The agreement with Zynga’s Rollic marks the next step in Mattel’s mission to grow its digital games business for all audiences.

Mattel has announced a new partnership with Rollic, a subsidiary of Zynga Inc., a wholly-owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive, to introduce a new mass-market Barbie mobile game. The game is slated to launch later this year.

Mattel’s ongoing expansion of its licensed digital games portfolio is part of a strategic initiative to bolster its digital games business. This endeavour aims to provide captivating and engaging entertainment experiences based on Mattel’s beloved intellectual properties that will resonate with fans across generations.

“Partnering with Rollic and Zynga enables us to bring a fresh and exciting mass market Barbie mobile game to fans worldwide,” said Mike DeLaet, global head of Digital Gaming at Mattel. “This collaboration underscores Mattel’s dedication to leveraging our iconic brands in innovative ways and propels our digital games division’s ability to deliver best-in-class immersive entertainment experiences for fans of all ages.”

The forthcoming Barbie mobile game will be published by Rollic, which recently surpassed 2.7b lifetime downloads worldwide. Rollic develops and publishes hit mobile titles in over 175 countries and has had 22 titles reach the No. 1 and No. 2 spot in the US Apple App Store. The company has redefined the hyper-casual genre, adding live services and a steady cadence of in-game events to encourage long-lasting player engagement. Rollic’s fast-paced data process allows its teams to quickly tap into of-the-moment cultural trends and to build updates that capture player reactions. This combination of creative and data-driven talent makes Rollic the ideal partner to bring a new Barbie gaming experience to life, accelerating Mattel’s strategic initiative to expand its iconic intellectual properties across all entertainment mediums.

“Barbie is beloved by generations of players around the world, and we are delighted to partner with Mattel to bring the latest iteration of this icon to mobile gaming,” said Burak Vardal, CEO of Rollic. “Our teams’ ability to translate cultural moments into lasting gameplay allows us to provide players with another place to engage with their favourite IP and we are excited to step into the world of Barbie with this brand-new title.”

New Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go episodes start airing 7th March on Netflix, with Thomas & Friends: The Christmas Letter Express debuting later this year.

Mattel has announced that Season 27 of the animated series Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go premieres 7th March on Netflix.

Featuring all-new original music, Season 27 consists of 26 11-minute episodes released in two 13-episode instalments, with the second half of the season debuting 19th September. The second portion of Season 27 includes the franchise’s first-ever 60-minute holiday movie, Thomas & Friends: The Christmas Letter Express, debuting late 2024. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is co-produced by Mattel Television Studios and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana Studios.

In Season 27 of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, the train and his friends are ready for more Sodor surprises. The engines are celebrating the grand opening of a new bakery-café connecting farm-to-table routes and keeping busy bringing ingredients and sweet-smelling, flatcar-filling treats to festive tables. Thomas, Percy, Kana, Nia, Bruno and Diesel take on every challenge, coupling with new and returning friends to get each job done.

In Thomas & Friends: The Christmas Letter Express, Percy discovers a child’s letter to Santa Claus forgotten at the bottom of his mail cart on Christmas Eve. He is determined to make things right, even if that means tracking down Mr. Claus himself. With help from Thomas and his friends, Percy travels through dazzling parades, sweet-smelling gingerbread bakes and snowflake flurries on a quest to deliver the letter to Santa and make a child’s Christmas wish come true. Written by Rick Suvalle and featuring three original holiday songs, Thomas & Friends: The Christmas Letter Express premieres on Netflix in late 2024.

“As we embark on the 27th season of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go, we celebrate a character that has captured the hearts of fans worldwide for decades,” said Michelle Mendelovitz, global head of Mattel Television Studios. “This season is not just a testament to the enduring charm and timeless appeal of Mattel’s beloved characters, but also a milestone as we proudly present the first-ever holiday movie in the franchise’s storied history. As we continue to foster the spirit of friendship, teamwork, and adventure, this season reaffirms the enduring legacy of Thomas & Friends, bringing joy to both young and old across the globe.”

