The Hero Collector die cast Star Trek Ships will be boldly launched through a licence agreement with Paramount Global.

Heathside Trading has concluded a licence agreement with Paramount Global Consumer Products to become the authorised distributor of Eaglemoss Hero Collector’s die-cast Star Trek ships. The ships will be sold on a new website, MasterReplicas.com and through selected retail partners, launching in March 2023.

The Hero Collector range of die-cast ships is one of the most successful and beloved products in the history of Star Trek. The line launched in 2013 with the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-D and went on to include over 400 unique designs, featuring ships from all the Star Trek  TV shows and movies. Eaglemoss produced the ships at a number of different scales between 1.5” and 12” (45mm and 300mm) long, including some special limited editions.

Since the closure of Eaglemoss, the ships have only been available on the secondary market in limited quantities. Heathside Trading has acquired all of Eaglemoss’s stock and will be making it available on an international basis.

Max Nelson from Heathside commented: ‘’We couldn’t be more thrilled to have secured the Star Trek agreement, and we wanted to ensure that collectors have the ability to access and find the ships they still needed for their collections. We are strategically placing product in the market to ensure there is no disruption to Trek fans around the world.”

Rather than releasing all the ships in one go, Heathside, through Master Replicas, will be making a curated selection of ships available every two weeks. This will allow fans to add to the continuance of their collections. The models will be available in the U.S.A and internationally, and Heathside Trading has also partnered with selected resellers who will be making stock available on a limited basis online.

Spanning digital and social platforms as well as the Bing: Watch, Play, Learn app, the Rainybow campaign is supported by other Acamar Film licensees including HarperCollins and Tonies.

Acamar Films, the independent creative studio behind the award-winning pre-school animation Bing, is launching a colourful and comprehensive campaign to support the launch of the newest Bing toy, Talking Rainybow Bing, developed and produced by Acamar Film’s master toy partner, Golden Bear.

Including activations across digital and social platforms as well as the Bing: Watch, Play, Learn app, the Rainybow campaign is supported by Acamar Film’s master publishing partner HarperCollins. HarperCollins will be using its social channels and running a promotion for the Bing book, The Rainybow Song, a singalong sound book. Audio partner, Tonies will also feature the Rainybow Song via its mytonies portal.

Rainybow activities will initially be rolled out on UK-facing platforms with elements activated across different territories to support Talking Rainybow Bing as the toy launches in different countries.

“Rainbows always seem to be a favourite with young children and Talking Rainybow Bing is a fantastic toy that not only will delight those children who are captivated by rainbows but also Bingsters, for whom the Rainybow Song is a favourite,” said Natalie Harvey, executive director, Sales, Acamar Films. “Golden Bear has created a beautiful soft toy and it is brilliant to see its launch supported across so many different platforms.”

Bing’s Rainybow Week runs until Friday 24th March on the Bing Bunny Facebook page, giving grown-ups who have ‘Bingsters’ in their lives the opportunity to win a Bing prize bundle every day. Families can also enjoy a special social filter, the third social filter to be released by Acamar Films. The Rainybow filter will let social users take selfies or create videos of their Bingsters, complete with Bing ears, in front of the distinctive Rainybow design while the song plays.

On the Bing UK YouTube page, the Rainybow Show! is a compilation of themed Bing clips, along with a specially-produced live-action clip of a Bing Rainybow mural being painted. The Rainybow takeover continues on bingbunny.com with crafts, colouring sheets and activities.

The Talking Rainybow Bing toy debuts in the UK this spring with roll-out in countries including Italy and The Czech Republic later this year. The toy can create a rainbow effect on nearby walls through the use of the multi-coloured ‘light behind’ feature. By pressing Bing’s hands, children can hear one of 12 sounds including Bing phrases, instrumental music of the Rainybow Song that first appeared in the episode ‘Show’.  The toy is approximately 30cm tall and suitable for children from birth. Packaging features a QR code that takes families to a dedicated web page with the Rainybow Song video, lyrics, activity sheets and more.

