Tag Archives: cartoon network

Bing strengthens US presence with launch on Cartoonito on HBO Max

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Acamar Films’ International Emmy Award-winning hit TV show Bing is set to make further inroads in North America with its launch on Cartoonito on HBO Max on Thursday February 24.

The HBO Max launch follows last September’s successful US debut of a new, bespoke American version of Bing on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network – created to make the preschool series as relatable as possible for US audiences.

According to WarnerMedia Kids & Family, Cartoonito, its new preschool block, offers “a modern approach to preschool programming with its proprietary educational framework, Humancentric Learning”. Bing, which celebrates the “joyful, messy reality of preschool life” is highlighted by Cartoonito as a series that helps young viewers understand how to manage emotions, understand others’ perspective and develop social skills.

Since Bing’s US premiere, six episodes have been running each weekday on Cartoonito on Cartoon Network. The show’s availability on HBO Max will further increase its reach in North America, with the popular streaming service having currently reached a US subscriber base of more than 45 million.

Jodie Morris, Chief Content & Audiences Officer, Acamar Films, says: “We are absolutely thrilled with our new American version of Bing, and are delighted that, through its launch on HBO Max, we now have an even greater opportunity to move and delight US audiences with our stories and characters.”

Bing is currently distributed to over 130 territories and engages digital audiences on a daily basis via 20 language-specific YouTube channels, social media channels, and a suite of digital apps.

Growth for Bing softlines as Acamar Films renews deals with apparel partners

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WarnerMedia Kids & Family acquires animated series Dodo from CAKE for HBO Max and Cartoon Network

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Leading kids’ and family entertainment specialist CAKE has announced a deal with WarnerMedia Kids & Family for Wildseed Studios’ animated kids’ comedy series Dodo. Based on the multi-award-winning short film and YouTube hit Not the End of the World by British creator and series director Jack Bennett, Dodo (20 x 11 minutes) perfectly depicts the drama every child experiences during middle school through the character of 11-year-old Joe Connolly and his friends Frisbo, Pete and Lily. The series will air on HBO Max and Cartoon Network in 2022.

Ed Galton, CEO at CAKE says, “We are delighted to bring Joe’s dramas to audiences in the US. His hilarious adventures will resonate with and delight children, who can identify with his experiences as well as parents, who will remember their school days with fond nostalgia.”

“Whether our middle-school memories were fraught with tears or laughter we all went through them, and they are perfectly captured in this intensely profound comedy,” says Adina Pitt, Vice President, Partnerships, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for the Americas, WarnerMedia Kids and Family. “CAKE has delivered yet again a hilariously palpable story that kids can identify and laugh along with.”

Dodo is produced by Helen Stern (Gumball), directed by creator Jack Bennett, with the support of Ben Ward (Horrible Histories) on scripting and with executive guidance provided by Wildseed’s Head of Kids and Animation Sarah Mattingley. Produced by BAFTA-winning Wildseed Studios (The Last Bus for Netflix, Counterfeit) in association with Birkdale Film and Television, Toonz Media Group in India and Telegael in Ireland, Dodo is a Sky Original.

CAKE is a leading independent entertainment company specialising in the production, distribution, development, financing and brand development of kids’ and family properties. CAKE Productions Ltd supports CAKE’s development and production activities on shared and originated projects. With over 13 properties in development, productions include Angry Birds: Summer Madness for Netflix; Mama K’s Team 4 with Triggerfish Animation for Netflix; Angelo Rules with TeamTO for France Télévisions, Canal+ and Super RTL, Space Chickens in Space with Anima Estudios for Disney EMEA; Pablo with Paper Owl for CBeebies and Mush-Mush & The Mushables with La Cabane and Thuristar currently premiering internationally on Boomerang.

 

Warner Bros. teams with Toybox to let fans 3D print their own licensed toys at home

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Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered with Toybox, a company specialised in 3D printers that allow fans to create their own toys at home, to enable audiences to print characters from across the Warner Bros. portfolio.

Marked by many as a major step forward in the ongoing development and evolution of the 3D printing space and its implications for the future of the toy industry, the new partnership will allow Toybox fans the chance to print items based on DC, Cartoon Network, Looney Tunes, Friends, even Seinfeld.

The deal also extends to classic films under the Warner Bros. banner, such as Polar Express and Elf.

Customers will be able to buy a range of toys starting with DC’s Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman by purchasing Toybox Bolts, an online currency unique to the Toybox platform. This is a first of its kind licensing agreement with a major studio that allows customers to print their toys at home.

Toys available to print at launch will be Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman action figures with nine points of articulation, Batarangs, Batman’s Batcave computer, Batmobile, Batman disc launcher, Bat-Signal, Justice League disc launchers, Daily Planet building; with additional items to follow.

Ben Baltes, CEO of Toybox, said: “We are so excited to announce this partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Toybox is the only platform to offer at home toy printing tied to a secure 3D printer. Bringing our Toybox users the world class properties from the WB catalogue is a dream for them and for us.”

Warner Bros. Animation begins production on Batman pre-school series Batwheels

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Warner Bros. Animation is vaulting into the pre-school sector as production begins on a new Batman series called Batwheels, featuring scaled down versions of the caped crusader’s Batmobile and the Batgirl Cycle as they fight crime alongside Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and other DC Universe characters.

The new animated pre-school series is slated to stream on HBO Max and air on Cartoon Network and its global platforms, as it follows the Batwheels – a group of super-powered crime-fighting vehicles that defend Gotham City from villains alongside their super hero counterparts.