Inspired by Mattel’s Thomas & Friends toys and consumer products, Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go features the voice talents of Kai Harris, Ava Ro, Charlie Zeltzer, Chuck Smith, Will Bhaneja, Glee Dango, and Talia Evans. Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is co-produced by Mattel Television Studios and Nelvana, and is executive produced by Christopher Keenan and Fred Soulie for Mattel and by Colin Bohm, Doug Murphy, and Pam Westman for Nelvana. The series and 60-min special include an original score by Erica Procunier.

Season 27 of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go will be available March 7 on Netflix in the US as well as many international markets including Canada, Spain, South Africa, India, and Singapore. The content will also debut later this year on Milkshake and Nick Jr. in the United Kingdom, Cartoonito in Italy, Treehouse in Canada, Televisa in Mexico, and SBT in Brazil.

To watch the Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go Season 27 trailer, click here.

An animated pre-school TV series is in the works based on Eric Hill’s classic lift-the-flap book series Spot, which has sold over 65m copies worldwide.

Puffin, part of Penguin Random House Children’s UK, has announced that the TV rights to its best-selling children’s book series, Spot, have been optioned by Guru Studio.

Eric Hill’s loveable puppy Spot first appeared in 1980 in the first ever lift-the-flap storybook, ‘Where’s Spot?’ and has since become a perennial best-seller with over 65m books sold worldwide. The books have been translated into over 60 languages including braille and sign language across more than 20 formats including lift-the-flap books, board books and novelty titles, with Puffin releasing new titles every year. The best-selling series has enjoyed notable recent growth throughout many key global territories including the US and Australia. In the UK, over 1m Spot books have been sold since 2020 alone, more than double the volume sold in the prior four years.

The Fun with Spot consumer products and licensing programme, including toys, apparel and live experiences, is managed in-house by Penguin Ventures and, together with Puffin, supports the continued global growth of the brand, connecting Spot with family audiences in new and exciting ways.

The new TV series will follow Spot, the beloved, rambunctious and curious puppy. Just like in the classic books, children will see their own everyday experiences reflected in Spot’s adventures with his family and friends as they discover the big, wide, world around them.

“Spot holds a special place in the hearts of millions of families around the world as Eric Hill’s dynamic storytelling and lift-the-flap discovery moments invite children to become part of the story,” said Frank Falcone, president and executive creative director of Guru Studio. “As stewards of this cherished literary legacy, we will inspire that same engaged curiosity, bringing a fresh and contemporary feel, for today’s pre-schoolers.”

Francesca Dow, managing director, Penguin Random House Children’s UK, added: “Puffin is proud to be the home of Eric Hill’s beloved Spot. His child-like, inquisitive nature and boundless energy have captivated small children for over 40 years. Spot’s timeless appeal lies in his simplicity and in Eric’s ability to capture the essence of early childhood experiences. Guru recognises Spot’s unique appeal and this, together with an impressive portfolio and roster of talent, creates an exciting opportunity to bring Spot to new audiences via animation. We can’t wait to see Spot come bounding onto screen to excite and entertain millions of young children and their families, reaching new fans and old.”

Guru has brought on board award-winning children’s author and TV veteran Sarah Maizes to guide the project. A former executive at Amazon Kids+ and the Jim Henson Company, Sarah’s credits include Harriet the Spy (AppleTV+), Dinosaur Train (PBSKids), Randi Zuckerberg’s Dot. and Hello Kitty: Super Style (Amazon Kids+).

Guru Studio is the animation studio behind some of the most recognisable and beloved children’s properties including the global smash Paw Patrol, Netflix’s True and the Rainbow Kingdom, and Sesame Street’s animated spin-off Mecha Builders. The studio is also currently in production on the family mini-series adaptation of the beloved classic Charlottes’ Web for Warner Bros Discovery’s Max.

The 24/7 Moonbug Channel, designed to support parents and carers in their day-to-day parenting journey, will be launching on Allente across Nordic countries next month.

