'anastasia' In $100 Mil Push

In an effort to outperform the moderate theatrical success of animated feature "Anastasia," 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will mount a $100 million marketing campaign, its biggest ever, for the movie's April 28 home video release.

"We want to have the movie fulfill its potential," said Bill Mechanic, chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment, noting that many families did not get a chance to see "Anastasia" as it got pinched off available screens in a crowded holiday movie marketplace.

Mechanic expects the video to outperform regular expectations based on theatrical grosses. He characterized "Anastasia's" $56 million U.S. boxoffice gross as "pretty successful," but said the movie was "100% successful" creatively and in terms of turning a profit. "Anastasia" was the most successful non-Disney, cel-animated family feature ever, and it established Fox as a viable studio producer of quality animated films on par with Disney in the minds of moviegoers.

While she was not specific, acting TCFHE president Pat Wyatt said she expects "Anastasia's" video release to sell "in the double digits," or in excess of 10 million units -- about the same number of videos Disney's "Hercules" sold last year after grossing $100 million in theaters, nearly twice "Anastasia's" boxoffice.

Overseas theatrical grosses for "Anastasia" will double its domestic gross, Mechanic predicted. So far, the movie has grossed $13 million in limited release in Latin America and South Korea.

Sales of more than 10 million units would put "Anastasia" in the neighborhood of Fox's "Home Alone" and "Mrs. Doubtfire" but well behind the studio's best-selling titles, "Independence Day" (17 million) and the special edition "Star Wars" trilogy (19 million combined individual units/6 million triple packs), which benefited last year from what were then Fox's biggest video marketing campaigns. It would also fall well short of sales of Disney's animated features, six of which have sold 20 million-30 million units each and more than a dozen of which have sold more than 10 million units.

Wyatt said Fox is investing big in "Anastasia" because its success is critical to the studio's ongoing animation efforts. "Anastasia" was the first film from Fox's new animation studio in Arizona; "Planet Ice" is in the works for theatrical release in about two years. "Fox wants to make a statement that we are in the animation business," Wyatt said.

Wyatt, who as president of 20th Century Fox licensing and merchandising oversaw the enormous merchandising and promotion campaign for "Anastasia's" theatrical release last fall, said the studio has enlisted an entirely new roster of cross-promotional partners for the video, including Denny's, Continental Airlines, Alamo Rent-a-Car, Ramada Inn and Smuckers.

She also said an extra push is needed to single out "Anastasia" ($26.98 suggested retail) from the multitude of sale-priced videos.

"We need a strong campaign to cut through the clutter," Wyatt said.

Just as Disney rereleased its "The Little Mermaid" in advance of "Anastasia" at theaters last year, "Little Mermaid" -- which generated less than half of "Anastasia's" boxoffice in rerelease -- will come to video a month ahead of "Anastasia," on March 31.

Wyatt said Fox chose April 28 as "Anastasia's" release date because there could be little competition in children's and family sell-through after that date. The only potentially competitive titles that have been announced are Disney's live-action "Flubber" (April 21) and Disney's animated, made-for-video sequel "The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars" (May 19).

Wyatt added that Fox research shows that in VCR households with children under 11, positive purchase intent for "Anastasia" is higher than for "The Little Mermaid" and "Flubber."

Fox will also promote "Anastasia" across other studio-owned properties, including Fox Kids Network, Fox Family Channel, Fox Interactive and HarperCollins.

Among offers tied to the video's purchase will be a $5 rebate and a choice of one of four free toys -- a toy train and track, a talking bat toy, a plush Pooka dog or a doll.