In addition to the activity across the Bing digital and social platforms, the Talking Rainybow Bing toy is also being supported with a YouTube, social and influencer campaign coordinated by Golden Bear.

The new My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale series launches on 27th March and comprises 10 x 20-minute episodes.

The popular 2D animated series is the ultimate insider’s guide to the everyday escapades of the Mane 5 and continues the story of Sunny Starscout and her new friends. Now, living side by side in Maretime Bay, they discover who they are in their new, fantastical world.

With all three ponykinds  – Earth ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi – living and working together again, there is non-stop adventure. Viewers can discover where Sunny gets her inspiration for new smoothie flavours and which beauty products fly off the shelves at Pipp’s Mane Melody salon, where Izzy goes to dream up the designs for her one-of-a-kind unicycled creations and how Zipp always sniffs out the clues when there is a problem to solve,

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Never Have I Ever, Turning Red) voices Zipp Storm alongside Jenna Warren (Kody Kapow!), JJ Gerber (Monster Pack), Ana Sani (The Boys), and AJ Bridel (Odd Squad). My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale is produced by Lil Critter Workshop, with Gretchen Mallorie serving as head writer and story editor and Tay Mustafa as creative producer, with contributions from David Flack.

The award-winning My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale series, from eOne, first premiered on YouTube in April 2022, across 35 channels and in 33 different languages, where it has accrued more than 171m lifetime views. This 2D slice-of-life series joins My Little Pony: Make Your Mark on Netflix, ensuring that viewers will have access to even more My Little Pony content all in one place. Fans can begin streaming My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale beginning  27th March.

For more information on My Little Pony, visit: https://mylittlepony.hasbro.com

The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford has unveiled new additions with its licensing partner, Surface View, inspired by the Japanese art of Kinpaku.

Founded in 1683, the Ashmolean was the world’s first public museum and houses over 1m objects its world-famous collections range from Egyptian mummies to contemporary art, telling human stories across cultures and across time.

It has unveiled new additions to its range with licensing partner, Surface View. Inspired by the Japanese art of Kinpaku (gold leaf), the new collection reflects the natural beauty of Japan using imagery from silk panels, gold leaf screens and delicate textiles.

“Our partnership with Surface View has been running for more than eight years, and we are delighted with the refresh,” said Declan McCarthy, Ashmolean Museum’s head of Publishing & Licensing.

Surface View combines innovative technology and imagination to create stunning, bespoke printed wall coverings, wall art and window treatments.

A Lego Land Rover Classic Defender 90 has been launched, with two intrepid explorers challenged to track down the set in the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands.

The Lego Land Rover Classic Defender 90

The Lego Group is celebrating Land Rover’s 75th anniversary with a new 2,336-piece set based on the iconic Land Rover Defender 90, which was built between 1983 and 2016.

To celebrate the launch of the set, the Lego Group placed a bright yellow classic Land Rover Defender in the Scottish Highlands and transformed it into the hardest to reach Lego Store in the world, only accessible via a gruelling off-road track. The Lego Group then challenged two of the world’s boldest adventurers to reach it. Raha Moharrak is the first Saudi woman to climb Mount Everest and the Seven Summits, while Aldo Kane is a native Scottish adventurer and extreme locations expert.

A film following the pair on their quest, which can be watched here, shows Raha and Aldo traversing the terrain of the Scottish Highlands, navigating muddy tracks, bumpy roads and obstacles before racing to build the new 2,336-piece set in harsh weather conditions.

At the heart of the adventure is the Lego Icons Classic Land Rover Defender 90 set, featuring the iconic Land Rover in sage green. Faithfully replicating the classic Defender, the 2-in-1 format means brick and car fanatics alike can build and display the everyday road-ready model before activating adventure mode and customising the build with accessories including a roof rack, engine snorkel, off-road front bumper and working winch, side rails, toolbox, fire extinguisher, traction plates for crossing mud and sand, and much more. The Defender has racked up 75 years of all-terrain expeditions. Instantly recognisable around the world, it has a unique record of adventure, humanitarian and hard work.