Moonbug Entertainment has announced an agreement with Allente to launch the Moonbug Channel in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The channel, which will include content from across the Moonbug portfolio of much-loved IPs, is scheduled to launch in mid-March.

With this expansion into Western Europe, the Moonbug Channel is now available in 83 different countries across EMEA and APAC.

The 24/7 Moonbug Channel has been carefully designed to put families at the forefront, supporting parents and carers throughout their daily routines such as mealtime, bath time, bedtime and more. All Moonbug IPs will be featured, including CoComelon, Blippi, Little Angel, Gecko’s Garage, Morphle, Oddbods and many others. As part of this deal, the channel will be supported with VOD offerings, which will also launch mid-March.

“Our partnership with Allente signifies the introduction of the Moonbug Channel to Western Europe, bringing the total number of countries where families can enjoy our channel to 83. This is a significant milestone for Moonbug as we expand our offering across EMEA and offer our content to families and fans in convenient and accessible ways,” said Dilek Doyran, head of channel partnerships EMEA, Moonbug Entertainment. “We are looking forward to bringing the joy of our stories and characters to more kids and supporting parents and carers in their day-to-day parenting journey with shows that inspire little ones to laugh, learn and grow.”

“We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Moonbug, an acclaimed global entertainment powerhouse dedicated to bringing joy and education to children worldwide”, said Michael Bärlin, chief content officer at Allente. “I am excited about the prospect of introducing Moonbug’s iconic brands, such as CoComelon and Blippi, to our audience. Moonbug’s commitment to making high-quality, enriching content accessible to every child aligns seamlessly with our mission. This collaboration marks a significant step in providing our viewers with unparalleled content that not only entertains but also nurtures the growth and learning of the next generation.”

Courtney Holt joins the team following its recent growth and success, as Moonbug looks to establish a globally renowned music brand within the children’s entertainment space.

Courtney Holt

Moonbug Entertainment, a part of Candle Media, has announced the appointment of Courtney Holt as the company’s first global head of Music and Strategic Audio Initiatives.

As part of his role, Courtney will foster the growth of Moonbug’s music label through strategic partner alliances and by strengthening relationships with established and emerging artists. He will also be responsible for the international expansion of the audio division and global music operations including further developing Moonbug’s music commercial and creative partnerships and exploring emerging audio-based initiatives.

Courtney joins the team following its recent growth and success, as Moonbug looks to establish a globally renowned music brand within the children’s entertainment space. He will be instrumental in ensuring that the business continues to provide music and entertainment that resonates with and inspires families all over the world.

Courtney brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role at Moonbug. His career, cultivating growth and driving engagement within the music industry, spans over three decades including leadership roles at Spotify, The Walt Disney Company and Viacom. Courtney also worked at Universal Music Group.

Rene Rechtman, co-founder and CEO, Moonbug Entertainment, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Courtney to the Moonbug team. We often hear from music creators who are looking to interact with our content and I’m excited about the opportunities that having Courtney on board will create. He brings with him a proven track record in delivering strong performance in the music and media industry and his appointment will be instrumental in cementing our position as a leader in the global music landscape.”

Courtney added: “I look forward to collaborating with our talented team to explore new opportunities, forge strategic partnerships and push the boundaries of what is possible. As a parent, I am inspired by the work Moonbug has been doing to produce great and inspirational content for kids. I am excited to embark on this exciting journey with Moonbug.”

Courtney is based out of Moonbug’s Los Angeles office and plans to grow and expand the local Los Angeles music and audio team.

Reinvented Licensing Expo closing day content includes AI keynote, Women in Toys (WiT) Empowerment Day, CMO focus panel and more.

Zack Kass

Licensing Expo (held at Mandalay Bay Convention Center from May 21st-23rd 2024) – dedicated to brand licensing, IP extension, partnerships and collaborations – has unveiled a preview of the ‘Shaping the Future’ content taking place across this year’s campus and curated an impactful agenda for the final day of the show.

