Category Archives: Entertainment

WildBrain CPLG lands wave of European licensees for Sony’s The Boys, Cobra Kai and Outlander

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WildBrain CPLG has secured a wave of cross-category European licensees for Sony Pictures Consumer Products’ hit TV series The Boys, Cobra Kai, and Outlander.

Getting the action underway for the superhero series The Boys, WildBrain CPLG has landed UK partnerships with Forbidden Planet for a t-shirt and gifting line, The Hut Group for apparel and accessories, Fashion UK for apparel and accessories, and Pyramid International for posters and accessories.

Over in Germany, and Spreadshirt is on board for print-on-demand apparelm and EMP.com for an apparel range across Europe. Additionally, Cotton Division is developing apparel for the French market while in Spain, Stor SL is creating homewares. Grupo Erik has signed for calendars, posters and gifts.

The Boys is an Amazon Prime Video original series based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The series follows a team of vigilantes as they combat superheroes who abuse their power and abilities.

Elsewhere, and the martial arts comedy-drama Cobrai Kai – inspired by the iconic Karate Kid film franchise – is kickstarting the year with new UK deals with Pyramid International for accessories, Bioworld International for apparel and accessories, The Hut Group for apparel and accessories, and Ecell Global for phone accessories.

Created by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, Cobra Kai is set over 30 years after the original Karate Kid film and follows the arch-rivalry between Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence as he reopens the Cobra Kai karate dojo. The third season launched on Netflix in January 2021.

In the UK, WildBrain CPLG has also secured deals for the hit romantic time-travel drama Outlander, which include: Aurora of Orkney, for a jewellery line; and Ecell Global for phone accessories. For the Germany, Austria and Switzerland markets, Spreadshirt, EMP.com and Nastrovje P. GmhH & Co.KG are on board for apparel collections.

Set in Scotland and based on the bestselling novels by Diana Gabaldon, Outlander follows the story of a time-travelling 20th century doctor, Claire Fraser, and her 18th century Highlander husband Jamie Fraser.

John Taylor, VP Northern Europe and managing director UK and France at WildBrain CPLG, said: “Sony Pictures Consumer Products has a rich and compelling TV portfolio, which offers great entertainment for every audience. From the grittiness and thrilling twists of The Boys, to the nostalgia and humour ofCobra Kai, and Outlander’s gripping storylines, these series are hits that have captured the imaginations of audiences internationally. We look forward to bringing fans across Europe diverse and engaging merchandise selections inspired by this fantastic trio of shows.”

WildBrain CPLG represents Sony Pictures’ extensive theatrical film and TV catalogue across EMEA, which also includes much-loved blockbuster entertainment franchises such as Ghostbusters and Jumanji; hit TV series Breaking Bad and spin-off prequel Better Call Saul; and popular Columbia Pictures’ back-catalogue classics including The Karate Kid and Poetic Justice.

DC Thomson partners with Discovery Inc to launch Animal Planet educational children’s magazine

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DC Thomson has partnered with Discovery Inc to launch a new educational children’s magazine called Animal Planet. The new title will build on Animal Planet’s goal of creating content with global appeal and to keep alive the childhood joy and wonder of animals.

Animal Planet is a brand already known for combining content that explores the bonds forged between animals and humans, and is currently available on screens around the world in more than 205 countries. Through the new Animal Planet magazine, young animal lovers will be able to find information on exotic animals and natural beauty.

Exclusive to Animal Planet magazine, kids can join the #PlanetWarriors club which offers the chance to review books, complete challenges and send in their content to feature in future issues.

Animal Planet also has an exclusive panel of experts who will answer questions from inquisitive readers. Dr Jess French, Michaela Strachan, Ben Fogle and Ellie Harrison will feature every issue, tackling questions submitted by Animal Planet’s #PlanetWarriors. These experts feature alongside Animal Planet’s beloved family, The Irwins, from the channel’s ‘Crikey! It’s The Irwins’.

The launch coincides with children and young people becoming increasingly more engaged in planet earth, its inhabitants and environmental issues. Aimed at seven to 12 year-olds, the monthly magazine will encourage kids to discover a world of big ideas, get involved and be inspired and informed.

