Silvergate Media Opens ‘Octonauts’ Attraction in Shanghai

Patrick Frater
·2 min read

Sony’s U.K. and U.S.-based Silvergate Media has opened an “Octonauts”-themed attraction within the Changfeng Ocean World theme park in Shanghai. Ocean World is backed by the U.K.’s Merlin Entertainments and is part of the Sea Life global aquariums chain.

Originally set to have opened in June last year, the “Octonauts” attraction finally opened on Dec. 28, 2020.

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The attraction includes a fully-submerged Octopod capsule within Merlin Entertainment’s ‘Ray Bay’ experience at Ocean World. Visitors to the new attraction can join their favorite characters including Captain Barnacles, Kwazii and Peso. They can learn about the world’s oceans and help save baby rays. It is now forecast to attract 500,000 visitors annually.

The attraction’s opening loosely coincides with the Jan. 8, 2021 Chinese theatrical outing of animated movie “The Octonauts: The Ring of Fire,” which is backed by Silvergate and China’s Wanda Pictures. The movie earned $5.46 million (RMB35.8 million) in its first seven days in Chinese cinemas and is currently also available on Netflix in the rest of the world.

The “Octonauts” series targeting pre-school and kids audiences was hatched by a creative team that is mostly based in New York and Los Angeles, with commercial activity run out of London. Silvergate also makes the “Peter Rabbit” animated series and Nick Jr. show “Sunny Day.”

The company announced the launch of the theme park roughly a year after it teamed with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV to co-produce Season 5 of “Octonauts.” It subsequently contracted with Wanda for two movies.

Silvergate now says that a new spin-off series “Octonauts: Above & Beyond” will debut in the fourth quarter of 2021, with licensing partners to be announced shortly.

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