Tag Archives: lead

Toikido signs master toy partnership for Netflix’s feature animation Back to the Outback

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Toikido has been named the master toy partner for Netflix’s upcoming feature film, Back to the Outback, an animated adventure following a ragtag group of animals and their daring escape from captivity.

With the film scheduled to make its global debut this autumn, Toikido has secured the rights to manufacture a master toy range including action figures and plush across global markets.

Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like they’re monsters, Back to the Outback is centered on a group of Australia’s deadliest creatures as they plot their escape back to the Outback, a place where they’ll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs.

Leading the group is Maddie (Isla Fisher), a poisonous snake with a heart of gold, who bands together with a self-assured Thorny Devil lizard Zoe (Miranda Tapsell), a lovelorn hairy spider Frank (Guy Pearce), and a sensitive scorpion Nigel (Angus Imrie).

When their nemesis – Pretty Boy (Tim Minchin), a cute but obnoxious koala – unexpectedly joins their escape, Maddie and the gang have no choice but to take him with them. So begins a hair-raising and hilarious road trip across Australia, as they are pursued by a zookeeper Chaz (Eric Bana) and his adventure-seeking mini-me (Diesel Cash La Torraca).

Directed by Clare Knight and Harry Cripps, Back to the Outback also featuring the voices of Rachel House, Keith Urban, Celeste Barber, Wayne Knight, Lachlan Ross Power, and Jacki Weaver.

Lead by the toy and licensing industry expert, Darran Garnham, Toikido is a London-based entertainment company boasting a global reach and ecosystem across licensing, gaming, music, and entertainment.

Hornby takes fresh steps into franchise building with new licensing consultant Michele Pearce

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Hornby Hobbies has taken the first steps forward in launching its Scalextric brand onto the global licensing scene with the appointment of its new licensing consultant, Michele Pearce.

In her new role, Pearce will work to represent Hornby in the start of a new in-house licensing initiative, utilising her specialist knowledge and appreciation of the brand through her work as a successful licensing expert in the toy category and experience working within licensing in the video game industry.

The company is looking towards utilising this expertise as Pearce brings a new focus to the Scalextric brand.

The programme will focus on both the retro archive and the new Scalextric branding with the aim to find the partners who can realise the brand in product that will add to the whole family’s enjoyment of the ultimate slot car racing experience. 

Lyndon Davies, Hornby CEO, said: “Scalextric is loved by many and there are some exciting opportunities for us to work with licencing partners. Michele brings a wealth of experience to the team and we are  excited by some of the early conversations.” 

Pearce added: “I have been talking to Hornby for some time about the licensing opportunities for Scalextric and how much I would enjoy developing a strategy for them and I couldn’t have been more delighted when they contacted me at the start of this year with the wave of a chequered flag to start the programme.” 

For more information about the licensing opportunities for Scalextric please contact  michele.pearce@hornby.com

Zynga and Lucasfilm announce Star Wars: Hunters for Nintendo Switch and mobile

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The mobile gaming goliath, Zynga is making its first move into the console arena, having been unveiled as the newest partner for Lucasfilm’s renewed, post-EA push into the video games space.

In a virtual event hosted by Nintendo this week, details of a new Star Wars console game for the Nintendo Switch were finally announced, with Zynga taking the lead on the cross-platform title and its own first steps in the previously unexplored segment.

Under the new partnership with Lucasfilm and Nintendo, Zynga will launch the free-to-play Star Wars: Hunters across the Switch console and mobile platforms. The deal is yet another development for the Star Wars franchise and its activity in the gaming market, following the recent news that Lucasfilm’s exclusivity deal with EA for console games would not be renewed.

During this week’s Nintendo Direct, a virtual event in which the video games company detailed a swathe of upcoming releases, Star Wars: Hunters was described as “a competitive arena combat game… coming in 2021.

“Star Wars: Hunters will bring players together to engage in thrilling, squad based, multiplayer battles featuring a diverse array of distinctive new Star Wars characters.”

Bernard Kim, president of publishing at Zynga, said: “Bringing Star Wars: Hunters to the Nintendo Switch and its passionate fan-base marks an exciting milestone for Zynga.

“We created Star Wars: Hunters for every fan who has ever dreamed about playing a high-intensity action game set in the Star Wars galaxy and are excited to see Switch players embrace our foray into console gaming.”

BritBox expands its Anderson Entertainment offering as SVOD audiences grow for Thunderbirds creator

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BritBox, the subscription-based streaming service, is expanding its Gerry Anderson offering as part of its popular Old School collection of cult kids’ TV shows.