DC Thomson Media is one of the UK’s leading media creators, with a number of diverse and successful children’s brands already part of its stable, such as Beano, Animals and You and The Official Jacqueline Wilson magazine.

Maria Welch, head of magazine publishing at DC Thomson Media, said: “We’re delighted to launch Animal Planet in partnership with Discovery. The content is perfect for kids who have a keen interest in the wonders of our planet and Animal Planet promises to be an educational and fun addition to the kids’ magazine market.

“DC Thomson Media has a long and successful history in children’s magazine publishing and the team behind this brand-new launch have brought all of this passion and expertise to Animal Planet.”

Joshua Hearn, licensing and marketing coordinator at Discovery, Inc., added: “In what has been over a year of collaboration, I am truly excited for the launch of our new Animal Planet Magazine. I look forward to developing the inspiring content you will find inside every issue and for our readers to engage with the visually diverse and factual information included.”

Charlotte Payne, international marketing and strategy director at Discovery, Inc., said: “For me, the collaboration with DC Thomson is going to enable us to bring the Animal Planet brand to life beyond the screen, inspiring children of all ages to experience the wonder and joy of the animal kingdom, all while maintaining sustainability through the magazine’s printing and packaging.”

Mattel achieves ‘best performance in years’ as Barbie and Hot Wheels fuel Q4 and full year success

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Mattel bosses have hailed the company’s fourth quarter and full year 2020 financial results as ‘its best performance in years,’ having beaten all expectations to see Q4 net sales up ten per cent and full year sales increase by 2 per cent to hit $4,584 million.

Sales of the company’s fashion doll brand, Barbie, as well as the continued popularity of Hot Wheels in the Vehicles sector, and Mattel’s portfolio of games fueled much of the fourth quarter success for the company across both its domestic North American and international markets.

Q4 net sales in the North America segment increased 13 per cent, primarily driven by growth across Dolls, Infant, Toddler, and Pre-school, Action Figures, Games and Other. Meanwhile, net sales in the international segment saw a lift of seven per cent.

For the full year 2020, net sales in North America were up seven per cent versus the prior year, but the international market saw a dip of four per cent due to declines in Infant, Toddler, and Pre-school sales, as well as action figures, building sets, and vehicles.

The decrease was partially off-set by growth in the dolls category that was driven primarily by Barbie.

Across the EMEA market, Year on Year growth was 12 per cent in constant currency, representing double digit gains across two of Mattel’s largest markets in North America and EMEA. It’s according to the NPD Group that Mattel outpaced the industry in Q4 last year, growingg approximately five times faster than the industry for the year.

Ynon Kreiz, chairman and CEO of Mattel, said: “This was a banner quarter for the company with our best performance in years. In the midst of a pandemic and very challenging market conditions, our results exceeded expectations, with another major upswing in topline and a significant increase in profitability, as we gained global market share and continued to transform Mattel into an IP-driven, high performing toy company.

“The fourth quarter and full year demonstrated the resilience of the toy industry and the priority that parents place on quality toys, trusted brands and purposeful play.

“Our momentum was driven by the quality and breadth of our product offering, enduring strength of our brands, highly efficient supply chain, world-class commercial capabilities and very effective demand creation, in close collaboration with our retail partners. The continuous improvement in our performance puts us in a strong position from which we believe we can accelerate our growth.

“I could not be more proud of the entire Mattel global team for having stepped up in an extremely tumultuous year to support our consumers, customers, business partners and communities where we live and work.”

Mattel’s CFO, Anthony DiSilvestro, added: “Mattel delivered another outstanding quarter of double-digit growth with broad-based gains across the portfolio and continued improvement in gross margin, and we are pleased with our performance for the full year.

“With a strong finish and positive start to 2021, we are providing guidance for the new year reflecting continued improvement in both our top and bottom line. Mattel also stands to benefit from our newly announced Optimizing for Growth programme and we believe we are well-positioned to continue this momentum.”

