” said Camp. “Benji acts, expresses emotion, and is the three-dimensional character of each film; all without talking dogs, animation, or narration. But this time w e’ll be raising the bar on the Benji concept. Benji’s serious demeanor will be battered by a happy-go-lucky, unwanted side-kick who causes him nothing but trouble. They’re a very funny pair.”

Ms. Loesch, a virtual icon in the family entertainment business, added: “We’re very excited. It’s been a labor of love to put this picture together. It became apparent that this project needed the creative control that only comes with private financing and independent production. We want to maintain the integrity and high quality of the Benji tradition and deliver the Benji that parents and children around the world have come to know and love. In the new feature film, Benji is on a mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children and homeless animals.”

The original Benji was rescued from an animal shelter and the phenomenal success of the film resulted in an estimated one million pet adoptions nationwide according to American Humane vice-president Bob Roth. For that reason, Camp scoured the nation’s pet shelters in a four-month search to find the newest Benji star. After adopting three finalists and putting them through “Benji Boot Camp,” a floppy-eared female from a Mississippi shelter was selected.

“With all respect to our former Benji stars, the newest Benji is definitely the brightest of all,” said Camp.

The recent search generated more than 120,000,000 media exposures for the adoption efforts of shelters and rescue groups nationwide and spawned “Benji’s Buddies,” a partnership between Benji and American Humane. In conjunction with Benji Returns, “Benji's Buddies” is a cause-marketing program that will raise the profile and promote the adoption efforts of more than 5,000 animal shelters across the country. With support from national corporate sponsors, American Humane will launch Benji's Buddies during the summer of 2003.

Camp says the concept for the new movie bubbled up out of Benji’s own life. “When my wife and I were in New York to introduce our new hero on ABC’s Good Morning America, we were eating in the hotel room because Benji refused to be left alone. Apparently her abandonment on the streets of a small Mississippi town left lasting scars. She was stretched out on th e bed very pleased with herself for keeping us in the room, and Kathleen and I began to wonder what she had been through when she was out on the streets. How long had she been a stray? Why was she abandoned? And out came this story. The ‘could’ve been story’ of the new Benji. And a movie was born.”

Benji Returns: Rags to Riches is set in Mississippi and will be produced by Benji Returns LLC in association with Mulberry Square Productions. Joe Camp, president of Mulberry Square, has produced and/or directed six feature films and numerous television programs, two of which were nominated for Emmies. Ms. Loesch, an Emmy Award-winning producer, was the founding President and CEO of the general entertainment cable television network Hallmark Channel which now has 50 million subscribers. Prior to that she was the chief architect of the Fox Kids Networks, Worldwide, and its U.S. programming slate was the most successful children’s television network in the history of broadcasting.