Tag Archives: toys

Mattel’s Whac-A-Mole strikes TV game show deal with Fremantle

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Whac-A-Mole has become the latest Mattel toy property to receive the TV treatment as the television production outfit, Fremantle, prepares to develop a new game show based on the title.

The move comes amid a slate of TV licensing announcements from Mattel, including the most recent partnership with Propagate to develop a game show based on the family card game UNO.

According to reports, the Whac-A-Mole game show will turn the popular Mattel title – and regular fixture of the arcades and amusement park scene – into an elimination competition during which opposing teams will use their skill, strength, and endurance to become the ultimate Whac-A-Mole champion.

The unscripted series will incorporate life-sized Whac-A-Mole, races and obstacle courses.

Whac-A-Mole popped into life in 1976 as an arcade game before being turned into a tabletop game in 2009. This year, Mattel will be re-releasing the tabletop game and launching a new card game Whac-A-Mole Match-A-Mole.

“Whac-A-Mole is a beloved, action-packed arcade game with a deep fan following, and the interactive nature and comedic energy of the game makes it a great franchise for episodic television,” said Adam Bonnett, executive producer, Mattel Television.

“Jayson and the team at Fremantle have had unparalleled success creating iconic reality television series and are the perfect partners to help us bring this classic game to life in new ways.”

Jayson Dinsmore, president of alternative programming and development, Fremantle, added: “We’re so excited to have the iconic Whac-A-Mole brand as our newest playground.

“Partnering with Mattel to bring this classic game to television in a dynamic and synergistic life-sized world is a dream come true.”

Mattel’s Barbie launches new diversity ranges as its named gobal toy property of the year by NPD

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Having recently been named the 2020 top global toy property of the year and the number one fashion doll in the UK by the NPD Group, Mattel’s Barbie is pushing forward with its mission to represent global diversity and inclusivity further within the fashion doll aisle.

Through new additions to its Fashionistas line-up, the Barbie brand now welcomes its latest inclusivity push with Ken in a wheelchair, Ken with rooted hair, and a Barbie with lighter skin with vitiligo.

The Barbie Fashionistas line is recognised as the doll brand’s most diverse and inclusive range with more than 175 looks, offering children a variety of skin tones, eye colours, hair colours and textures, as well as body types and fashions to choose from. The latest additions to the range are reflective of the responsibility that Mattel takes in broadening the fashion doll brand’s diversity by bringing new inclusivity to the Ken doll collection.

The new diverse range will be available across the UK from this February. The brand will also be rolling out new product packaging that includes a reusable bag for kids to carry their dolls and improve portable play.

“As Barbie accelerates to new heights as the number one global toy property and holds as the number one fashion doll property, the message is clear that Barbie brand is more relevant than ever,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel.

“As the most diverse fashion doll line on the market, we take great responsibility in better reflecting the world around us and know there are many positive benefits to exposing children to dolls with different skin tones, hair types, abilities and more.

“We are proud to offer an even wider range of diverse choices with the latest Barbie Fashionistas line so more kids see themselves reflected in our doll line.”

Pop culture’s Super7 lands Godzilla action figures, apparel, and accessories in Toho deal

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The pop culture design house and toy manufacturer, Super7 has landed a colossal new partnership with Toho International to bring the King of Monsters – Godzilla – into its world of ReAction figures and more.

Super7’s 3.75-inch articulated Godzilla ReAction figure is scheduled to arrive this summer, along with a capsule collection, offering various products, including apparel and accessories.

The collaboration will witness the arrival of more Godzilla product later this year, escalating in 2022 with a range of Ultimate figures.

“It is not a stretch to say that Godzilla may be the most important license to Super7’s history, and one we hold with possibly too much reverence,” said Super7 founder and owner, Brian Flynn. “The genesis of Super7 started with Godzilla, and we can’t wait to add that same Super7 love and affection to Godzilla’s future.”

