LOVE CAN DRIVE A KID CRAZY! MARK & RUSSELL’S WILD RIDE PREMIERES NOVEMBER 27 ON FAMILY

New movie stars fan-favourites Joey Bragg and Sean Giambrone 

Toronto, ON – 10 November 2015 – This November, true love is only a driver’s test away with the premiere of the hilarious new movie Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride. Starring Joey Bragg (Liv and Maddie) and Sean Giambrone (The Goldbergs) as best friends Mark and Russell, the madcap comedy follows the two best friends as they embark on a crazy adventure through their town. The fast-paced flick debuts on Family Channel on Friday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, headlining an exciting evening of must-see TV that kicks off at 5 p.m. ET/PT with brand new episodes of Hank Zipzer, AwesomenessTV and The Next Step.

MARK & RUSSELL'S WILD RIDE - Disney Channel's Joey Bragg ("Liv and Maddie") and ABC's Sean Giambrone ("The Goldbergs") star in the comedic adventure "Mark & Russell's Wild Ride," an original movie premiering MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23 on Disney XD at 8:30 p.m., ET/PT, immediately following a brand new episode of "Gravity Falls." (MarVista Entertainment/David Bukach) JOEY BRAGG, SEAN GIAMBRONE, CHRISTOPHER GAUTHIER

Joey Bragg and Sean Giambrone star in Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride premiering November 27.
For artwork and series information, please visit http://press.family.ca

Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride centres around Mark (Bragg), a lovesick teen who ropes his trusted sidekick Russell (Giambrone) into a wacky scheme to ace his driver’s test so he can impress the girl of his dreams. Mark is ecstatic when Ashley, the most popular girl in school, asks him for a ride to an exclusive pool party. There’s only one problem – he still hasn’t passed his driver’s test! Determined not to miss his chance to impress her, Mark books the test with Glenn (Chris Gauthier, Once Upon a Time), a notoriously good-natured DMV instructor known for his easy passes. But when Glenn learns that his wife is leaving him, he is too distraught to complete Mark’s test. Left with no other way to get his driver’s license, Mark and Russell embark on a cross-town adventure with Glenn to help him win his wife back.

Filmed in and around around Victoria, B.C., Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride also stars a remarkably talented cast of Canucks including: Tiera Skovbye (The Unauthorized Saved by the Bell Story) as Mark’s crush Ashley; Nicole Muñoz (Defiance) as Angela, an unexpected ally to Mark’s cause; and Kurt Ostlund (Mr. Young) as another young driver who complicates Mark’s pursuit of a license. Chris Gauthier (Once Upon a Time) plays DMV instructor Glenn.

Part of Family Channel’s non-stop Friday night lineup, Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride headlines a dedicated evening of can’t-miss programming designed with the entire family in mind. The fun begins at 5 p.m. ET/PT with all-new episodes of Hank Zipzer and AwesomenessTV. Fans of the hit series The Next Step won’t want to miss out on the dancing – or the drama – as the competition heats up in the quarter-final round of Internationals in a brand new episode at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

The wild ride continues at Family.ca where fans can learn more about the movie and its characters and get a sneak peek of the film ahead of its premiere. Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride debuts on Family OnDemand as of Friday, December 4.

Mark & Russell’s Wild Ride is directed by Jon Rosenbaum (Mighty Med) from a script written by David McHugh and Matthew Flanagan (Late Show with David Letterman). The movie is produced by Kim Arnott (Radio Rebel, The Haunting Hour), who also serves as an executive producer. MarVista Entertainment Chief Executive Officer Fernando Szew (A Deadly Adoption, Perfect Match), Executive Vice President, Production and Development, Robyn Snyder (16 Wishes, House of Versace), and Vice President, Production and Development, Larry Grimaldi (Next X) also serve as executive producers.

Founded in 2003, Los Angeles-based MarVista Entertainment is a leading independent entertainment studio that produces, acquires and distributes premium film and television content worldwide.  With a library showcasing nearly 2,500 hours of content, and with approximately 40 new movies per year added to the company’s distribution pipeline, MarVista has become one of the largest suppliers of movies to the worldwide marketplace. MarVista has an expansive distribution footprint spanning more than 125 global territories, and has grown to become a pre-eminent supplier of programming to major cable networks in the U.S., including Disney Channel/Disney XD, Lifetime, Hallmark Channel, NBC Universal, Nickelodeon and MTV Networks, as well as key international broadcasters, cable networks and digital platforms.  

Two 4 The Money Media, a Vancouver, Canada-based independent production company, founded by Kim Arnott in April 2010, has produced an abundance of interesting material. Arnott has served as the executive producer on movies of the week like Seattle Superstorm, Radio Rebel and Stonados. She expertly shepherded R. L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour into its fourth season for The Hub Network, winning the 2013 Emmy for “Outstanding Children’s Series”. She serves as a co-executive producer on CTV’s new half-hour comedy, Spun Out and has also tried her hand at horror, producing Grave Encounters 2 and Visitors, the latest Vicious Brothers film. Arnott recently partnered with Really Real Films to produce If I Had Wings, a heartwarming indie feature six years in the making. Arnott has vast experience in Canadian content productions, international co-productions and is an authority on both Canadian federal and provincial tax credits. Arnott continues to collaborate with other producers, including Trish Dolman’s company, Screen Siren Pictures, where she worked on Foreverland, Daydream Nation and Hector and the Search for Happiness.

Family Channel offers the best in family television entertainment in a premium, commercial-free environment. Dedicated to celebrating family life and providing a daily vacation for children and their families, Family airs a unique mix of top-rated Canadian and acquired series, movies and specials. Family Channel subscribers also have access to Family OnDemand and Family Online at no additional cost, to see hit movies and series when they want them, where they want them. Visit us at Family.ca.

DHX Television is comprised of Family Channel, Family CHRGD, Family Jr. and Télémagino, and is part of DHX Media Ltd., a leading creator, producer, marketer and broadcaster of family entertainment. Dedicated to celebrating family fun, DHX Television delivers best-in-class programming through premium subscriptions and its original production mandate, and creates and produces captivating in-market events that appeal to Canadian families. DHX Television is home to world-renowned series including The Next Step, Degrassi: Next Class and Teletubbies. DHX Media Ltd. has offices globally, and is traded on the NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchange.

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For additional information please contact:

Joanna Landsberg
Publicist – DHX Television
joanna.landsberg@dhxmedia.com
416.977.7458