Disney Channel Original Movie 'Girl vs. Monster' Bewitches Nearly 5 Million Viewers; 'Dog with a Blog' Draws 4.5 Million

[Via Disney Channel Press Release...]

DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE "GIRL VS. MONSTER" BEWITCHES NEARLY 5 MILLION TOTAL VIEWERS AND 3 MILLION KIDS 2-11

"Dog With a Blog" Premiere Speaks Volumes with 4.5 Million Total Viewers

The premiere of Disney Channel's "Girl Vs. Monster," part of the Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, delivered 4.9 million Total Viewers on Friday (8:00 p.m.). The premiere also delivered 2.8 million Kids 2-11, 2.2 million Kids 6-11 and 1.9 million Tweens, ranking as Friday’s #1 TV telecast across target kid demographics. “Girl Vs. Monster” built each half-hour, peaking with 5.6 million Total Viewers and 3.2 million Kids 2-11. The movie led into the strong debut of the sitcom "Dog With a Blog" (9:40 p.m.), which delivered 4.5 million Total Viewers, 2.6 million Kids 2-11, 2.1 million Kids 6-11 and 1.7 million Tweens. Its regular timeslot premiere is Sunday, November 4 (8:00 p.m.).

Along with the series finale of “Wizards of Waverly Place” (1/6/12), “Jessie’s” #1 telecast of all time (1/6/12), event ‘Special Delivery’ episode for “Good Luck Charlie” (6/24/12) and June DCOM “Let It Shine” (6/15/12), plus additional highly rated series telecasts, Disney Channel owns the year’s Top 8 scripted TV telecasts in Kids 2-11 (Top 8 across all cable TV). Furthermore, “Dog With a Blog” ranks as one of Disney Channel’s stronger series launches in recent history.

"Girl Vs. Monster" stars Olivia Holt (Disney XD’s “Kickin It’”), Kerris Dorsey (“Moneyball”), Brendan Meyer (Disney XD’s “Mr. Young”), Like Benward (Disney Channel's “Minutemen”), Katherine McNamara (“New Year’s Eve”), Adam Chambers (Disney Channel's “Good Luck Charlie”), Tracy Dawson (“Call Me Fritz”), Brian Palermo (Disney XD’s “Zeke and Luther”) and Jennifer Aspen (“GCB”) -- and follows the spook-tacular adventure of Skylar, a fearless 15-year-old singer who on Halloween discovers that she’s a fifth generation monster hunter.

Olivia Holt performed three of the movie’s pop songs which are available on Walt Disney Records compilation ‘Make Your Mark: Ultimate Playlist.’

Disney Channel Original Movies dominate ratings, accounting for the #1 cable TV movie in Total Viewers for six consecutive years (2006-11) and the #1 TV movie telecast among Tweens for 11 consecutive years. They are "Cadet Kelly," "The Cheetah Girls," "Halloweentown High," "Twitches," "The Cheetah Girls 2," "High School Musical 2," "Camp Rock," "Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie," "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam," "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension" and “Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas,” respectively. "Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension" is also cable television's #1 animated telecast of all time among Kids 2-11.

"Girl Vs. Monster" was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The story was written by Annie Young (“Princess Protection Program”) and the teleplay by DeYoung and Ron McGee (“The Nine Lives Of Chloe King”). The movie was directed by DGA winner and Emmy Award nominee Stuart Gillard (“Avalon High”) and executive-produced by Sheri Singer (“Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas”), with Tracey Jeffrey (“The Suite Life Movie”) as producer. “Girl vs. Monster” is a production of Bad Angel Productions, Ltd.

"Dog With a Blog" stars G Hannelius ("Den Brother," "Good Luck Charlie") as Avery, Blake Michael ("Lemonade Mouth") as Tyler, Francesca Capaldi ("A.N.T. Farm") as Chloe, Beth Littleford ("Crazy, Stupid Love," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart") as Ellen and Regan Burns ("Wizards of Waverly Place") as Bennett. Stephen Full ("I'm in the Band") voices Stan who is played by two talented canine performers, Kuma and Mick.