Raha and Aldo race to be first to complete their Lego Classic Land Rover Defender 90 sets as night – and the inclement Scottish weather – set in

Kurt Kristiansen, Lego Design master commented: “Bringing the iconic Classic Land Rover Defender to brick life was no easy challenge. This prestigious car can take you anywhere, so during the design process we wanted to infuse the Lego set with that sense of adventure. The two-in-one format means you can load up with all the necessary kit, whether you want to race through the Scottish Highlands like our adventurers, Raha Moharrak and Aldo Kane, or navigate water or even sandy dunes. We can’t wait to see fans’ reactions.”

Raha added: “I was so excited when the Lego Group asked me to be part of this campaign. I build at least one Lego set each month, so working with the two brands together has been an epic adventure.”

Aldo said: “This was my first time building a Lego set in years but I was pretty confident that I would have the driving aspects of the challenge down – after all, I grew up in the Highlands, so I had that to my advantage. Despite that, the rugged terrain and icy conditions did make it quite the adventure.”

The Lego Icons Classic Land Rover Defender 90 set is available from 1st April 2023.

Players can take a world tour with Peppa and involve family and friends in Peppa Pig: World Adventures, the follow up to hit game My Friend Peppa Pig.

Outright Games, in partnership with Hasbro, has launched Peppa Pig: World Adventures on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and PC. Fans can join Peppa on the trip of a lifetime and build a house in Peppa’s neighbourhood including their own family and friends in this new, interactive story driven game.

Inspired by several episodes of the hugely popular TV series, fans can fly, drive and sail to some of the most famous places in the world including New York, Hollywood Boulevard, the Eiffel Tower in Paris and Buckingham Palace in London. They can explore in style with a host of new outfits and accessories and complete a greater variety of quests and mini-games than ever before, encountering new experiences along the way. Fans will also meet new characters as well as some familiar faces on their travels.

Players can also become interior designers and create a home decorated with souvenirs from their trip in Peppa’s neighbourhood. In addition to making a home, players can really test their creative skills and bring their family and friends into the story and them look like their favourite characters.

There are multiple features to make the game accessible for younger players including a guided tutorial at the start, a simple and intuitive menu and narration throughout, as well as easy and simple to use mechanics which require the same buttons of the controller so children can easily internalise them.

‘’We knew we had to find exciting new adventures and locations for this game and after being inspired by episodes of the TV series where Peppa travels, we felt that would be a great fit for what we were trying to achieve,” said David Moral, lead producer from Petoons. “It meant we could add more variety to the gameplay and also work in some exciting but simple mechanics for players to enjoy such as driving through the famous New York traffic. We’re very proud of our work on this game and this global beloved brand and we can’t wait for everyone to play it.’’

Beth Goss, CEO of Outright Games, said: “We have had the honour of working with Hasbro across fiour titles and it has been a delight to bring the global celebrity Peppa Pig onto new platforms. We are now seeing children of pre-school age and their parents embracing video games, allowing for fans to enjoy Peppa Pig in new and exciting ways.”

Peppa Pig first aired on screens in 2004 and is now distributed in 180 countries. Peppa Pig: World Adventures is the second Peppa Pig video game to be released in two years following the huge success of 2021’s My Friend Peppa Pig. 

Eugene Evans, senior vice president of Business Development and Digital Licensing from Hasbro, said: “We’ve enjoyed working closely with Outright Games and developers Petoons to make a game that brings the best of the TV series and brand to consoles and PCs worldwide.‘’

The game trailer can be seen here:

Batwheels marks DC’s first ever Batman pre-school series, with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products working with top licensees and partners on a global merchandise programme.

Premiering on Cartoonito UK on 18th March, Batwheels is a high-speed, vibrant, CGI-animated, fun-filled action-adventure show featuring the Batwheels: a group of sentient super-powered crime-fighting vehicles defending Gotham City alongside a host of DC Superheroes.