Super7 launched in 2001 as a magazine filled with content about collecting vintage Godzilla toys; from Marusan and Bullmark vinyl figures, die-casts and tin toys, to Shogun Warriors, featuring characters from Hedorah and Kamikaras to Rodan and Mothra.

The first toy Super7 produced was a grey color variant of the Baremodel 1954 Godzilla, sold through a coupon available only in the first issue of the Super7 magazine in 2001.

“It was here that we started with our love for a giant rubber suited reptilian phenomenon,” added Flynn.

Lora Cohn, managing director, Toho International, said: “Super7 oozes that cool factor in all its products, so we’re thrilled to bring Godzilla into their portfolio of premium products, including the popular ReAction Figures, Ultimates! line and more.

“Beyond quality products, Super7 brings so much meaning to Godzilla, with a team deeply passionate about the brand. We’re excited to offer this all-new line of products based on the King of the Monsters, and we think fans can truly feel the passion and love put into them.”

ReAction Figures are designed to celebrate the iconic action figure of our childhood. The unique size and sculpting style is simple while allowing the imagination to go all in on daily adventures, says the firm.

‘With ReAction Figures, Super7 continues the classic action figure style while making the figures we wished we had while growing up,’ it added.

Meanwhile, Super7’s articulated Ultimates! seven-inch figures are the premiere fan product. They are made-to-order figures that come with an assortment of extra features.

Star Wars, Pokémon, and LOL Surprise help US toys sales surge $3.5bn for 2020

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Entertainment brands Star Wars, Marvel, Pokémon, and LOL Surprise have been named among the top properties of 2020 to have helped US toy sales surge by $3.5bn according to the latest results from the NPD Group.

Combined, the top five properties – all the aforementioned plus Mattel’s fashion doll brand, Barbie – accounted for 13 per cent of all US toy sales on the year.

In an unprecedented year for the global toy industry, the NPD Group has attributed the 16 per cent sales growth of the toy sector for 2020 to diverted disposable income as parents – spending more time at home with their children – place greater value on play and toys, spending money saved from restrictions imposed in the fight against the pandemic.

For the year, toy sales in the US generated $25.1 billion, an increase of 16 per cent on the year prior.

Nationwide lockdowns and restrictions across the US saw disposable income diverted from usual mainstream entertainment avenues to toys, as well as the onset of federal stimulus checks.

While toy sales through mid-March 2020 were flat on 2019, widespread lockdown measures led to an abrupt increase in sales. This was amplified by the distribution of stimulus checks beginning in April, resulting in the strongest month of growth for the year in May (an increase of 38 per cent).

The NPD Group states that toy industry growth peaked again in October with an increase of 33 per cent when the holiday season kicked off with Amazon Prime Day along with other retailer deals the same week.

“2020 was an unprecedented year for the US toy industry. The growth we’ve seen in the toy industry speaks to the fact that parents are willing to put their children’s happiness above all else,” said Juli Lennett, vice president and industry advisor, US Toys, The NPD Group.

“The industry’s resiliency is very much underpinned by the reality that, in times of hardship, families look to toys to help keep their children engaged, active, and delighted. Put simply, toys are a big part of the happiness equation.”

A major theme of the US retail scene over the course of the past year has been the surge in online shopping. Some retail closures and consumer hesitancy towards shopping in stores led to a surge in online toy sales. In the first three quarters of 2020, the online channel gained 10 share points from the 23 per cent share in 2019, leading to 75 per cent growth in overall online toy sales year over year.

Not only did pure play online retailers do well, but brick and mortar retailers that had buy online, in-store pickup, or curbside options, also outperformed.

The top dollar growth sub-segments in 2020 were sports toys, which includes skates, skateboards and scooters (up 31 per cent), fashion dolls and accessories ( up 56 per cent), building sets (up 26 per cent), games (up 29 per cent), and summer seasonal toys (up 24 per cent).

The top properties of 2020 included L.O.L. Surprise!, Barbie, Star Wars, Pokémon, and Marvel Universe. The top five properties combined accounted for 13 per cent of all toy sales on the year.