The Optimising for Growth programme aims to streamline key processes at the toy maker and is expected to deliver in aggregate $250 million of incremental cost savings by 2023.

Netflix inks deal with Penguin Random House for Brian Jacques’ Redwall book series

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Netflix and Penguin Random House Children’s UK have signed a new partnership for Brian Jacques’ Redwall books, as the streaming giant details new plans to develop an animated feature based on the first book in the series.

Netflix has tapped writer Patrick McHale – known for his work on Over the Garden Wall and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, to pen the first animated feature. Netflix is also planning an event series based on the character of Martin the Warrior.

This will be the first feature based on Jacques’ book series, which chronicles the adventures of heroic animals that inhabit the forest haven of Redwall Abbey. The titles have sold roughly 30 million copies and been translated into more than 20 languages.

“We couldn’t be more delighted to announce this deal,” said Ben Horslen, fiction publisher, Penguin Random House Children’s. “These perennially popular stories have been etched onto the hearts of millions of readers, and we are thrilled to partner with Netflix to bring those beloved characters on screen for families worldwide to enjoy.”

Alan Ingram, representative of The Redwall Abbey Company, owner of the Jacques intellectual property, added: “Brian often travelled the globe to tell his Redwall stories to young audiences, more often than not at their schools.

“Brian would have been very happy to see that Netflix shares his joy and desire to bring his stories to life as a new universe of films, series and potentially much more for audiences of all ages to enjoy. We are very excited to embark on this new endeavour with Netflix and Penguin Random House UK.”

Bandai Namco begins toy and games divisions merger process with new president

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The wheels have been set in motion of a restructuring at Bandai Namco that will see the Japanese corporation merge its toy and gaming units ‘to better leverage its many IPs’ such as Pac-Man, Dark Souls, and Tekken.

Upon the release of its latest financial results, Bandai Namco confirmed that company veteran Masaru Kawaguchi was to move into the role of president and representative director, and lead ‘a new strategic direction’ at the company.

This direction includes pushing through plans to merge its toy and games business, reflecting what it has billed in a statement issued to the press as ‘a new era of dramatically changing sense of values and lifestyles.’

From April this year, Bandai Namco will push forward with these previously announced plans, part of which will see the corporation reduce its operating units from five to three.

Kawaguchi will assume his new role after a one year tenure as part-time director for all Bandai Namco Entertainment.

As part of the move, the Toys and Hobby Unit and Network Entertainment Unit will be merged into the Entertainment Unit. Meanwhile, the Visual and Music Production Unit and IP Creation Unit will be merged into the IP production Unit. Finally, the Real Entertainment Unit will be renamed Amusement Unit.

Bandai said: “From April 2021, each business will join together in a united effort to a greater degree than before under the All Bandai Namco concept in preparation for the next Mid-term Plan.

“The Company will reorganise its Unit structure to further strengthen its IP Axis Strategy in the global market, and will change to a new structure for its directors.”

By merging the toy games and toy divisions, Bandai Namco said it believed it would be able to better leverage its many IPs, which include Pac-Man, Dark Souls, Tekken and more.

Jewel Branding and Licensing celebrates Black History Month with artist and influencer showcase

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Jewel Branding and Licensing is marking Black History Month by highlighting and celebrating the black artists, designers, and influencers from across its portfolio, including Kendra Dandy of Bouffants & Broken Hearts, and Jessi Raulet of Etta Vee.

Now featured on the homepage of Walmart.com as part of the retailer’s own celebration of Black History Month, Kendra Dandy has become a revered name across the art scene as well as an exciting licensing partner across the greetings, stationery, and lifestyle sectors.

Bouffants & Broken Hearts’ Kendra Dandy

Most recently Dandy’s Bouffants & Broken Hearts brand joined forces with Athleta for a collection of masks and t-shirts as part of its limited edition artist series. Meanwhile, American Greetings partnered with Dandy to launch an endcap collection of greetings cards slated for release at a major US retailer this year.