The final day of Licensing Expo opens with AI Futurist Zack Kass, former head of Go-to-Market for OpenAI, developers of the pioneering ChatGPT chatbot, and previous advisor of brands including Coca-Cola and Morgan Stanley. Zack will give a keynote on the complexities of artificial intelligence, helping senior leaders provide foresight and direction so organisations can adapt and thrive alongside rapid advancements in AI (Thursday, 23rd May). Featured in outlets like Fortune, AdAge and Entrepreneur, Zack offers experience and pragmatic insights for major organisations looking to build a brighter future with artificial intelligence.

Following the keynote, a panel will discuss ‘Building Teams’ and ‘How Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) Needs to Start at Recruitment’, detailing various perspectives and practical solutions on fostering and attracting unique and diverse talent as the industry turns its attention to the next generation of licensing professionals.

On the last day of Licensing Expo, for the first time, the event will partner with Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) to welcome the WiT Empowerment Day to campus. WiT Empowerment Day presents women inventors, creators and entrepreneurs a forum to pitch products Information Classification: General or ideas to top companies and buyers exclusively from Walmart. Mentor Roundtable discussions will also be available to provide learnings from the best in the business.

Ahead of Licensing Expo, there will also be a specialised WiT Empowerment Day Pitch Prep Program, led by Azhelle Wade, known as The Toy Coach. This programme includes everything from preparing product pitches to on-demand video lessons, digital workbooks and a virtual Prep Session to ensure Empowerment Day participants will be confident and ready for meetings.

Concluding the final day of education at Licensing Expo, a dedicated panel of chief marketing officers will speak on constructing forward-facing brands and how to connect with audiences while engaging consumers in new and innovative ways.

“We have invested resources to comprehensively research how we can continue to evolve and offer even more value to our Licensing Expo community, and the resounding theme that emerged was the importance on the power of connection and the future of the industry,” notes Anna Clarke, senior vice president of Global Licensing Group. “Licensing Expo is known as the tentpole destination to secure the biggest and most exciting licensing deals but this year, we also place emphasis on the trajectory of the business by crafting this special must-attend closing programme for the first time ever in show history.”

“Licensing Expo is about making the most of the entire industry being in Las Vegas at the same time,” added Ella Haynes, event director, Licensing Expo. “We want to accentuate all the spaces and places across our whole Mandalay Bay Campus, as well as the intentional touchpoints created to maximise the chances to meet contacts that could ultimately lead to the next big partnership.”

On Sunday 19th May, Licensing International (LI) will host its annual networking fundraiser in support of the LI Foundation Scholarship Program at TopGolf, MGM Grand. The following day, 20th May, Licensing International’s Global Excellence Awards take place Monday evening at the HyperXArena in the Luxor Hotel & Casino. The Licensing Expo Opening Night Party also returns on Tuesday 21st May at the Daylight Beach Club, with talent soon to be announced.

Additional details for opening and second-day agendas as well as campus programming are to be announced in due course. For more information or to register to attend or exhibit at Licensing Expo 2024 visit LicensingExpo.com.

Viacom18 Consumer Products’ new partnership with Papa Don’t Preach will see the launch of a limited-edition collection of Garfield garments and accessories. 

Viacom18 Consumer Products, the licensing and merchandising arm of Viacom18, has announced its first-ever collaboration with Papa Don’t Preach, an Indian luxury couture label, bringing to market a limited-edition Garfield collection of garments and accessories.

Taking fans one step closer to the iconic ginger cat on his 45th-anniversary, the exclusive limited-edition Garfield collection includes 24 pieces of women’s wear and six pieces of men’s wear alongside a line of bags, belts, caps and shoes.

Fusing the charm and sassiness of Garfield with the vibrancy and rebellion of Papa Don’t Preach’s Indian-origin luxury designs, the new collection boasts structured silhouettes, rich cottons, rib–knit and signature ‘Papa’ Canvas, sans embellishments to maintain simplicity and accessibility. The collection features rich Indian colours, prints and architectural elements such as the iconic Indian paisley motif, bringing the 70s era to life. The products feature Garfield’s iconic expressions through unconventional prints, gold-plated buttons and studs, as well as an unmissable golden medallion on the tote bag.

