Fans have gone wild for the new Barbie movie trailer, which has already racked up nearly 7m views since landing yesterday.

Warner Bros. has released its highly anticipated full trailer for the upcoming Barbie movie, which arrives in cinemas 21st July.

Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, the movie is a satirical take on the iconic fashion doll, directed by Greta Gerwig and based on a script she wrote with Noah Baumbach. The new 2.48 trailer – which follows the release of the first teaser trailer back in December and the second in April this year – sheds more light on the plot of the film, which sees Barbie expelled from Barbieland for being a less than perfect-looking doll. Accompanied by an enthusiastic yet similarly naïve Ken, Barbie sets off for the human world to find true happiness.

In the trailer, Ken is sexist to a female doctor, while Barbie ruins a choreographed dance party with a deep and meaningful question, has to choose between a high heel and a Birkenstock, goes skateboarding in California, punches someone in the face, gets arrested, is involved in a car chase, and, worst of all – develops flat feet. The trailer also pays homage to Ruth Mosko Handler, the designer of Barbie.

Fans have gone wild for the new trailer, which has done nothing but ramp up excitement for the July movie launch. Alongside Margot and Ryan, the cast of the film also includes as Will Ferrell, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, America Ferrera, Ncuti Gatwa, Emerald Fennell, Rhea Perlman and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

The trailer release was accompanied by news of the official movie soundtrack, Barbie: The Album. The first single, Dua Lipa’s ‘Dance the Night’, drops later today. The full album can be pre-ordered here.

The Pokémon Company International is firing up its tour bus for a Pokémon May half-term tour at select Smyths Toys Superstores.

Kicking off 27th May, the party tour will visit stores in Hedge End, Milton Keynes, Norwich, Mansfield, York, Hull and Leeds. A variety of exciting Pokémon activities will be on hand, including face-painting, a colouring wall, free giveaways, visits from Pikachu and photo opportunities.

Shoppers will be able to browse a diverse range of Pokémon products, including Pokémon TCG items like the exclusive Shaymin VSTAR Premium Collection and Darkrai VSTAR Premium Collection; new additions to Jazwares’ toy line, including plush of Pokémon from the Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet video games – Sprigatito, Fuecoco and Quaxly, as well as Pikachu; and a new wave of plush from the Squishmallows and Pokémon collaboration. Additional products include Pokémon Funko Pop! figures and a range of Abysse products, including Pokémon breakfast and gift sets.

“We are thrilled to celebrate our strong and successful relationship with Smyths Toys with this exciting new Pokémon May Half-Term Tour,” said Simon Benton, vice president of TCG sales for The Pokémon Company International. “We are always looking at new ways to engage with customers, and with our Pokémon bus, a host of Pokémon product and a range of fun activities on offer, we hope to provide an inspiring and engaging experience that will encourage Pokémon fans old and new to come and join the party.”

The tour will visit Smyths Toys Superstore in Hedge End on 27 May, Milton Keynes on 28 May, Norwich on 29 May, Mansfield on 30 May, York on 31 May, Hull on 1 June and Leeds on 2 June.

Tonies has announced a new partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to provide a series of superheroes from the DC Universe for its award-winning Toniebox.

Tonies is the innovative and award-winning audio system for children aged three and up. Consisting of the Toniebox and the matching Tonies audio figurines, the system makes audio content touchable and enables a completely new kind of listening experience: “audio play”.

Markus Langer, chief content officer at Tonies, said: “We could not be more excited that DC is now joining the Tonies family. Beloved characters such as Batman and Wonder Woman will be available as Tonies figurines soon. This is a fantastic enrichment to our portfolio. I cannot wait for all the little ones around the world to listen to these great stories.”

The deal covers all rights for Tonies’ main markets. The start of the new partnership will feature a Batman figurine, which will be released for Tonieboxes in June 2023 in the US and UK. In the DACH region, the first figurines will not appear until 2024. The age recommendation for the majority of the DC-Tonies will be four years and up.

Philippe Roucoule, vice president EMEA Category & Retail Business Development at Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, adds: “We are delighted to bring DC Super Heroes to kids around the world via Tonies. It is a new way for many children to discover our characters and their fantastic stories. For some children, it might be their first contact ever with our DC universe, and we are thrilled to make new fans among the little ones.”

Bing and his Friends at the Cinema, a specially-produced cinema experience is set to entertain young children and their families in the Netherlands and Poland this summer. 

The experience features episodes of the multi-award-winning animation Bing along with exclusive additional animation.