“Having just been created by the Batcomputer, our heroes are essentially kids with little to no life experience. Led by Bam (The Batmobile), the Batwheels – Bibi (The Batgirl Cycle), Red (The Redbird), Jett (The Batwing) and Buff (The Bat Truck) – must navigate the growing pains of being a newly formed super team as well as the growing pains that come with just being a kid,” read the description from Warner Bros. Animation.

“Batwheels is the perfect show to headline our new foray into pre-school,” said Tom Ascheim, president of Warner Bros. Global Kids, Young Adults and Classics. “I can’t wait for all the aspiring superheroes out there to meet this whole new batch of crime-fighters.”

Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, added: “From Batman: The Animated Series to Teen Titans Go!, superhero storytelling has definitely been one of our superpowers here at Warner Bros. Animation.

“We are so excited to bring that expertise over to the preschool space and take something that all kids love, cool vehicles, and give it a turbo boost with Batman.”

Batwheels is produced by Warner Bros. Animation, with Sam Register (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”) serving as executive producer. Michael G. Stern (“Doc McStuffins”) is co-executive producer, while Simon J. Smith (“Baymax Dreams”) is supervising producer and Steven Fink of Bang Zoom Ltd. serves as producer.

The Powerpuff Girls to return as young adults in live-action reboot series from Cartoon Network

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Cartoon Network is working on a live-action reboot series of its hit animated property The Powerpuff Girls that will feature the heroic trio as a group of twenty-somethings looking back no their time as superheroes.

First reported by Deadline, the series has tapped Juno writer Diablo Cody and Arrowverse boss Greg Berlanti to executive produce. The adaptation will feature Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup as disillusioned young adults who resent havng lost their childhood to crime fighting.

As a troupe of kindergarten-aged superheroes, the Powerpuff Girls – who were accidentally created in a laboratory – have spent their lives defending Townsville from evil threats, including Mojo Jojo, a super intelligent chimpanzee.

Created by Craig McCracken, the show originally aired on Cartoon Network from 1998 to 2005, while also getting a movie in 2002. The series was rebooted in 2016 and ran new episodes up until 2019. It has become a pop cultural phenomenon over the course of its history.

The Powerpuff Girls rebooted series will air on The CW.

Nelvana and Spin Master secure raft of new broadcasters including Netflix for the hit Bakugan franchise

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The children’s animated and live action content distributor, Nelvana and kids’ entertainment company, Spin Master have secured a raft of new broadcast partners for both seasons one and two of the hit Bakugan franchise.

The new distribution deal for both Bakugan: Battle Planet and Bakugan: Armored Alliance includes Netflix in the US and Canada, Pop in the UK, 9Go! in Australia, and Dreamia in Portugal for the second season, as well as Televisa in Mexico, Dreamia in Portugal, Nelonen Media in Finland, Dexy Co in Serbia, and Talent Show in Croatia for season one.

These new distribution deals are in addition to the previously announced broadcast partners including TeleToon in Canada, Cartoon Network in the US, Cartoon Network in Spain, Italy and Middle East, Gulli and Canal J in France and Africa, and Pop in the UK, alongside a host of others.

“Bakugan is a revered franchise with a loyal fan base that has achieved great popularity worldwide as the series continues to enthrall and capture the attention of young audiences,” said Mellany Masterson, head of Nelvana Enterprises. “The momentous addition of these leading international broadcasters elevates this powerful franchise to the next level and allows Bakugan to be shared and enjoyed by many more brawlers around the world.”

Thom Chapman, senior director, sales and distribution, Spin Master, added: “The continued influx of international distribution deals is a strong testament to the franchise’s reigning popularity.

“Bakugan is an exemplary franchise for Spin Master proven in its long-lasting brand affinity. We look forward to bringing the epic world of Bakugan to more fans with this expansion.”

Bakugan: Armored Alliance is the second season of Bakugan: Battle Planet. The anime adventure series follows the adventures of Dan Kouzo and his best friends as the first kids on Earth to bond with the mysterious alien creatures known as Bakugan. The fate of not one but two planets rests in the hands of this new breed of Bakugan Brawlers.

The new season launched earlier this year on Cartoon Network in the US, and TeleToon in Canada.

Along with the new season, Spin Master launched Bakugan: Armored Alliance toys in North America in Spring 2020, with a new wave of products launching this autumn in US and Canada. Additionally, the children’s entertainment company will be rolling out their Bakugan: Armored Alliance toy line internationally this autumn.

 

Cartoon Network partners with Outright Games to develop new Ben 10 video game

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Cartoon Network has struck up a partnership with the family entertainment publisher Outright Games to develop and launch a new video game set within the world of Ben 10.

Developed by the Philadelphia-based studio PHL Collective, the new video game title will launch on consoles and PC later this year.

Since its launch in 2005, Ben 10 has evolved into one of the world’s most recognisable children’s animated franchises and is currently recognised as Cartoon Network’s longest running franchise. The show follows 10-year old Ben Tennyson after he obtains an alien device called the Omnitrix, that allows him to change into ten different alien life forms.

Meanwhile, Outright Games has earned a reputation for bringing the most popular kids’ stories to life, and with this new game set in the wildly popular Ben 10 franchise; it is looking to cement its position as a leading global publisher of family friendly interactive entertainment.

“We are thrilled to be working with Cartoon Network again to create a brand new Ben 10 game,” said Terry Malham, CEO of Outright Games. “Returning to the world of Ben 10 is something we’ve been keen to do for a while. The response from fans has been incredibly positive and we are so glad to work with Cartoon Network and continue to develop this ongoing partnership.”

Outright Games is a global video games publisher founded in 2016. In four short years, the firm has established itself as a recognised name in video game development, working with popular IP including Adventure Time, Hotel Transylvania 3: Monster Onboard, and Dragons: Dawn of New Risers with NBCUniversal.