-By Mike Beirne

The castle is getting crowded. ICEE and Sylvan Learning are the latest marketing partners to sign on with upcoming kids film Igor. The MGM animated film, which hits theaters Sept. 19, is about a hunchback who dreams of winning the annual "Evil Science Fair."

Sylvan, Baltimore, will play off the plot with its "Can you help get Igor to the Science Fair" promotion. This reading contest for elementary school students will be hosted on BookAdventure.com. Winners will get to go to Space Camp and Aviation Challenge in Huntsville, Ala.

Ice cream and slush manufacturer ICEE, Ontario, Calif., will create a special Igor flavor. It is also running a sweepstakes leading up to the film for a chance to attend the Space Camp and Aviation Challenge.

Sylvan and ICEE join CKE Restaurants. Next month, Igor toys will appear in its Carl's Jr. and Hardee's "Cool Kids Combos" at more than 3,000 locations. In-store displays and an online will support. McDonald's will offer Igor Happy Meal toys in the U.K. and Ireland

Legacy Interactive is on board with Wii and Playstation versions of the Igor videogames.
Other licensees include publisher Simon & Schuster, trading card company Upper Deck, comic book publisher IDW and an array of manufacturers of interactive story books, bobble heads, candy and apparel.

The movie, which is distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, features the voices of Christian Slater, John Cleese, Molly Shannon and John Cusack as the underestimated hunchback whose science fair project idea is stolen.