Brought to life by the Batcomputer to help defend Gotham City, the heroic Batwheels are thrust into hilarious hijinks and jaw-dropping action while learning important life lessons. Led by Bam the Batmobile, the Batwheels must navigate the challenges of being a newly formed super team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid.

This relatable and aspirational Batwheels series will follow the journey of the dynamic team as they thrill and entertain with their heroic adventures, as well as demonstrate to pre-school kids the value of self-confidence, friendship and teamwork.

The all-star voice cast includes Ethan Hawke (Batman), Jacob Bertand (Bam the Batmobile), Gina Rodriguez (Catwoman) and Xolo Maridueña (Snowy the Snowcrawler) among others. Sam Register (Looney Tunes Cartoons) serves as Executive Producer, Michael G. Stern (Doc McStuffins) as Co-Executive Producer, Simon J. Smith (Penguins of Madagascar) as Supervising Producer and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. as Producer. Based on characters from DC, Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation with animation services provided by Superprod Studio.

Batwheels will debut a half-hour prequel special, Secret Origin of the Batwheels, on Cartoonito UK on 18th March which will tell the backstory of how the Batwheels came to be.

Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products is working with top licensees and partners around the world for a global merchandise programme coming soon that will ensure kids, families and fans of Batwheels can get in on the action off screen as well as on.

Paramount’s first global direct-to-consumer eCommerce site, Paramount Shop, will offer a wide range of products across brands including Nickelodeon.

Paramount Global has unveiled Paramount Shop (ParamountShop.com), its first global direct-to-consumer eCommerce site with products spanning the company’s portfolio of current hits to beloved classics from the company’s free-to-air, cable, theatrical films and streaming platforms.

The platform will feature a broad array of products representing more than 125 brands and characters totaling over 7,000 items and more than 50,000 unique products from Paramount brands including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Paramount Pictures, Showtime and more. Fans visiting the Paramount Shop will be able to engage with the characters and content they love including Baby Shark, Beavis and Butt-Head, Billions, Blue’s Clues, Clueless, Coming to America, CSI, Daria, Dexter, Drunk History, Grease, iCarly, Jersey Shore, Mean Girls, Paw Patrol, Scream, Soul Train, SpongeBob SquarePants, South Park, Star Trek, Survivor, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Godfather, Top Gun, Twin Peaks, Wolf Pack, Workaholics, Yellowjackets and Yellowstone, among many more.

“Paramount Shop plays a key role in Paramount’s multi-platform ecosystem as a new touchpoint for consumers to discover products reflecting the company’s popular content and culture-defining brands,” said Pam Kaufman, president and CEO International Markets, Global Consumer Products & Experiences, Paramount. “It is so exciting to have a site that provides a seamless and engaging consumer experience that allows fans to shop across our portfolio of brands.”

Paramount Shop provides an easy and thoughtful customer interface, while offering an elevated and dynamic shopping experience with cinematic photography and a sleek design. Fans on the site will also have a seamless opportunity to engage with Paramount+. Items available for purchase will span categories including apparel, accessories, collectibles, costumes, home, party goods, publishing and toys, with exclusive lines and memorabilia as well as unique co-brands. Products and collections will be updated as the platform continues to rollout authentic collaborations inspired by the brands, characters and franchises that fans love.

From launch, the site has the ability to ship worldwide. Additionally, there will be localised experiences in the US, Canada, UK and Germany with plans to expand over the course of the year.

The collaboration between the zoo and Acamar Films will see a range of family activities based on popular pre-school characters Bing and Flop.

Acamar Films, the independent production and distribution company responsible for animated series Bing, has formed a new collaboration with Chester Zoo, to launch a brand-new Bing experience for families with young children.

Between the 17th April and 26th May 2023, visitors to Chester Zoo will enjoy Bing & Flop at Chester Zoo: a range of activities inspired by the award-winning pre-school series, including a self-led activity trail and interactive storytime sessions.

Along the Bing trail, little ones will meet the adorable and rare Sumatran tiger cubs born at the zoo in January, discover what warty pigs eat, learn how endangered tree kangaroos climb, practice flapping their arms like a hornbill, and make noises like a critically endangered orangutan.

