MUMBAI: US broadcaster HBO and American Girl a direct marketer, children’s publisher and experiential retailer, have entered into an overall relationship to develop a variety of multi-platform ventures including theatrical films, series, specials and documentaries.

The first project to be greenlit by HBO Films will be an American Girl live-action theatrical film based on the popular historical character Kit Kittredge. The film will tell the story of the clever and resourceful Kit Kittredge, a nine-year-old girl growing up in 1934 during America’s Great Depression. HBO Films senior VP Julie Goldstein is the executive in charge of the production, which is scheduled to go into production this summer.

HBO Films president Colin Callender says, "We are thrilled to be working with Ellen Brothers and the team at American Girl, whose brand has become an extraordinary phenomenon in recent years.

"This is an unprecedented opportunity to align the forces of both the HBO and American Girl brands in a groundbreaking collaboration that will enable us to take advantage of the rapidly expanding, multi-platform, multi-faceted promotional opportunities spanning all areas of distribution."