Shubhika Sharma, founder and CEO of Papa Don’t Preach, said: “I did not want the collection to look gimmicky or like a cartoon character, but I wanted Garfield’s personality to stand out. It had to look like luxury, a one-of-a-kind piece you wanted to own, a collectible. Garfield’s personality totally complements the Papa Don’t Preach universe; it’s feisty and rebellious yet warm and lovable. He’s like the wise best friend you would want to have.”

Sachin Puntambekar, head – Viacom18 Consumer Products, added: “At Viacom18 Consumer Products, we are all about innovation and new experiences. We are excited to celebrate Garfield, a definitive pop-culture phenomenon, through this one-of-a-kind collection with Papa Don’t Preach. The collection’s fresh designs are bound to appeal to fans of the orange cat.”

The officially licensed Garfield collection will be available across Papa Don’t Preach’s website and retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi.

For the new spring Natural History Museum 2024 offering, attention has turned to the treasures housed in the museum and secrets they reveal about our planet.

The Natural History Museum’s acclaimed collaboration with Dunelm continues to go from strength to strength. Now with four major product collections under their belts, all focused on vulnerable UK habitats such as wetlands and moorlands, this brand-new collection has taken a bold new direction.

The spring/summer 2024 Treasures homewares collection consists of multiple themed ranges, each offering the consumer bold, nature-inspired prints with historic artworks given a modern twist. Metamorphosis, a creative direction featured on bedding, cushions and more, is inspired by the stunning art of Maria Sibylla Merian, a talented artist who was one of the first to observe and document the process of metamorphosis.

Kaleidoscope is another key theme that celebrates the incredible symmetry that can be found in nature. The exquisitely decorative endpapers found in many of the museum’s historical books inspired the Marbling creative direction, which can be seen across bathroom accessories, blinds and home décor.

Hot on the heels of its success at the 2023 Brand & Lifestyle Licensing Awards, where the collaboration picked up the Sustainability Award, the team is hoping to build on its initial success with this eye-catching new offering. Have exceeded expectations in terms of sales, all whilst raising awareness of key issues facing the natural world, there is a continued consumer appetite for heritage inspired homewares.

Maxine Lister, head of Licensing at the Natural History Museum, said: “Our previous collections with Dunelm have shown us that the Dunelm consumer appreciates bold prints and quirky pieces, and we are keen to continue delighting them with stylish homewares, inspired by the natural world, that help make a visually stunning interiors statement.”

Debbie Drake, Design director at Dunelm, added: “The Dunelm design team continue to find amazing inspiration from the rich variety of the museum’s collections – it’s a privilege to have such unique access to an extraordinary archive and to be able to use it to create homewares that both inspire and inform our customers.”

As well as inspiring nature-themed homewares, the museum’s collection of over 80m specimens is also used by the museum’s 350 scientists to inform their research. The museum is committed to opening up its collection to help to find solutions to climate instability and biodiversity loss. Readers can find out more about the Natural History Museum’s licensing strategy in an exclusive interview appearing in the March issue of Toy World.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, Mog’s Christmas and many more are nominated for British Animation Awards.

The finalists have been announced for the prestigious British Animation Awards 2024. Rewarding the very best in UK animation across a variety of categories, the British Animation Awards (BAAs) attract the great and the good from across the industry to this biennial celebration of their craft.

Now in its 28th year and presented by Henning Wehn, this year’s BAA ceremony is being held at London’s BFI Southbank on 7th March 2024.