While units declined in seven of the 11 super-categories, average selling price increased in every super-category. The increase in average price was a key driver of the growth in dollar sales and was driven by a shift in product mix to higher-priced categories.

Environment | “Toy recycling is key to educating children”: Wastebuster’s call to the industry

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An underwater photographer turned campaigner, conservationist, and educator on the environmental impact of climate change and pollution on the world’s oceans, Katy Newnham is about to embark on her latest venture to help change the course of history.

Last week, Wastebuster launched its Recycle to Read and Toy Take Back scheme, an initiative that has called on the toy industry to support in the efforts to find better and more sustainable methods of keeping the hard to recycle toy plastics out of landfills and out of the natural ecosystem.

Landing initially as a reward system for schools, the programme aims to engage consumers to recycle toys in selected schools and retailers across the country, and to reward those participating schools and communities with books and reading resources for children.

With toy and publishing firms already signed up to the initiative, Newnham is doubling down on her appeal to an industry to help educate children no environmental issues and taking a lead in the fight for a better, sustainable future.

Here, Licensing.biz catches up with Katy Newnham, founder of Wastebuster and the Recycle to Read programme, to learn more about it all.

Hi Katy, thanks for chatting with us. To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself and your role with Wastebuster. What is the Wastebuster mission?

I began my career as a commercial underwater photographer but having witnessed the impact of climate change and pollution on the oceans’ ecosystems, I moved into conservation and education. In 2006 I created Wastebuster, becoming the founder and CEO of the not-for-profit environmental education company.

With partners and supporters that have ranged from UN Environment to Pinewood Film Studios and Google, Wastebuster now supports over 20,000 schools, and 30,000 teachers worldwide. Specialising in delivering national and international, cross-sector education and awareness campaigns, designed to promote responsible consumption in primary aged school children.

In 2019, Wastebuster acquired The Pod, an education platform for schools and together they have become one of the largest providers of free education for sustainable development, to children all over the world. Our goal is to harness the power of entertainment to inspire social change.

Can you give us a bit of an overview of the campaigns and initiatives you guys have led and the kind of partners you have worked with?

We work with partners ranging from international corporates, local authorities, NGO’s, Governments and the UN to deliver education and awareness programmes that support development of the circular economy, in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Wastebuster has worked with WRAP since 2008, with the Wastebuster characters fronting the Recycle now Schools programme. For our 2012 Sport into Schools campaign, Wastebuster worked with the 2012 Olympic Committee, LOCOG, to use the increased interest in sport to initiate a UK wide textile recycling campaign that exchanged unwanted textiles for thousands of UK under resourced schools, for new sports equipment.

More recently Wastebuster have delivered circular economy education and school engagement programmes in South Africa and the Middle East, to support the development of new recycling infrastructure for hard to recycle plastics. This led Wastebuster to be instrumental in the formation of EPPIC (Extended Plastics Partnership for Innovation in Circularity) alongside DOW, Marks and Spencer and Ecosurety.

EPPIC is a new nationwide initiative that aims to create the infrastructure and mechanisms for the collection and recycling of ‘hard to recycle’ flexible and hard plastics. By bringing together a critical mass of key stakeholders we can deliver a functioning and profitable recycling system that benefits retailers and brand owners, publishers, recyclers, citizens and most importantly, the environment.

Currently, Wastebuster is leading the workstream on hard to recycle toy plastics, which has led to the formation of the Recycle to Read campaign, in association with Products of Change.

“We feel that toy recycling, is a key to educating children in the importance of recycling and living a more sustainable lifestyle.”

Can you talk us through the latest initiative – the Recycle to Read campaign and the Toy Take Back scheme? Who is this campaign targeting and how?

For the Recycle to Read Campaign, Wastebuster is working with EPPIC and Products of Change to bring together cross-sector stakeholders (toy companies, brand, owners, publishers, government) to develop an efficient, environmental, and sustainable infrastructure for recycling plastic toys, initially in the UK.