Gerry Anderson, the founder of Anderson Entertainment, is the name behind iconic shows like Thunderbirds and Space:1999, as well as more modern hits like Space Precinct and the 2005 re-imagining of Captain Scarlet.

The entertainment studio had previously secured a broadcast deal with BritBox for four of its best-loved series: the original Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, UFO, and Space 1999. Following the success of the partnership and the growing audience numbers for Anderson Entertainment productions, BritBox is expanding its Gerry Anderson output.

Already, 2021 has seen the addition of 1964’s Stingray (one of the earliest Anderson hits and the first British TV series to be produced entirely in colour) and 1969’s The Secret Service, a mix of live action and puppetry and the last Anderson series to use puppets before the arrival of Terrahawks in 1983.

Further expansion is expected over the course of the coming year, building on BritBox’s portfolio of British TV from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, as well as its library of iconic films, remastered classic, and BritBox Originals.

Meanwhile, a multitude of international SVOD platforms have underlined the enduring popularity of classic Anderson Entertainment series. Terrahawks on Amazon Prime and shows on other platforms like Shout Factory, Comet and Pluto, as well, of course, as BritBox, are helping to build a new, younger following alongside the longer-term fanbase.

Linear programming is also getting in on the act through Forces TV and the Horror Channel, while shows on DVD and Blu-Ray continue to enjoy impressive sales.

Anderson Entertainment’s growth in broadcast and streaming partners will now combine with the arrival of new content and an expanded direct-to-consumer and retail merchandising offering to grow the company’s market presence throughout 2021. 

The strategy is being led by the company’s highly successful e-commerce site, the Gerry Anderson Store, which boasts a growing list both of licensee-supplied product and new items developed and created by Anderson Entertainment.

A new corporate website, www.anderson-entertainment.co.uk, was launched in 2021 to support this ongoing expansion.

Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled that BritBox, the premier home for the best of British creativity has extended its Gerry Anderson offering. This confirms the continuing strength of the Anderson brand among viewers of all ages, a strength that will underpin our ongoing expansion strategy for the coming year.”

Craig Morris, programming and scheduling lead for BritBox, added: “We’ve been delighted with the huge popularity of Gerry Anderson’s shows on BritBox and are proud to be working with the team at Anderson Entertainment to bring these beloved TV classics together on a streaming platform for the first time.”

LEGO and Universal Music Group unveil first product line-up for LEGO VIDIYO

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The LEGO Group has today unveiled the first range of products to arrive from its new LEGO Vidiyo platform, a collaboration with Universal Music Group that will enable kids to create their own music videos using LEGO Minifgures, new LEGO kits, and augmented reality technology.

Teased last month, LEGO Vidiyo brings digital and physical play together through the use of a series of BeatBoxes, Bandmatesm and BeatBits that, through the use of AR tech, come to life in a new app, available to download now www.LEGO.com/VIDIYO-DeviceCheck.

Inspired by an array of musical genres and musicians, the LEGO Vidiyo world offers a new product experience for families and LEGO fans, allowing them to play, create and produce their own music videos.

The first LEGO Vidiyo product drop consists of BeatBoxes, Bandmates, and BeatBits. Fans will discover six unique portable BeatBoxes that each hold a minifigure representing a specific music genre, a scanning stage, two special BeatBits, and 14 random BeatBits.

These BeatBoxes can transport up to 16 BeatBits and have a building plate that can be customised with a selection of LEGO tiles to suit the style of its owner.

The first wave of products also features 12 Bandmates, each of which comes with one special BEatBit and two random BeatBits. BEatBits are a creative system of audio-visual effects that can be combined in the app and in real life, printed like album covers on 2×2 tiles. Each represents a music effect, character dance move, or scene prob that come to life in the Vidiyo app.

BeatBits, like instruments, are played live during the performance. There will be 130 BeatBits launching in the first year.