Disney Channel is a 24-hour kid-driven, family inclusive television network that taps into the world of kids and families through original series and movies. Currently available on basic cable in nearly 99 million U.S. homes and to millions of other viewers on Disney Channels around the world, Disney Channel is part of the Disney/ABC Television Group.

Source: NTI, early U.S. ratings, 10/12/12. 2012 to date: 12/26/10 – 10/11/12.

Katherine McNamara talks about Disney Channel Movie “Girl Vs. Monster and Disney XD’s “Kickin’ It”

[Via mediamikes.com...]

Katherine McNamara is co-starring in Disney Channel Movie of the week “Girl Vs. Monster”, which premieres on October 12th.  Katherine is also a recurring cast member on Disney XD’s “Kickin’ It”.  Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Katherine about her new roles and also what she has planned next like ”Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn” next year.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about making you Disney Channel Movie of the week debut in “Girl Vs. Monster” Katherine McNamara: I am just so excited for this movie. Being on the Disney Channel has been a dream of mine. It is really thrilling for me, especially on a movie like this. It is your quintessential Halloween movie, in my opinion. There is action, adventure, Halloween spooks and scares, special effects, stunts, a little bit of romance and lots of great music that everyone is going to love. I got to work with such talented and wonderful people on this movie. I just feel so blessed and lucky to be able to work on such a great project.

MG: Give us some background on your character Myra? KM: She is a really interesting character. I really get to play like three different characters in the movie since she goes through such a wide metamorphosis. The first she is the stereotypic mean high school girl. She is very conniving and narcissistic. She also has this huge rivalry with the main character Skylar Lewis (played by Olivia Holt). The next phase she gets possessed by a monster about half way through. That was really interesting because my character gets a complete makeover both physical and personality-wise. Towards the end of the movie, she realizes the error of her ways, if you will, and becomes a nice person and friend of the Skylar.

MG: What was the highlight of working on this film?
KM: There are so many wonderful things. I think it would have to be the music and the wonderful lifetime friendships I have made. Everyone on the film was just incredible, the cast and crew. We all got very close and spent literally every moment together. We just had the most phenomenal time together. Also music is such a passion of mine and I got to sing on a couple of the songs in the film. It is really wonderful. The music is really so great.

MG: Also tell us about playing Claire on Disney XD’s “Kickin’ It”? KM: ”Kickin’ It” is such a great show. One of my good friends, Dylan Snyder, is one the show. He introduced me to the cast, visit the set and hang out before Claire was even a distant thought in the minds of the writers. Eventually when this audition came up, I was so excited. Getting to work with your friends is better than anything. When I booked the role it was just a guest star but now it is recurring. It is a dream comes true. I love that show.

MG: You are playing Becky Thatcher in “Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn” next year, tell us about that film?

KM: The Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn story is very near and dear to my heart my whole life. I grew up in Missouri just a few hours from where the stories are set. So getting an opportunity to play such an iconic character is really an honor for me. Also to get to work with great talent like Joel Courtney and Jake T. Austin was just icing on the cake for me. We filmed it in Bulgaria, which is such an amazing and beautiful place. It was my first time out of the US and I loved every minute of it. I learned so much and it was so different. I got another lifelong friendship out of that film. Joel and I are completely inseparably.

 MG: You are non-stop working, Flash forward to next summer you have “Contest”, can you tell us about that project?

KM: I just have to say, I feel so blessed being able to work so much. It is something I love doing. I just want to keep working, which is how I will learn and grow. “Contest” was such an amazing film. It is with Danny Flaherty from “Skins” and Kenton Duty from “Shake it Up”. It is about bullying and is a really great story that needs to be heard. Bullying has become such an epidemic and almost like the norm in school and kids to expect it. It is not acceptable. I have been through so much bullying in my life and I don’t think any kid should have to experience that. So, I am hoping that this movie will bring some awareness to this issue and its effects.