Initially, the programme will engage consumers to recycle toys (including electricals and textiles) in selected schools and retailers, and to reward participating schools and communities with books and reading resources to improve children’s literacy.

The Recycle to Read toy recycling programme unlocks the value of collaborative advantage. It provides an industry-wide infrastructure solution for recycling all plastic toys that consumers can engage with easily, whilst unlocking considerable social, economic and environmental benefits for the communities in which it operates.

The programme also provides research and industry insight into toy design for recyclability to support the move towards a more circular future for toy production.

Recycle to Read is more than just a recycling campaign and environmental educational programme, it is a collective impact programme and dynamic research project that provides a solution to a complex issue, through multi-stakeholder collaboration including industry, government, and consumers.

How are you guys now tapping directly into the children’s sector? And why is this such an important sector to tap into?

We feel that toy recycling, is a key to educating children in the importance of recycling and living a more sustainable lifestyle. The Recycle to Read junior board members (made up of six to 11-year-olds) made it very clear to us that they have a unique and emotional bond with their toys and understanding how they can help their toys to be reused or recycled when they are no longer wanted is a huge step in creating positive messaging around the concept of recycling.

Helena Stopher at Products of Change and the Children’s Magazine Forum have been instrumental in introducing us to the children’s sector and so far it’s been hugely rewarding working with such a positive and forward thinking industry.

Why is now the right time for toy companies to be joining this campaign? Why are they so integral to the initiative?

There is no time like now to change the future of the toy industry.

Many companies are already taking this issue seriously, especially in terms of packaging and design. Those who become members of the R2R campaign will be:

  • Helping to ensure the toy industry has a sustainable future and recycling solution
  • Proactively leading change ahead of government legislation
  • Supporting and contributing to new and better intelligence on the recyclability of toys and product design
  • Demonstrating responsibility for their products in the market giving assurance to their consumers
  • Able to utilise resources for the promotion of responsible consumption to your consumers

Acting as a responsible business sector is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It is a commercial necessity and environmental imperative. We can turn the dial for a whole generation, to promote and enable responsible consumption and production.

Let’s make this a good news story for industry, for children and for the planet. Let’s work together to do that.

The Recycle to Read campaign is financed purely by members fees and we are engaging with all brands, retailers, manufacturers, and publishers who market to children, to get behind this scheme in order to create a sustainable future for their businesses.

The programme is run on a “not for profit” basis and all members will have the opportunity to vote on how any potential profit from the value of recycled material is spent – be that more school resources, scaling up the infrastructure or reducing member fees.

What sort of reception have you had to it so far?

The sector is more than ready for this and we have had nothing but support so far.

Over 40 companies and 70 local authorities took part in a special round table webinar in November, to find out more about the campaign and we are delighted that Immediate Media and Smart Games have become founder members and are looking forward to be announcing a host of other members in the New Year.

What are you setting out to achieve, what is the mission statement for the Recycle to Read campaign and why is it more important than ever that the toy industry sits up and takes part?

Our goals are as follows:

  • To provide a new, robust, and economical infrastructure for the collection and recycling of toys, small WEEE and textiles in the UK including schools, retailers, household waste and recycling sites, businesses, community groups and more.
  • To engage, educate and encourage families to reuse and recycle more.
  • To supply industry with the research and science to create more sustainable products.
  • To create greater circularity within the UK toy industry, in a manner that can be replicated in other territories

We are working as a non-profit organisation to help the toy industry to come together to create a solution to its’ sustainability problem and help us to educate children in the importance of recycling. This is not going to happen overnight, we have a five year plan to get the UK to the point where toy recycling can be carried out via local household waste and recycling centres.

It’s a big goal and we can only achieve it if we all work together, for the common good.

How can toy companies get involved in the programme?

Visit our website www.recycletoread.org and sign up to the Webinar on 18th February, where you will be able to find out all you need about the campaign. If you don’t want to wait until then you can contact any of the members of R2R leadership team to discuss the programme in more detail – contact details are also on the website.