The six BeatBoxes and 12 Bandmate characters introduced today are:

  • 43102 ‘Candy Pop’ in the Candy Mermaid BeatBox (Pop)
  • 43103 ‘Pirate Punk’ in the Punk Pirate Beatbox (Punk)
  • 43104 ‘Alien DJ’ in the Extra Terrestrial Dance Music BeatBox (ETDM)
  • 43105 ‘Party Llama’ in the Party Llama BeatBox (Tropicon)
  • 43106 ‘Unicorn DJ’ in the Unicorn DJ BeatBox (K-pawp)
  • 43107 ‘Robot Break-dancer’ in the HipHop Robot BeatBox (HipHop)
  • 43101 Bandmates: Red Panda Dancer; Cotton Candy Cheerleader; Shark Singer; Bunny Dancer; Discowboy Singer; Genie Dancer; Samurapper; DJ Cheetah; Ice Cream Saxophonist; Alien Keytarist; Banshee Singer; Werewolf Drummer

LEGO VIDIYO products will be available from March 1st and are the first of many to come, states LEGO. BeatBoxes are priced at £17.99 with the Collectible Bandmates priced at £3.99.

There will be around 30 songs from UMG’s unrivalled global artists, including chart toppers and ultimate classics, all available on the app from launch, with new tracks added frequently. Each song has been programmed to work intuitively with all the BeatBits to ensure they link in harmony, including special music effects that match the beat of the track giving children an incredible level of creative audio customisation.

As part of the Vidiyo app experience children can create their own bands for performances – select clothing, band names, and album covers. By taking part in regularly updated in-app challenges and scanning in products, points are earned which can be used to unlock additional customisation options such as costumes, accessories, choreography and stage layouts.

In addition to the initial launch, Universal Music Group label, Astralwerks has also signed a new artist – a live action human version of the DJ LLama minifigure from the Tropicon BeatBox who goes by the titles L.L.A.M.A.

Refusing to be attached to any one genre, L.L.A.M.A. aims to harness free-spiritedness to inspire curiosity.

VP marketing, Luke Armitage, Astralwerks, said: “It’s an honour to sign the first ever llama and LEGO minifigure to a global record deal. When L.L.A.M.A first played us the early demo of ‘Shake’, we all knew we wanted to work with him. The LEGO Group’s partnership with UMG completely aligns with our mission to surround the electronic music space with innovation.”

Fans can stay tuned to L.L.A.M.A and his plans via his social media channels @musicbyllama.

William Thorogood, VP and executive producer of LEGO Vidiyo, the LEGO Group, said: “Play and music are both universally appealing and have a fundamental impact on the development of children.

“With LEGO VIDIYO we can now provide a kid-safe space for children to express their playful creativity through music video making to develop these new skills.”

“The partnership with UMG brings with it innovation on so many levels, from an exciting new music centred product and app experience to ground-breaking ways of engaging fans with the signing of L.L.A.M.A. LEGO VIDIYO has been tested with over 1,500 families across North America, Europe and Asia and the response we have seen has been incredible, with children and parents all excited to be able to bring LEGO minifigures to life in their very own unique, creative Music Videos. Now that LEGO VIDIYO is out in the wild, I’m so excited to see what the young creators of today have in store.”

Joshua Burke, VP, strategic marketing and global partnerships, Universal Music Group, added: “It’s an exciting day for LEGO VIDIYO, finally revealing the full experience and topping it with the first ever record deal for a LEGO minifigure.

“Music goes hand in hand with creativity and plays a role in a child’s development, all these new products, BeatBits and characters will inspire young people as they discover music, artists and new sounds from around the globe. While expanding their creative and technical skills and having fun – children will be learning, experimenting and expressing themselves in their very own music videos.”

LEGO Vidiyo is aimed at children aged seven to ten and provides a safe universe where they can traverse the worlds of physical and digital play. As LEGO Vidiyo requires verified parental consent – along with anonymity – and with external moderation of all content uploaded to the App feed, parents can be reassured their child is unleashing their creativity while staying safe online.

LEGO and Universal Music Group unveil first product line-up for LEGO VIDIYO

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The LEGO Group has today unveiled the first range of products to arrive from its new LEGO Vidiyo platform, a collaboration with Universal Music Group that will enable kids to create their own music videos using LEGO Minifgures, new LEGO kits, and augmented reality technology.

Teased last month, LEGO Vidiyo brings digital and physical play together through the use of a series of BeatBoxes, Bandmatesm and BeatBits that, through the use of AR tech, come to life in a new app, available to download now www.LEGO.com/VIDIYO-DeviceCheck.

Inspired by an array of musical genres and musicians, the LEGO Vidiyo world offers a new product experience for families and LEGO fans, allowing them to play, create and produce their own music videos.

The first LEGO Vidiyo product drop consists of BeatBoxes, Bandmates, and BeatBits. Fans will discover six unique portable BeatBoxes that each hold a minifigure representing a specific music genre, a scanning stage, two special BeatBits, and 14 random BeatBits.