“We are immensely proud that our feature-length Bing presentations are selected by so many families as a way to introduce their toddlers to the cinema,” said Jodie Morris, chief content distribution officer. “We’re confident that families in the Netherlands and Poland, both very strong countries for Bing, will absolutely love our latest release. Bing and his Friends at the Cinema features brand new interactive moments alongside some of our best-loved episodes and has been lovingly created to keep young children engaged and entertained as they find a new way to explore Bing’s world.”

Dutch Bing fans will be able to see the release from 24th May. It will be distributed by In the Air, to over 120 cinemas across the Netherlands including screens at The Vue, Pathé and Kinepolis chains. On the 21st  May, audiences which attended Vue MiniMornings or Pathé’s and Kinepolis’ Kleuterbios screenings were able to preview the special feature. On the same day, The Vue hosted a premiere event for the presentation at its Hilversum cinema, which included face painting and a meet and greet with Bing.

In Poland, the feature will be released by Ferment across all 44 locations of the cinema chain, Multikino on 17th June.

“Few pre-school properties have made an impact in Poland quite like Bing, and Polish families cannot get enough of it,” said Sebastian Wojna, head of Marketing at Multikino. “I am sure that, going by the strong love of Bing in Poland as well as the success we have already seen for Bing in cinemas, that Bing and his Friends at the Cinema will do very well indeed,”

In addition to the Polish premiere, there will be more Bing on the big screen in Poland as monthly screenings of Bing at Helios cinemas across Poland have now been extended into August. Coordinated by Polish free to air channel Puls Kids, in partnership with Acamar Films, cinema screenings of Bing episodes have been a part of Helios’ Filmowe Poranki screening programme for children and their families since September 2022. The screenings feature a selection of Bing episodes from the 104 that are available in Poland as well as pre-screening activities such as competitions, colouring, games and entertainment by local performers. The initial engagement, originally scheduled to run for three months, will now run for a year due to demand from Polish families.

Bing and his Friends at the Cinema is one of four specially produced Bing cinema packages and first premiered in the UK in 2019, followed by Bing’s Christmas and Other Stories and Bing’s Animal Stories. The latter projects have been localised into Polish, Dutch and Italian.

DeAgostini, a premier European collectibles brand, brings to life the house from the classic children’s books and comics by Tove and Lars Jansson, with the US launch of the Moominhouse modelling subscription.

Collectors are invited to celebrate the adventures of Moomintroll and his family and construct their signature Moominhouse and collect figurines of Moomintroll, Moominpappa and Moominmamma, Snufkin, Little My and many more.

The Moominhouse is the home of the Moomins, some of the best-known storybook characters in the world. Each month, subscribers can bring a different part of the house to life in an easy-to-build model. The licensing of this franchise was facilitated by Rights & Brands (R&B), a comprehensive licensing and publishing agency bringing Scandinavian rights and brands – within art, design and literature – to a global arena.

The legendary home of the lovable Moomin family is reproduced down to the smallest detail and stands nearly 27 inches tall by 14 inches wide. A removable roof and walls allow builders to enjoy the exterior and interior from all angles and there are realistic home furnishings including furniture, decorations and accessories. A special premium offer delivers bonus figures of Hemulen and Mymble, Fillyjonk and the Hattifatteners, Too-Ticky and the Bridge, Snork and the Well, a Mailbox and The Groke, and Stinky and the decorative Mat.

The Moominhouse subscription, by DeAgostini, is a great activity for the entire family. Creating and decorating the Moominhouse will stimulate the imaginations of builders of all ages and encourage them to discover the timeless Moomin books. The adorable cast of these stories comes to life with step-by-step instructions and new parts delivered monthly to subscribers, along with a special full-colour monthly magazine packed with stories and background on the magical world of the Moomins.

Julian Moon, head of Consumer Products EMEA & Asia Pacific, Warner Bros. Discovery Consumer Products, received the very first 100 years of Warner Bros. commemorative coin during anniversary concert in Amsterdam.  

Created by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Themed Entertainment and Fever, the leading entertainment discovery platform, Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros is an international concert series dedicated to the iconic films, music and magical moments of the Warner Bros. legacy, celebrating 100 years of storytelling that has entertained audiences around the world since 1923. The Candlelight: 100 Years of Warner Bros. concert series will also take place in Rotterdam on 21st October.

The Royal Dutch Mint is striking the commemorative coin, commissioned by the Central Bank of Malta.​

Warner Bros. was founded by Albert, Sam, Harry and Jack Warner and incorporated in 1923. Today, the studio is home to one of the most successful collections of brands in the world and stands at the forefront of every aspect of the entertainment industry. Warner Bros. is also home to one of the most diverse portfolios of franchises in the world, including Looney Tunes, Wizarding World, DC, Friends, Hanna-Barbera and many more.

