New York, NY – In an attempt to break the Guinness World Record® for Largest Toy Drive, Walden Media and Fox Walden have partnered with Toys For Tots© to collect over 12,000 pounds of toys. The record is determined by the most toys collected within a week as valued by total weight.

The drive comes timed to 20th Century Fox’s holiday release of Walden’s and Mandate Pictures’ magical family film Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. The film is written and directed by Zach Helm and stars Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman and Zach Mills. “What an incredibly special way to bring some of the magic from this movie off the screen and into the lives of children this holiday season,” stated star Natalie Portman. She continues, “I’m thrilled to be a part of an initiative that will bring happiness to so many children this holiday season.”

“Having Walden and the film as partners just felt really organic to what we strive to do every year with our toy drives,” commented Major Bill Grein, USMC (Ret), Vice President of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation on the toy drive. “We are very appreciative of their enthusiasm and commitment to our cause and are excited to watch them break the record.”

“Mr. Magorium himself could not have brought more unexpected smiles to kids all these years than Toys for Tots,” said Walden Media president Micheal Flaherty. “We are honored to play even a small role in helping this wonderful group spread the holiday spirit to kids around the nation.”

Special “toy chests” will be placed in movie theatres, schools, libraries, community centers and businesses throughout New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, and Washington DC. Each market has set a goal to collect at least 1200 pounds of toys. In addition to these ten markets, Fox Walden will conduct a web campaign allowing people across the country to “build a toy” online (www.magorium.com).

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium is the strangest, most fantastic, most wonderful toy store in the world. In fact, it’s a magic toy store and everything in it comes to life – including the store itself. The Emporium only asks one thing of its customers; you must believe it to see it.

A Walden Media and Mandate Pictures co-production, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium is written and directed by Zach Helm and stars Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Jason Bateman. Richard Gladstein and Jim Garavente (Helm’s producing partner) are producers, Mandate Pictures’ Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane are executive producers, and Barbara A. Hall is co-producer.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium hits theatres on November 16th and is rated G. www.magorium.com/toydrive

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