We will be working hard to get members fully registered by the end of February, so that we can launch phase one of the Recycle to Read Toy and Tech Take Backs in Schools in the summer term.

We can’t wait to get started!

Silvergate taps Moose Toys for new Octonauts and spin-off series toy line

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Moose Toys has partnered with Silvergate Media to launch a new Octonauts toy line developed to support the popular animated pre-school series and the upcoming release of its spin-off series, Octonauts: Above & Beyond.

First launched to screens in 2010, Octonauts has a global broadcast platform spanning multiple territories and huge fanbases in the UK, US, and China. Recently the show extended its reach by debuting in Latin America and the Middle East.

The upcoming new series Octonauts: Above & Beyond will take the crew of intrepid explorers beyond the sea and onto land with an array of new locations, vehicles and story lines to enjoy. Kids will learn facts about creatures, extreme environments and the challenges of water and weather phenomena.

“We’re incredibly honored to partner with Silvergate to bring the next chapter of Octonauts to fans across the world. The rich storyline and characters make for an incredible sandbox to develop fun, original toys,” said Joe Smith, senior director of global marketing, licensed brands, Moose Toys.

“Octonauts is widely regarded as one of the top preschool properties, and this partnership further solidifies Moose’s strength and expertise in the preschool aisle.”

As part of the deal, Moose Toys will create a full range of Octonauts toys including figures, vehicles, play-sets, plush, games and more. Octonauts: Above & Beyond, the new spin-off series will debut in 2021.

With this latest partnership, Moose Toys continues to expand its licensing portfolio and acquire highly coveted shelf real estate in the booming pre-school aisle. The toy company has seen success with its pre-school properties through its successful Kindi Kids doll line and its master toy deal with Australian ultra-hit animated series, Bluey.

Kindi Kids debuted on shelves summer 2019 and was recognized by The NPD Group as being the number one new doll property launched over its first three months of being in the market. Following its first foray into the pre-school space with Kindi Kids, Moose reinforced its strength in the category this year when Bluey was named number one new pre-school property by The NPD Group.

“With proven success in the preschool aisle and a reputation for innovation, Moose Toys is the perfect partner to capture the world of Octonauts: Above & Beyond in toy form,” said Ron Allen, executive vice president of commercial, Silvergate Media.

“We’re excited to collaborate on a new toy line that will help us take the brand in a fresh direction and create a collection of toys that kids will love.”

LEGO teams with Universal Music Group to launch creative music franchise LEGO Vidiyo

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The LEGO Group has teamed up with Universal Music Group to unveil LEGO Vidiyo, an innovative music video maker experience that celebrates children’s creativity and passion for music.

Through LEGO Vidiyo, kids can direct, produce, star in, and share their own music videos, using chart-topping tracks from Universal Music’s wealth of global artists.

Aimed at kids aged seven to ten, LEGO Vidiyo aims to provide a safe universe where they can explore physical and digital play by letting them experiment with play and music. LEGO states that the platform combines new technology with the LEGO System in Play, to help kids discover music, express themselves, and do so with anonymity that keeps them safe online as they upload their content to the accompanying App feed.

Accessed through a mash-up of LEGO elements, minifigures, music, augmented reality, and a new app, LEGO Vidiyo features endless combinations of editing options that are unlocked through new special effect ‘BeatBits.’

Kids can choose one of the man songs in the App from a variety of established artists. They can then create their own band form a collection of physical minifigures which can be customised and brought to life in different scales through AR tech n the Vidiyo app. Using ‘BeatBits’ – decorated 2×2 square LEGO elements that unlock special features when scanned – users can then line-up an array of special effects. This element allows them to control everything from video and music styles, to scene effects.

LEGO Vidiyo music videos can be set anywhere, and kids can set their stage by scanning their surroundings. Then, by hitting the selected BeatBits in the app, children can take creative control of their music video production, creating dance moves and audio effects in a 60 second performance. These performances can even be trimmed down to five, ten, 15, or 20 seconds clips for sharing with friends.