International growth for Bouffants & Broken Hearts has arrived via partnerships with Vadobag, Stationery Team, Bagtrotter, Vivat, and Top Creative, all launching across Europe. The popular Dutch online kids’ clothing retailer Kleertjes is scheduled to launch an exclusive Bouffants kids’ clothing collection through licensee Retail Tribes.

The personalised online card retailer Moonpig is refreshing Kendra’s collection of cards with some new sassy designs in the UK. Additionally, Dandy has signed with Chinese subagent Zenulla, who is working on key promotional and product opportunities in China.

Meanwhile, 2021 has been earmarked as a ‘big year’ for EttaVee.

Founder of EttaVee, Jessi Raulet

LANG is scheduled to release a new EttaVee collection of calendars, stationery and gift products that will be available at retailers including Barnes & Noble and Walgreens, American Greetings has partnered with founder Jessi Raulet to create a collection of greeting cards that will be featured on an end-cap in a major national retailer, and this summer, Fit & Fresh is launching a collection of Etta Vee lunch bags and lunch kits at key retailers in time for back-to-school.

Elsewhere, Riley Blake will release a collection of apparel fabric in collaboration with Fabric.com and Tervis has a collection of drinkware available on Tervis.com and Target.com.

Stay tuned for a big announcement about a brand new collaboration for EttaVee in the home space slated to launch this summer.

Jewel Branding and Licensing also handles the licensing programme for Nikki Chu for whom 2021 promises to be a busy year, too.

Nikki Chu Home continues to be a top selling name in home fashions and décor with a line of rugs, bedding, decorative pillows, throws and wall art. Chu recently launched a new collection of home products exclusively through Walmart.com. York Wallcoverings has been recently signed to develop a unique collection of peel & stick wallpaper, slated to launch later this year.

Celebrity interior designer, Nikki Chu

Additionally, Chu recently signed with a leading home décor partner and will be introducing home décor accessories and accent furniture later this year. Her wall art continues to sell out at all major retailers, and most recently she was profiled on FineArtCanvas.com.

“I feel fortunate to be partnered with Jewel Branding & Licensing because they understand the importance of highlighting a diverse portfolio of designers,” said Nikki Chu.

“The success of my line has been years in the making and I’m thrilled that retailers and consumers are committed to amplifying black female designers like me.”

BBC Studios lines up five new US partners for hit kids’ series Bluey

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BBC Studios has secured a raft of five new US licensing partners for the popular children’s animated TV series, Bluey, tapping the likes of Spin Master, The Bentex Group, and Jay Franco for new products.

The move to bolster the IP’s US licensing programme follows the successful premiere of Bluey across the region in 2019 and its current surge in viewership upon the Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and Disney+. Bluey made its debut into the toy market through partner Moose Toys, while Penguin Random House headed up its publishing slate.

The popular children’s brand is poised to make an even bigger imprint at retail across the US this year, with new introductions from The Bentext Group, Spin Master, Jay Franco, Kurt Adler, and Zak Designs.

Spin Master will launch a range of games and puzzles from this autumn, Bentex will look after apparel and toddler’s clothing, Jay Franco will head up bedding, home decor, bath and accessories, Zak Designs for dining, and Kurt Adler for holiday decor.

“Bluey, Bluey, Bluey! The brand is picking up real momentum in the US off the back of the series success on Disney platforms, and the debut line of toys and books. The upcoming line of products from our new best-in-class partners are poised to help families build upon their Bluey-inspired adventures together,” said Suzy Raia, VP consumer products and business development, BBC Studios.

“We hope parents are eager to expand the Bluey presence in their home – it’s truly a show that continues to resonate with families and that parents are eagerly embracing.”

Bluey is a multi-award-winning Australian children’s series that has taken Australia and the US by storm and is charming audiences around the globe. Loved by parents and children for its heartfelt and funny portrayal of family life and celebration of play, the series follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog, who loves to play and turns everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun.

In June 2019, BBC Studios struck a global broadcast deal with Disney to premiere Bluey on Disney Junior and Disney+ in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand, and Greater China including Taiwan.

In Australia, Bluey is the most watched series ever on ABC iview, with over 480 million plays across series 1 and 2.

