Universal City, Calif. and New York, NY, January 27, 2025 — DreamWorks Animation and Scholastic announce that on January 31, the Empire State Building will light up New York City’s skyline in blue and yellow, the iconic colors of Dog Man, the canine superhero character created by author and illustrator Dav Pilkey and beloved by kids and families around the world. The event celebrates the same-day theatrical release of DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man, the animated event film adapted from Pilkey’s #1 global bestselling graphic novel series published by Scholastic.  

 

On Friday, January 31, at 9:30 a.m., star Pete Davidson, who voices the character of supervillain Petey the Cat in the film, and Dog Man creator Dav Pilkey will participate in a lighting ceremony at the Observatory, the #1 attraction in the World in Tripadvisor’s 2024 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do, and #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year. At the ceremony, a model of the Empire State Building will light up in the signature colors of Dog Man’s police uniform: blue and yellow. That evening, the Empire State Building itself will be illuminated. 

 

Following the ceremony, Davidson and Pilkey will participate in a series of exclusive photo opportunities throughout the building’s renowned Observatory Experience, which include the building’s second floor museum and iconic 86th Floor Observatory. Scholastic will host a pop-up on the 86th Floor for Pilkey to sign copies of his phenomenally popular Dog Man books. The pop-up will also feature free book giveaways, superhero capes and masks, and other official Dog Man products, all complimentary to ticketholders from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. (available while supplies last). More information about the Empire State Building and tickets can be found online.

 

Dog Man celebrates creativity and imagination and explores universally positive messages including the importance of doing good and striving to become a better version of one’s self. Launched in 2016 by Dav Pilkey—the #1 global bestselling author and award-winning illustrator of the Captain Underpants books—the Dog Man series published by Scholastic has more than 60 million books in print, translated into 47 languages, and has earned a place among the bestselling graphic novel series of all time. Cat Kid Comic Club, a spin-off of Dog Man launched in 2020, has also topped bestseller lists around the world. The most recent Dog Man book, Dog Man: The Scarlet Shedder, was overall the #1 bestselling children’s book in the U.S. in 2024. Pilkey’s newest book in the Dog Man Series, Dog Man: Big Jim Begins, was released on December 3, 2024 and clinched the #1 spot on bestseller lists around the world. 

 

DreamWorks Animation’s Dog Man brings Pilkey’s beloved characters to life in an epic animated adventure, following a part-dog, part-human police officer who must protect his city while discovering valuable lessons about family, friendship and the power of second chances. Dog Man is directed by Emmy winner Peter Hastings (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants, Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness). The film’s all-star voice cast includes Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Poppy Liu, Emmy nominee Stephen Root, Billy Boyd  and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Ricky Gervais.

 

The Empire State Building lighting ceremony launches the nationwide theatrical release of Dog Man from DreamWorks Animation, the creators of many of the world’s most beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon and Kung Fu Panda, among many others.

 

The Empire State Building has been New York City’s most celebrated landmark for nearly a century. Since its completion in 1931, the architectural marvel’s tower lights have commemorated the world’s most significant moments, from historic milestones to cultural celebrations. Named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers, the building welcomes millions of visitors to its Observatory Experience each year, while its magnificent light displays continue to define the city’s skyline.

 

 

Scholastic: Charisse Meloto/VP Global Brands, cmeloto@scholastic.com  

Universal/DreamWorks Animation: Sam Duarte, Samantha.duarte@nbcuni.com

 

 

From DreamWorks Animation—creators of the beloved blockbuster franchises Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon and The Boss Baby—comes the canine-crime-fighting film adaptation of Dav Pilkey’s New York Times bestselling literary phenomenon. When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner are injured together on the job, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born. As Dog Man embraces his new identity and strives to impress his Chief, he must stop the pretty evil plots of feline supervillain Petey the Cat. But when Petey’s clone, Lil Petey, falls into the clutches of a common enemy, Dog Man and Petey join forces in an action-packed race against time to rescue the young kitten.

 

 

For more than 100 years, Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) has been meeting children where they are – at school, at home and in their communities – by creating quality content and experiences, all beginning with literacy. Scholastic delivers stories, characters, and learning moments that empower all kids to become lifelong readers and learners through bestselling children’s books, literacy- and knowledge-building resources for schools including classroom magazines, and award-winning, entertaining children's media. As the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books through school-based book clubs and book fairs, classroom libraries, school and public libraries, retail, and online, and with a global reach into more than 135 countries, Scholastic encourages the personal and intellectual growth of all children, while nurturing a lifelong relationship with reading, themselves, and the world around them. Learn more at www.scholastic.com

 

DreamWorks Animation (DWA), a division of the Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, within NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, is a global family entertainment company with feature film and television brands. The company’s deep portfolio of intellectual property is supported by a robust, worldwide consumer products practice, which includes licensing, and location-based entertainment venues around the world. DWA’s feature film heritage includes many of the world’s most beloved characters and franchises, including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Spirit, Trolls, The Boss Baby and 2022’s The Bad Guys and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish have amassed more than $16 billion in global box office receipts. DreamWorks Animation’s television studio is one of the world’s leading producers of high-quality, animated family programming, reaching consumers in more than 190 countries with a diverse array of award-winning original content through streaming and linear broadcasters. 

 

 

The Empire State Building, the “World's Most Famous Building," owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (ESRT: NYSE), soars 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan from base to antenna. The $165 million reimagination of the Empire State Building Observatory Experience created an all-new experience with a dedicated guest entrance, an interactive museum with nine galleries, and a redesigned 102nd Floor Observatory with floor-to-ceiling windows. The journey to the world-famous 86th Floor Observatory, the only 360-degree, open-air observatory with views of New York and beyond, orients visitors for their entire New York City experience and covers everything from the building's iconic history to its current place in pop culture. The Empire State Building Observatory Experience welcomes millions of visitors each year and was declared the #1 Attraction in the World – and #1 Attraction in the U.S. for the third consecutive year – in Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Things to Do, "America's Favorite Building" by the American Institute of Architects, the world's most popular travel destination by Uber, and the #1 New York City attraction in Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel List.   

  

Since 2011, the building has been fully powered by renewable wind electricity, and its many floors house a diverse array of office tenants such as LinkedIn and Shutterstock, as well as retail options like STATE Grill and Bar, Tacombi, and Starbucks. For more information and Observatory Experience tickets visit esbnyc.com or follow the building's Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Weibo, YouTube, or TikTok.