Finally, once the content has passed moderation, these clips can then be uploaded to the App feed.

LEGO underlines that any content featuring personally-identifiable information, such as children starring in the video, will not be approved for the App feed upload, but can be stored locally in-app, so friends and family can enjoy the content.

New music, challenges, and inspirational content will be added regularly to the App to keep gameplay fresh and encourage children to continue developing their creative skills. The challenges are designed to help young creators transform their videos from simple performances to exciting and dynamic productions, while ensuring they take full advantage of the wide range of features LEGO VIDIYO has to offer through new unique BeatBits.

“We want to feed the imagination of the next generation of creatives, providing a new canvas for kids to creatively express themselves,” said Julia Goldin, chief marketing officer, the LEGO Group.

“Research shows over three quarters (79 per cent) of parents globally wish their children had more creative confidence, so we’re launching LEGO Vidiyo to help make that happen. We know children are always chasing new ways to experiment creatively, and LEGO Vidiyo is here to help all kids with a passion for music unleash their creativity through LEGO building and music video production. We can’t wait to see what they come up with.”

LEGO Vidiyo is the first collaboration between the LEGO Group and Universal Music Group, after the two companies announced their partnership in April 2020.

Olivier Robert-Murphy, executive vice president, Universal Music Group and Brands added: “Through this innovative global partnership – with the power of music and play harnessed to support early development of creativity – children around the globe will be able to express themselves as they stage, direct, perform, and share their music videos.

“LEGO Vidiyo is a great way for millions of kids to discover new music and get closer to their favourite artists while learning and connecting through play.”

LEGO Vidiyo will witness the roll-out of a new App experience, LEGO sets, and lifestyle products, which are being brought to life in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group’s industry-leading merchandise and brand management company.

The first LEGO Vidiyo products will be available in the UK from March 1st 2021.

Rachel Lowe launches Beano board game to celebrate 70 years of Dennis the Menace

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The iconic British comic brand, Beano is celebrating the 70th anniversary of Dennis the Menace’s first appearance with the launch of a new board game developed by the award-winning designer, Rachel Lowe.

In a partnership secured by Rocket Licensing on behalf of Beano Studios, the new Beano game will bring Dennis and Beanotown friends together for a plethora of playable pranks and school playground humour.

Players will take turns to journey around Beanotown and try to complete pranks while avoiding being caught by the teacher. Perhaps a whoopie cushion will be dropped at Mount Beano or a custard pie will splat the walls of Bunkerton Castle? The player to prank six different locations first will win the game.

The game takes inspiration from the case and heritage of The Beano, the longest-running British children’s comic magazine which in August 2019 celebrated its 4,000th issue. 70 years ago, Dennis first appeared in the comic and has been loved by children and adults from around the world ever since.

As well as the game, a 200-piece and 1000-piece puzzle featuring more of the comic’s characters, including The Bash Street Kids will be released later in the year.

Rachel Lowe said: “Beano is an absolute classic with a dedicated fan base around the world. Dennis has one of the most iconic and recognizable faces – the messy black hair and that mischievous grin are what people love the most. I am thrilled to be working with the Beano team to create these new products to celebrate such a wonderful anniversary for a wonderful character.”

Vanessa Andreis, franchise planning and partnerships director, Beano Studios, said: “For 70 years, kids have read and laughed along with Dennis and now thanks to this incredible Rachel Lowe partnership, fans big and small can come together to test their own prank skills.

“We look forward to creating a range of games that generations of family and friends can come together to enjoy.”

The Beano board game is £29.99 and available from www.amazon.co.uk and  www.rachellowe.co.uk now.

The new game is available alongside Rachel’s current range including Elf on the Shelf, Call the Midwife and WWE: Road to WrestleMania.

Released before Christmas 2020 and designed for all the family, The Elf on the Shelf game plays out the story of Scout Elves, who fly back to the North Pole each night to report to Santa who has been Naughty and who has been Nice.