The Malta coin commemorating 100 years of Warner Bros comes in the shape of one of the first logos used by Warner Bros., on which the shield has a clear black outlining. The obverse of the shield contains an image of the former Warner Bros. building on the top. Below, the letters W-B are visible: Warner Bros. The reverse of the shield depicts the coat-of-arms of the Central Bank of Malta. This commemorative coin has a face-value of 5 euros.

The ‘100 Years of Warner Bros.’ commemorative coin can be purchased directly from the Royal Dutch Mint website.

MGA Entertainment and TutoToons have announced the release of L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Fashion Club, a new multiplayer fashion and styling game set in the world of L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls.

L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Fashion Club will let players enter a digital L.O.L. Surprise! universe where they can explore, style and create looks on their favourite L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. dolls together with friends. Participation in multiplayer styling competitions will unlock rewards such as exclusive virtual items including outfits, hairstyles and makeup, and players can create their own styles while being inspired by activities like runway shows, fashion challenges, dress-up games and more.

The close collaboration between MGA Entertainment and TutoToons has been essential in developing this entertaining game that blends elements of fashion and lifestyle gaming into a single experience. As players explore their personal sense of style through creative activities like dress up, makeover and hair styling sessions – all under the guidance of their favourite L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. characters – they can build confidence in self-expression through play.

“L.O.L. Surprise! has been a global sensation since we launched nearly seven years ago and continues to be a favourite of kids around the world today,” said Isaac Larian, CEO and founder, MGA Entertainment. “Our goal is to directly engage with new and existing fans through extended storytelling across the L.O.L. Surprise! franchise, whether through the dolls, original entertainment properties or games like L.O.L. Surprise! O.M.G. Fashion Club.”

Fans can register for L.O.L. Surprise! OMG Fashion Club on Google Play Store or App Store, and Google Play users in selected countries will also be eligible for an exclusive pre-registration reward.

WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, is further expanding the offering for fans of its beloved Strawberry Shortcake franchise.

New licensing partnerships, creative activations and distribution deals have been brought in to reach new audiences as the brand continues to grow in popularity. Fresh off a second GLAAD nomination for WildBrain’s original new animated series, Berry in the Big City, the Strawberry Shortcake brand is surging in popularity with fans. In Q1 2023, Strawberry Shortcake jumped onto the charts as the sixth most popular character among kids aged six to nine in the US, according to independent consumer research firm The Insights Family, beating Harry Potter, SpongeBob SquarePants and Barbie.

Excitement for the brand is set to continue building as season three of Berry in the Big City launches on the Strawberry Shortcake YouTube channel on 15th July. The hit series, which is also available on Netflix, was recently featured in director M. Night Shyamalan’s film Knock at the Cabin. In the new season, fans will meet Crabapple Jam, the new owner of Berryworks, who shakes things up in unexpected ways for Strawberry Shortcake and her berry friends. In the autumn, the first of four new, highly anticipated premium CG-animated seasonal specials will launch on Netflix worldwide and also on WildBrain’s Family Channel in Canada.

Elizabeth Litten Miller, vice president, Franchise Strategy at WildBrain, said: “We’ve seen incredible growth in Strawberry Shortcake fandom this year, with this iconic character continuing to capture the hearts of audiences young and old around the world. As we harness WildBrain’s 360-degree approach to brand building across content creation, audience engagement and global licensing, the soaring popularity of the World of Strawberry Shortcake has generated not only new content deals, but a whole new wave of licensing opportunities and innovative activations. We’re thrilled that partners and fans are embracing Strawberry Shortcake to celebrate her message of diversity, creativity and friendship in so many imaginative and inspiring ways.”

Attendees at Licensing Expo, from 13th–15th June, are invited to visit WildBrain CPLG at stand F214 to learn more about partnership opportunities for the World of Strawberry Shortcake.

A trailer has been released for Zag Heroez Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie, set to premiere in July this year.

Miraculous Ladybug makes her feature film debut in the enchanting animated musical tale Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie, a superhero blockbuster for the whole family which will launch on Netflix on July 28th and in select countries theatrically.

In addition to the US release on July 28th, SND will release the movie in France on July 5th and Studio Canal will release it on July 6th in Germany. Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie will also be released theatrically in China, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland and the Eastern Europe region, Russia, Greece, Turkey and Israël.

