Mattel subsidiary HIT Entertainment has unveiled the latest adventure for Thomas & Friends. The lovable tank engine will be featured in a CGI Thomas & Friends movie called Tale of The Brave.

The new movie is set for DVD release on September 1 in the UK, on digital HD on September 9, and on Blu-ray on September 16 in the US and Canada through Universal Studios Home Entertainment. It’s set to roll out across other regions, including Australia, Germany, Benelux, Mexico and Brazil by the end of 2014.

Tale of The Brave showcases the engines on a journey to discover what it truly means to be brave. The 60-minute movie is the first under direction of BAFTA-award winning producer Michael Carrington.

To support the preschool movie’s release, Fisher-Price, Mega Bloks, and licensees around the world, including Ravensburger, Random House and Egmont, will create 27 tie-in Tale of the Brave consumer products. The products will span toys, books, games, engines, construction sets, apparel, bedding and accessories.

In addition, a dedicated Tale of the Brave microsite is set to launch globally in August. This site will feature new games, printable activities, video previews and character reveals.

Thomas & Friends is the number-one license in the preschool toys category in the UK and US, according to The NPD Group.  The popularity of the brand continues as Thomas & Friends has ranked in the top 10 for overall top toy licenses in the US and UK, and also holds the number-one preschool toy license in Germany and Australia.