The WWE: Road to WrestleMania game, released at Christmas 2019, is available with a 500-piece puzzle and playing cards, allowing WWE fans across the UK to become part of the electrifying global pop-cultural event. The products featured WWE Superstars including John Cena, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch and have been popular with WWE’s passionate fanbase.

Finally, the Call the Midwife products (board game, puzzle and playing cards) have continued to be popular in their third year of release.

Lowe said: “Call the Midwife is a show with a dedicated following and the new series later this year will be very popular. I will be looking to update the game and puzzle to keep it in line with the new characters and story lines coming in future series.”

MGA Entertainment lands fashion deal with Poetic Brands for Na! Na! Na! Surprise clothing

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MGA Entertainment has made its latest fashion move through a partnership with the licensed apparel specialist, Poetic Brands to launch a clothing range based on the Na! Na! Na! Surprise doll range.

The specialist apparel licensee is working on a range of children’s apparel, outerwear and swimwear, nightwear and essentials based on the new property aimed at children aged three and older.

Poetic Brands will also launch a range of face masks for Na! Na! Na! Surprise and LOL Surprise OMG dolls in the coming months.

Na! Na! Na! Surprise launched in the US in late 2019, followed by the UK in September 2020. The collectible dolls offer a new unboxing experience, featuring a balloon that when blown up and then popped provides fans with a confetti surprise.

Inside the balloon is a plush pom, which holds one of six soft posable fashion dolls, outfits and shoes. Each doll has a special nametag that explains more about their style and personality.

Anne Bradford, director, Poetic Brands, said: “With the success of LOL Surprise and LOL Surprise OMG dolls on toy and apparel at retail, and a team experienced with working on both of these products, we jumped at the opportunity to work on Na! Na! Na! Surprise.

“The concept of Na! Na! Na! Surprise is perfect for its target customer and we are looking forward to creating daywear and nightwear ranges. In addition, we are producing face masks for OMG & Na! Na! Na! Surprise.”

Nelvana, Spin Master and TMS Entertainment mark third season return of Bakugan: Geogan Rising and new toy lines

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Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, Spin Master, and TMS Entertainment have detailed the third season return of the hit action adventure series, Bakugan: Geogan Rising and an accompanying extended toy line.

The new season will premiere on Sunday, January 24 on Corus Entertainment’s Teletoon in Canada, with new episodes airing weekly. It is also available to stream live and on demand on StackTV through Prime Video Channels. Viewers will also be able to find seasons one and two.

Following the launch of the new season, Spin Master is rolling out a new Bakugan: Geogan Rising toy line featuring transforming creatures. The range will land in North America this February and will roll-out across the international markets this autumn.

“We’re incredibly proud to bring Bakugan: Geogan Rising into the esteemed Bakugan franchise as the brand continues to captivate audiences globally,” said Mellany Masterson, head of Nelvana Enterprises. “Together with Spin Master we’ve grown a loyal fan base who love all things Bakugan and the international success is a testament to the dynamic content and new storylines delivered each season.”

Thom Chapman, VP sales and distribution, Spin Master, added: “We’re excited to unleash more brawling action and bring new characters to life as Bakugan captivates fans around the world.

“Partnering with Nelvana opens the door to endless possibilities for adventure as we introduce a new story and reveal epic new collectible toys allowing brawlers to watch, collect and battle.”

Bakugan: Geogan Rising sees hero Dragonoid return as the Awesome Brawlers remain in a deep slumber, healing from the last time they had to save the world. This time, the gang will face adventures with a new set of Bakugan characters including Geogan, a Bakugan-like creature fused with elements of crystals and forming a new geometric form.

Not only do Geogans look different than their Bakugan counterparts, but they are exceptionally strong and built to brawl. It’s not long before the Awesome Brawlers turn this group of misfit Bakugan into loyal partners, and Geogan have arrived on the scene, ready to prove their worth and dominate in the Bakugan battle arena.