These BeatBoxes can transport up to 16 BeatBits and have a building plate that can be customised with a selection of LEGO tiles to suit the style of its owner.

The first wave of products also features 12 Bandmates, each of which comes with one special BEatBit and two random BeatBits. BEatBits are a creative system of audio-visual effects that can be combined in the app and in real life, printed like album covers on 2×2 tiles. Each represents a music effect, character dance move, or scene prob that come to life in the Vidiyo app.

BeatBits, like instruments, are played live during the performance. There will be 130 BeatBits launching in the first year.

The six BeatBoxes and 12 Bandmate characters introduced today are:

  • 43102 ‘Candy Pop’ in the Candy Mermaid BeatBox (Pop)
  • 43103 ‘Pirate Punk’ in the Punk Pirate Beatbox (Punk)
  • 43104 ‘Alien DJ’ in the Extra Terrestrial Dance Music BeatBox (ETDM)
  • 43105 ‘Party Llama’ in the Party Llama BeatBox (Tropicon)
  • 43106 ‘Unicorn DJ’ in the Unicorn DJ BeatBox (K-pawp)
  • 43107 ‘Robot Break-dancer’ in the HipHop Robot BeatBox (HipHop)
  • 43101 Bandmates: Red Panda Dancer; Cotton Candy Cheerleader; Shark Singer; Bunny Dancer; Discowboy Singer; Genie Dancer; Samurapper; DJ Cheetah; Ice Cream Saxophonist; Alien Keytarist; Banshee Singer; Werewolf Drummer

LEGO VIDIYO products will be available from March 1st and are the first of many to come, states LEGO. BeatBoxes are priced at £17.99 with the Collectible Bandmates priced at £3.99.

There will be around 30 songs from UMG’s unrivalled global artists, including chart toppers and ultimate classics, all available on the app from launch, with new tracks added frequently. Each song has been programmed to work intuitively with all the BeatBits to ensure they link in harmony, including special music effects that match the beat of the track giving children an incredible level of creative audio customisation.

As part of the Vidiyo app experience children can create their own bands for performances – select clothing, band names, and album covers. By taking part in regularly updated in-app challenges and scanning in products, points are earned which can be used to unlock additional customisation options such as costumes, accessories, choreography and stage layouts.

In addition to the initial launch, Universal Music Group label, Astralwerks has also signed a new artist – a live action human version of the DJ LLama minifigure from the Tropicon BeatBox who goes by the titles L.L.A.M.A.

Refusing to be attached to any one genre, L.L.A.M.A. aims to harness free-spiritedness to inspire curiosity.

VP marketing, Luke Armitage, Astralwerks, said: “It’s an honour to sign the first ever llama and LEGO minifigure to a global record deal. When L.L.A.M.A first played us the early demo of ‘Shake’, we all knew we wanted to work with him. The LEGO Group’s partnership with UMG completely aligns with our mission to surround the electronic music space with innovation.”

Fans can stay tuned to L.L.A.M.A and his plans via his social media channels @musicbyllama.

William Thorogood, VP and executive producer of LEGO Vidiyo, the LEGO Group, said: “Play and music are both universally appealing and have a fundamental impact on the development of children.

“With LEGO VIDIYO we can now provide a kid-safe space for children to express their playful creativity through music video making to develop these new skills.”

“The partnership with UMG brings with it innovation on so many levels, from an exciting new music centred product and app experience to ground-breaking ways of engaging fans with the signing of L.L.A.M.A. LEGO VIDIYO has been tested with over 1,500 families across North America, Europe and Asia and the response we have seen has been incredible, with children and parents all excited to be able to bring LEGO minifigures to life in their very own unique, creative Music Videos. Now that LEGO VIDIYO is out in the wild, I’m so excited to see what the young creators of today have in store.”

Joshua Burke, VP, strategic marketing and global partnerships, Universal Music Group, added: “It’s an exciting day for LEGO VIDIYO, finally revealing the full experience and topping it with the first ever record deal for a LEGO minifigure.

“Music goes hand in hand with creativity and plays a role in a child’s development, all these new products, BeatBits and characters will inspire young people as they discover music, artists and new sounds from around the globe. While expanding their creative and technical skills and having fun – children will be learning, experimenting and expressing themselves in their very own music videos.”

LEGO Vidiyo is aimed at children aged seven to ten and provides a safe universe where they can traverse the worlds of physical and digital play. As LEGO Vidiyo requires verified parental consent – along with anonymity – and with external moderation of all content uploaded to the App feed, parents can be reassured their child is unleashing their creativity while staying safe online.