Competing for honours in the prestigious Best Feature Film category are:

• Aardman Animation’s Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (director: Sam Fell), which sees a band of fearless fowl flock together to save chicken-kind from a new threat
• A Cat Called Dom, Will Anderson and Ainslie Henderson’s  film about a son dealing with his mother’s cancer diagnosis
• Lupus Films’ hand-drawn animated feature film based on Michael Morpurgo’s classic adventure story about a boy washed up on a seemingly deserted island, Kensuke’s Kingdom (director: Neil Boyle, Kirk Hendry);
• Cartoon Saloon and Dog Ear’s Netflix feature about an island and its avian inhabitants facing the perils of climate change – Puffin Rock and the New Friends (director: Jeremy Purcell)
• Sky Cinema’s fantasy comedy feature based on the Terry Pratchett novel about a streetwise cat and his gang of rats, The Amazing Maurice (director: Toby Genkel, Florian Westermann).

In the Best Children’s Pre-School category, family favourites Hey Duggee, The Adventures of Paddington, The Very Small Creatures and Odo are battling it out to win the hearts of the very youngest animation fans, while the category for Best International Animated Series will be fought out between Captain Fall, Milo, The Tiny Chef Show and Supa Team 4.

ITV series dominate the Best Children’s Series award with contenders including The Sound Collector – Harp Strings, The Rubbish World of Dave Spud – Moonbreaker, and Lloyd of the Flies. Channel Five’s Milkshake!’s Tweedy and Fluff completes the nominations.

The ever-popular Children’s Choice Award will be decided by students at St. Mary Redcliffe Primary School in Bristol from a shortlist including: Dead End: Paranormal Park, Supertato, The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe – The Prince and the Valiant Quest, and Lego City – No Limits – (episode 6).

For the full list of awards nominations, in categories including Best Design, Best Use of Sound, Best Undergraduate Film and more, click here.

BAA director Helen Brunsdon and producer Kieran Argo said: “Despite myriad changes and challenges facing the animation industry in the UK over the last couple of years, the sector remains thriving and productive. The quality and quantity of the work submitted to the BAAs is evidence of the dedication and creative ingenuity of all who work in animation and is a great indication of how UK animation continues to punch above its bodyweight on the world stage.”

The BAAs are the only awards to recognise all forms of animation and reward the work of both new and established animators across all aspects of the UK animation scene, from student work to commercials, children’s entertainment, short and experiential films, music videos and new technologies.

For more information and tickets, visit www.britishanimationawards.com

The Lego Group and Asmodee have announced their first jointly-crafted board game, Monkey Palace.

Monkey Palace, created by game designers David Gordon and TAM (Tin Aung Myaing), is a jungle-themed game of light strategy, designed for 2-4 players and provides family fun for all ages, incorporating both collaborative and competitive elements.

Players must strategically work together to construct the Monkey Palace while competing for the highest brick income and points, all under the watchful gaze of the Monkey. The palace gradually takes form, resulting in an impressive construction using Lego elements that players can proudly display at home. The iconic Lego System in Play means that each time the board game is played, the building experience and final construction are totally unique.

Birgitte Bülow, industry veteran and leader of the Lego board game creation team at Asmodee, said: “We’re thrilled to take all Lego and board game fans on this gaming journey, combining the Lego Group’s timeless creativity with our passion and expertise in board games. Utilising the endless possibilities of Lego bricks was pivotal in designing this game. We believe Monkey Palace offers an extraordinary gameplay experience, blending competition and collaboration for board game enthusiasts worldwide.”

Jaume Fabregat, Board Games lead at Lego Publishing, added: “At the Lego Group, we’re committed to inspiring the builders of tomorrow, which is why we’re so delighted to reveal Monkey Palace in collaboration with Asmodee. The game challenges kids and adults alike to use Lego elements to build, unbuild and rebuild their palaces, creating a fun play experience where no two games are the same. This latest collaboration allows us to bring even more creative and innovative ways to play.”

This collaboration was the result of extensive research and development undertaken by both companies, with the shared goal of creating new social experiences in play that transcend generations. Together, the Lego Group and Asmodee aim to discover innovative ways to combine the beloved Lego System in Play with the socially interactive nature of board games, delivering new and unique play experiences for families and Lego fans.