Edutainment Licensing launches own branded TV channel through VixiTV partnership

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Edutainment Licensing has launched its own branded TV channel, a new AVOD channel that will feature shows from across its portfolio. The new channel has been launched in partnership with VixiTV and accessed via a new app called Kiddo.

The AVOD channel is already available to download on all LG and Samsung Smart TVs, Amazon Fire and was lately released via GooglePlay for both mobile Android devices and TVs.

“Covid-19 has boosted online content consumption and we were delighted to partner with Vixi to create our own app and to be able to offer this an additional source of revenue for our Producers,” said Denise Deane, owner of Edutainment Licensing.

Combining over 50 years of experience in the ad-tech field, Vixi has developed technology offering a software to develop, manage, and distribute apps as Smart TV applications. 

The initial focus for the launch of the Kiddo app is on building a strong presence for Edutainment Licensing’s edutainment properties across English-speaking markets, APAC and LATAM.

Shows featured on the app include Super Geek Heroes, Little Smart Planet, Bino and Fino, Giligilis, Hoorah Hippo, Lingokids, Out Of This Word, nxBEATS, Sooty and The Theo The Mouse Show.

Jazwares extends its UFC partnership to bring Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal into the ring

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The global toy company, Jazwares, has extended its partnership with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation, UFC, to launch a new range of collectable figures courtesy of Ringside Collectibles.

Under the latest deal, popular UFC fighters Conor McGregor, Jorge Masvidal, Amanda Nunes, Francise Ngannou, Israel Adesanya, and Urijah Faber now join the line-up.

The UFC Ultimate Series limited-edition figures by Jazwares have been billed as ‘the most detailed, realistic, and sophisticated representations of UFC athletes’, allowing fans and collectors to re-create the thrill of fight night with the UFC articulated fighter figures.

Each fighter features character-authentic details including tattoo-like-details, weight class body types, and realistic facial expressions. The 6.5-inch UFC collectibles come with two sets of removable hands and two removable heads. They also come with a fighter-specific flag, UFC champion belt, or other unique fighter accessories.

This new collection comes after the first launch featuring current and former UFC champions including UFC lightweight champion Khabib “The Eagle” Nurmagomedov, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones, former light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier, former featherweight champion Max Holloway and UFC lightweight Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone.

Ginger Fox to roll-out new TV licensed family games including BBC’s Top Gear and Who Wants to be a Millionaire

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Gifting and gaming specialist, Ginger Fox, has underscored its intentions to explore and roll-out more new TV-licensed games having seen success with a portfolio that already boasts the likes of Taskmaster and House of Cards.

The games specialist – currently showcasing its 2021 portfolio across Spring Fair @ Home – has credited the ‘amazing success’ of its TV-licensed portfolio of games as the drive to make it a key focus once again for the year ahead.

This year will see Ginger Fox launch three new board games to the exploding market for family-friendly board games that has been driven by lockdown restrictions in place amid the coronavirus pandemic. New licensed titles include Who Wants to be a Millionaire, BBC’s Top Gear, and Popmaster.

Ginger Fox has also added Beat the Chasers to its best-selling range of licensed card games.

“The reaction from buyers so far has been fantastic so we enter 2021 full of confidence and we are excited about our new product launches,” Zoe Farmer, marketing executive at Ginger Fox, told Licensing.biz.

“We are planning seasonal updates to much of our digital content during Christmas, Valentine’s Day and other events, making these games even more enjoyable to play again and again. There is so much potential in this area and we look forward to rolling out even more over the coming year.”

Following on from the success of its Taskmaster Board Game, Ginger Fox is launching a new Expansion Pack containing 40 task cards, including 10 exclusive video tasks set by Alex Horne that update throughout the year. Meanwhile, based on the hit BBC2 show hosted by Richard Osman, the best-selling House of Games Board Game has been billed as ‘the ultimate test of knowledge and skill.’

‘Team up to tackle trivia or face off against each other in the iconic Answer Smash. Who will be the House of Games champion in this competitive compendium of games? Back in stock in April 2021,’ said the firm.