Disney Starsky & Hutch movie ties up with Five

Disney is linking up with Five for a high-profile programme of advertising and TV content to build anticipation for its forthcoming Starsky & Hutch movie.

Disney wants the action comedy to be its 'event' movie of the year and aims to take more than £20m at the UK box office. The movie, made by Disney subsidiary Miramax Dimension, will premiere on March 11.

Five will screen a Starsky & Hutch Day on Sunday March 14. The schedule will include a broadcast of the first episode of the TV series as well as other 70s-themed programming, such as Charlie's Angels.

Disney has also given Five the exclusive rights to a documentary on the making of Starsky & Hutch.

Five is planning its own promotional campaign for the programming strand.

In addition, Disney is spending £2.2m on advertising the movie, including TV ads and outdoor posters. Media is through Vizeum.

It has signed a further cross-promotional deal with an un-named national newspaper, which is expected to break in the next two weeks.

There will be a series of competitions to give away premiere tickets and the opportunity to win a Ford Torino, the distinctive car from the show.

Columbia Entertainment will release the original TV series of Starsky & Hutch on DVD on March 5.

Robert Mitchell, The Walt Disney Company's vice-president, marketing said the strategy was developed due to the match between the film and Five's audience profile.

"As well as older people who may watch the film for nostalgic reasons, we are promoting Starsky & Hutch to 15- to 30-year-olds. It is the best comedy we've had for three or four years and it has trendy appeal," he said.

On general release from March 19, the film is directed by Todd Phillips, director of Road Trip. It stars Ben Stiller as Starsky, Owen Wilson as Hutch, and hip-hop star Snoop Dogg as Huggy Bear.

The light-hearted movie is described by Mitchell as "like American Pie but more sophisticated".

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