Playtone and Reliance Entertainment plus Tom Hanks plus Yahoo! equals very exciting online storytelling news. The internet corporation with over 700 million users worldwide has secured the exclusive rights to bring Tom Hanks’ sci-fi adventure vision to their global audience.

International CES (Consumer Electronics Show) has released a press release today announcing that Yahoo!’s first foray into original scripted programming, will be as the exclusive online broadcast home for the multi-dimensional animated series “Electric City”.  Described as “a deeply immersive and interactive online experience,” the several part series will be shown beginning, and throughout 2012.

The plot of the online video series depicts our world in the future tense; in and out of rubble, immersed in secrets and lies, murder, underground dealings, and chases, and “Electric City” as a highlighted symbol of peace and security. It will touch on an array of relevant topical topics such as energy consumption, freedom of information, crime and punishment, and so forth.

“Electric City” aims to raise provoking questions about life and value systems through multilayered mysteries, unfolding storylines, and first of its kind multi-platform global community interaction.

What’s illustrated to uniting a vivid animation with an aggressively compelling score, the creative desire aims to guide audiences to continual guessing and reflection.

Yahoo!’s interactive and social features will allow viewers to:
o Navigate non-linearly and learn more about the world of “Electric City” through a 3-D interactive map
o Dig deeper into character back-stories and learn about the cast behind the characters’ voices
o Watch exclusive behind-the-scenes footage
o Post reactions and commentary directly to Facebook and Twitter
o Engage members of their social networks in discussions and debates about societal themes, events and characters and/or join the larger “Electric City” community discussion
o Engage in casual games and other content related to the series

The series will be complemented with special events, opportunities to interact with the cast and creators, and as a mark of true global availability, will be accessible via multiple devices, enabled for tablet and connected TV, and presented in many languages, including French and Spanish.