New York | Toy of the Year awards underscores big year for children’s licenses

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Pokemon, Super Mario, Star Wars The Mandalorian, and PAW Patrol are just some of the leading children’s brands to have won big this weekend when the annual Toy of the Year awards hosted an all-virtual event to reveal its winners.

A tussle of the titans ensued as the awards – recognised as the ‘Oscars of the toy industry’ – watched global toy makers LEGO and Mattel emerge with no fewer than four award wins each, with the likes of LEGO’s Super Mario play-sets and Mattel’s The Mandalorian The Child Plush thrust into the spotlight.

License of the Year went to Disney for The Mandalorian, while the Pokemon Trading Card Game took home Game of the Year. Pre-school Toy of the Year was swept up by Spin Master and its PAW Patrol franchise, while Playmibile drove home at 88mph with the Vehicle of the Year award for its Back to the Future DeLorean play-set.

“It’s an exhilarating feeling to be recognized for our relentless drive to push the boundaries of play,” said Anton Rabie, Spin Master’s chairman and co-chief executive officer of the firm’s win in the Pre-school Toy of the Year category.

“Every year our incredibly talented team, in collaboration with our amazing community of external inventors, raises the bar on innovation with the purpose of developing magical moments and experiences for kids and families around the world. Together, we’re committed to reimagining where imagination can take us.”

Meanwhile, in a surprise announcement, two winners were chosen for the People’s Choice Award; Story Time Chess (Story Time Chess), a classic game re-imagined for the youngest of players, and The Original Spawn Action Figure and Comic Remastered (McFarlane Toys), a fan-favourite that has its roots in Kickstarter success.

Toy of the Year Awards were handed out in 16 categories. The winners are:

Action Figure of the Year: Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes Line (Mattel)

Collectible of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Character Packs (LEGO)

Construction Toy of the Year: LEGO Star Wars The Razor Crest (LEGO)

Creative Toy of the Year: Crayola Colors of the World Crayons (Crayola LLC)

Doll of the Year: Barbie Color Reveal (Mattel)

Game of the Year: Pokémon Trading Card Game Battle Academy (The Pokémon Company International)

Infant/Toddler Toy of the Year: Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen (Mattel)

Innovative Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Child Animatronic Edition Toy (Hasbro)

License of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian (Disney)

Outdoor Toy of the Year: Ultimate Go-Kart (Radio Flyer)

Playset of the Year: LEGO Super Mario Bowser’s Castle Boss Battle Expansion Set (LEGO)

Plush Toy of the Year: Star Wars: The Mandalorian The Child 11” Plush (Mattel)

Preschool Toy of the Year: PAW Patrol Dino Patroller (Spin Master)

Specialty Toy of the Year: LEGO Ideas Grand Piano (LEGO)

STEAM Toy of the Year: Mega Cyborg Hand (Thames & Kosmos)

Vehicle of the Year: PLAYMOBIL Back To The Future DeLorean (PLAYMOBIL)

Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association, said: “From 117 outstanding finalists to this year’s TOTY winners, to Hasbro’s Toy of the Year Award and two unique People’s Choice winners, each underscores the joy of play in uncertain times, the togetherness of family game night, as well as the swiftly-evolving retail and e-commerce landscape.

“The TOTYs continue to reflect the toy and play community’s passion and perseverance, all while honoring the richly deserving Hall of Fame inductees. It also raises vital funding for The Toy Foundation as it embarks on impactful new programs supporting children’s hospitals and driving diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the toy industry. We thank the independent expert judging panels and the tens of thousands of individuals who voted this year.”

During the event, four toy industry visionaries were also officially inducted into the esteemed Toy Industry Hall of Fame. This year saw Philip Bloom, founder and former publisher of The Bloom Report; William C. Killgallon, chairman of the board at The Ohio Art Company; Pleasant T. Rowland, founder of American Girl, a division of Mattel, Inc.; and the late Margarete Steiff, founder and creator of Steiff were all inducted.

Read more about the Hall of Fame inductees here.

More than 500 TOTY Award nominees poured in late last summer. Of those, 117 finalists were selected by a panel of expert judges. Category winners were then determined based on votes from toy retailers (mass and specialty), media, Toy Association members, and consumers.

The “Toy of the Year” winner was determined by an expert panel that discussed all the finalists before rendering a decision based on TOTY votes, holiday sales, and media buzz (traditional, online, and social).