Based on the global phenomenon Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, the animated series that airs in over 120 countries around the globe and now in its fifth season, the movie follows ordinary teenager Marinette whose life in Paris goes superhuman when she becomes Ladybug. Bestowed with magical powers of creation, she must unite with her opposite, Cat Noir, to save Paris as a new villain unleashes chaos unto the city.

The movie takes fans on a journey of discovery, the intriguing origin story of how two normal teens – Marinette DuPain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste – embarked upon their superhero destinies. Filled with action, comedy, music and magic, set against the dazzling backdrop of Paris, the movie features an orchestrated score by Jeremy Zag.

Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie is directed by Jeremy Zag from an original screenplay by Jeremy Zag and Bettina López Mendoza based on a story written by Jeremy Zag. Aton Soumache, Jeremy Zag and Daisy Shang serve as producers. Executive producers are Emmanuel Jacomet, Michael Gracey (Director, The Greatest Showman, P!nk: All I know So Far; executive producer on Rocketman), Tyler Thompson, Alexis Vonarb, Jean-Bernard Marinot, Cynthia Zouari, Thierry Pasquet, and Ben Li. Harvey Mason Jr. (Dreamgirls, Sing!, Pitch Perfect) serves as executive music producer.

Cristina Vee Valenzuela reprises her role from the Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir series as the voice of Ladybug, with Bryce Papenbrook as the voice of Cat Noir and Keith Silverstein as Gabriel Agreste, aka Hawk Moth.

The animated series has been delighting audiences around the world since its debut in 2015. With broad appeal across age demographics, Miraculous has over 35b views on YouTube (authorized and user-generated content) and over 28m fans across social media.

You can view the trailer here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNiCqNUH85U

Wow! Stuff has announced products featuring MGM hit property and Netflix smash, Wednesday, to include RealFX Thing, Nano Pods and more.

Toy innovation company, Wow! Stuff, has announced that MGM’s globally successful Wednesday brand will join its autumn portfolio, with the positively ghastly Thing leading the line-up. “We are delighted to be introducing a range of hugely innovative gifts and toys to market that reflect our passion for bringing great brands to life,” said MD, Dawn Lavalette.

Following the debut of season 1, Wednesday spent six weeks in the No.1 spot for most hours viewed of all English language TV series globally. The series accrued more than 1.2b hours viewed within its first 28 days on Netflix and has already been renewed for season 2.

Dawn commented: “MGM’s Wednesday is a hugely exciting property that has taken the world by storm since the release of the Netflix series in 2022, not to mention the continued popularity for The Addams Family brand.

Wednesday will get the Real FX treatment from Wow! Stuff’s multiple award-winning brand of toys that ‘Look Real, Feel Real and Sound Real’. Wow! Stuff has worked with MGM on the development of a Real FX Thing – a life-like dismembered hand that extraordinarily crawls around on its own volition. The Real FX Thing will have fans creating scenes just like in the series, utilising the green screen technology, Chromakey, pioneered by Wow! Stuff in the toy industry.

Dawn added, “Seeing Thing in action will make you disbelieve your own eyes – it looks, feels and acts just like the real Thing on our screens, and we know it’s going to be an instant hit with fans.”

The deal with Wow! Stuff was brokered by world-leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agency Wildbrain CPLG, which represents MGM in multiple territories.

Wednesday will also work its supernatural charm on Wow! Stuff’s unique connectable collectibles, Nano Pods. Dance Wednesday – inspired by the TikTok dance craze which has gone viral amassing billions of views – will be the must-have from the Nano Pods line-up, continuing the company’s mission to lead Nano Pods with the very latest, coolest, on trend brands. Wednesday Nano Pods will feature 12 fan-favourite characters to collect, with a super-rare metallic Wednesday to chase down.

A CDU of ‘Blacker Than Black’ Wednesday putty, an illuminating Mood Light Window and heat-reveal and 3D mugs will also join the Wow! Stuff innovation collection.

Robert Marick, head of MGM Consumer Products, said: “Wow! Stuff’s innovative technology is enabling us to bring products and experiences to fans that truly bring the series and characters to life. We are sure that fans of Wednesday will be thrilled to see these new launches hit store shelves.”

The series follows Wednesday Addams’ (of Addams Family fame) misadventures as a student at Nevermore Academy, a unique boarding school snuggled in deepest New England. The series marks the first time fans get to see the character of Wednesday not only in a new boarding school environment, but also as a teenager. Wednesday attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago, all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.

To find out more about Wow! Stuff’s new Wednesday range, contact emma.prendaglia@wowstuff.com for UK or dawn.lavalette@wowstuff.com for EMEA.