Bing and Flop costume characters will join zoo conservationists for the storytime sessions which will run at intervals throughout the day in the zoo’s Madagascar Basecamp, offering young visitors a chance to learn more about some of the 27,000 animals Chester Zoo is home to.

Kirsty Southgate, director of Experiential & Promotions at Acamar Films, said: “Bing is a curious explorer, keen to discover all that he can about the world around him. Bringing young children and their families an entertaining and educational experience such as this, will not only serve the conservation aims of Chester Zoo but also enthrall and inspire visitors.”

“As a world leading conservation and education charity, we’re always finding new ways to connect young children with nature,” commented Dominic Strange, Commercial director at Chester Zoo. “Bing, with his enthusiastic approach to the natural world, is a great way to highlight some of the incredible species we share our planet with, inspiring a whole new generation of conservationists.”

The collaboration with Chester Zoo follows Acamar Films’ successful partnership with ZSL London Zoo in 2021 and complements the ongoing Bing experiences at Alton Towers Resort and Gulliver’s Theme Park Resorts.

Famous for her work for the Platinum Jubilee, Eleanor  recently signed a deal with Ravensburger for a specially created puzzle to celebrate King Charles III’s Coronation in May.

Award-winning artist Eleanor Tomlinson and Andrew Eborn of Octopus TV have announced the launch of the Eleanor Tomlinson gallery and workshop space at O2 Greenwich on 10th April 2023.

Soukra, a new UK restaurant brand recently launched at The O2, London, will be the London base of the East Yorkshire artist – her first permanent gallery space – where officially licensed products will also be available.

This big career step for the northern based artist comes following a monumental year in 2022 which saw two of her artworks featuring HM Queen Elizabeth II go viral, before a third Royal themed piece featuring Emma the pony and two of Her Majesty’s corgis reach £32,000 at a charity auction last November. Eleanor’s sudden worldwide fame and demand for her artwork has led to this opportunity to offer a more central venue for admirers to view and buy her work while she works from her studio in rural East Yorkshire.

The artist plans to host various in person creative events at Soukra, bringing her two greatest passions (art and food) together to create exclusive experiences and workshop days with the help from Andrew Eborn, president of Octopus TV and Hamdi Abid and Sanj Nandi of Soukra.

Eleanor commented: My workshops promote bringing out the best in everyone’s abilities, no matter their past experience.”

The workshop days will be set among a gallery backdrop of her various ink and watercolour works. Her first workshop date is set for 10th April, a month before the coronation of King Charles III.

Eleanor released her eagerly anticipated piece, Coronation Capers, last month in London receiving worldwide media coverage.

The newly revealed piece is set from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, with a backdrop of The Queen Victoria Memorial, cheering crowds, parades and the skyline of London and features the quirky addition of Jack Russells, King Charles Cavaliers and Corgis. Amongst the scene are many smaller, subtle, symbolic additions purposely placed by Eleanor to include certain Royal family members no longer with us and the past events of last year within the artwork.

In a deal with Ravensburger, the design has been used for a specially created 1000 piece puzzle to celebrate the upcoming King Charles III’s Coronation in May. The puzzle will be available at retail by April.

The big reveal of the celebratory artwork Coronation Capers came ahead of the artist’s new collection launch on 26th March, 2023. Coronation Capers will form the main basis of The Coronation Collection, made up of signed limited edition prints, open edition prints, stationery, gifts, homeware and other products. A range of these will also be available at Soukra within Eleanor’s gallery spaces.

Eleanor became globally known for creating a piece of art for HM Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum jubilee known as ‘Jubilee Ma’amalade Tea’. Later that year, other tribute pieces produced following HM Queen Elizabeth’s sad passing achieved similar recognition. Eleanor has developed these original pieces into a range of consumer products. A meeting, brought about by a BBC Platinum Jubilee news story, resulted in Andrew Eborn working with Eleanor to maximise international opportunities and develop a global brand.