The “People’s Choice” award winners were uniquely selected by online consumer votes. All results were audited for accuracy, including the judging and voting process, and The NPD Group validated marketplace acceptance. Descriptions of all TOTY finalists can be found at ToyAwards.org.

Disney content and licensing hit hard by Covid-19 but consumer products offer glimmer of hope

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Content sales and licensing revenues at the Walt Disney Company have suffered big losses at the hands of the pandemic with dramatic decreases of 56 per cent and an operating income decrease of 78 per cent driven primarily by the closure of theatres, parks and experiences over the course of last year.

Lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures played a major role in significantly reduced theatrical distribution from the studio with many theatres across the globe either closed or operating at reduced capacity in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus.

As a result, Disney content sales, licensing and other revenues dropped by over half to $1.7 billion, while segment operating income decreased 76 per cent to $188 million.

Meanwhile, lower TV and SVOD distribution results were driven by the shift from Disney’s licensing of content to third parties to distribution via its own direct-to-consumer services like Disney+.

The studio has attributed the decrease in home entertainment results to lower unit sales, partially offset by lower marketing costs. The prior-year quarter reflected the performance of Toy Story 4, The Lion King and Aladdin compared to no significant titles in the current quarter.

The negative impact of Covid-19 continued to be felt across Disney’s Parks, Experience, and Products segment which saw Q1 2021 revenues plunge 53 per cent to £3.6 billion, with segment operating results dropping $2.6 billion to a loss of $119 million.

As a result of the pandemic, Disneyland Resort was closed and the company’s cruise business was suspended in the current quarter. Disneyland Paris closed on October 30, 2020 and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort closed on December 2, 2020. Walt Disney World Resort and Shanghai Disney Resort were open in the current quarter, but were operating at significantly reduced capacities.

Disney’s consumer products business has however offered the firm a glimmer of light, with operating income growth driven by an increase in games licensing revenue, reflected in the release of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales.

‘The most significant impact on operating income in the current quarter from COVID-19 was an estimated detriment of approximately $2.6 billion at the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment due to revenue lost as a result of the closures and reduced operating capacities,’ explained Disney in its Q1 2021 financial  statement.

‘The impacts of Covid-19 on our Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution segment were less significant. Lower revenues due to the deferral or cancellation of significant film releases as a result of theater closures were largely offset by the related reduction in film cost amortization, marketing and distribution costs.’

Bob Chapek, chief executive officer, The Walt Disney Company, said: “We believe the strategic actions we’re taking to transform our Company will fuel our growth and enhance shareholder value, as demonstrated by the incredible strides we’ve made in our DTC business, reaching more than 146 million total paid subscriptions across our streaming services at the end of the quarter.

“We’re confident that, with our robust pipeline of exceptional, high-quality content and the upcoming launch of our new Star-branded international general entertainment offering, we are well-positioned to achieve even greater success going forward.”

Mad Beauty confident of ‘flourishing beauty gifting market’ with extensive Mickey and Friends collection

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Mad Beauty has expressed its confidence in the gift market with a follow up collection of its original Disney Mickey and Minnie line featuring a new slate of on-trend products, tapping directly into the need for friendship and kindness in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

Developed by Mad Beauty’s creative director, Julia Cash, the new range of Mickey and Friends designs takes inspiration form the nostalgia of the original cartoons, with the addition of vibrant colours and bold outlines across a new 35-piece collection.

The expansive range has been developed in a show of confidence that the gifting market “will flourish” over the coming year.

The new line spans clay masks, bath jellies, bubble bath, lip balm tins, and bath fizzers, make up bags, and sheet masks.

Julia Cash, creative director and owner of Mad Beauty, said: “We are so proud and excited as a creative team to launch this beautiful Disney Mickey & Friends inspired bath & body collection. We have introduced new SS21 gifts such as tubs of Clay Mask and Bath Jellies. 

“Some might think we are brave (Mad even!) creating so many new collections with the last 12 months, but we are confident that the gift industry will flourish and as a brand we stay fresh and on trend whilst maintaining the Mad Beauty fully compliant quality to give retailers and shoppers something different, which they expect from us and means they come back time and time again.” 

Mad Beauty has seen huge growth in the last 12 months through international expansion and is now following its strategy of further growth through 2021 and beyond.

“Launching such a huge collection for Spring confirms our confidence in the new collections and the beauty gifting industry overall,” the firm said in a press statement.

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.”