Category Archives: Entertainment

From the US | Mighty Mojo Toys named plush toy partner for Geronimo Stilton

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The Italian entertainment media company, Atlantyca Entertainment has secured a new US toy partner for Geronimo Stilton, bringing its popular children’s book IP into the plush toy sector thanks to Mighty Mojo Toys.

In a deal brokered by the appointed US licesing agency, Firefly Brand Management, the plush range will be based on the series’ cast of characters to the North American market.

Created by Elisabetta Dami, the adventures of Geronimo Stilton and his family and friends have featured across almost 250 volumes, selling more than 175 million copies in 51 different languages around the world. 

In North America, the book series is published by Scholastic for all English speaking countries, making Geronimo Stilton one of the most globally popular kids’ books series.

Meanwhile, Mighty Mojo Toys has experienced its own success on the global stage, having enjoyed a fruitful run of plush lines for the popular children’s YouTube series Booba, PBS’ Super Why, and the Instagram celebrity, Doug the Pug.

The toy firm’s most recent releases include several officially licensed products from Spin Master’s Etch-A-Sketch.

“We’re so excited to be collaborating with the Geronimo Stilton team,” said Arash Maghaddam, CEO of Mighty Mojo Toys. “As fans, we’ve been watching its popularity explode over the years and cannot wait to share what we have in store for Geronimo and his friends.”

Cynthia Modders, president of Firefly Brand Management, added: “We are thrilled to be working on expanding the Geronimo Stilton programme with Mighty Mojo Toys. Geronimo Stilton is one of the best selling children’s books series, the famed mouse journalist is loved by children everywhere, maintaining a huge young fan base who are certainly going to enjoy these devoted character plush and toys.”

Acamar Films launches Amazon Alexa Skill for its hit preschool IP, Bing

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Acamar Films is extending the reach of its multi-award-winning preschool series Bing with the launch of a new interactive Amazon Alexa Skill, Bing Time.

Developed in partnership with voice design agency Voxly Digital, Bing Time aims to bring together new script writing, high production values and technical innovation to deliver exclusive audio stories and play-along games, in addition to a selection of Bing music and songs.

The Skill has been designed to respond to the rhythm of a child’s day; encouraging movement and active play during the morning and afternoon, while offering calmer bedtime stories and soft music in the early evening.

Jodie Morris, chief content and audiences officer, Acamar Films, said: “We are thrilled to be able to launch Bing’s fantastic new Alexa Skill with Amazon’s Kids+, and can’t wait for Bingsters to start exploring our new digital innovation.

“As with everything we do, we have designed Bing Time to serve the needs of our treasured young audience, and – working alongside the wonderful team at Voxly Digital – I think we have succeeded in delivering something really quite exceptional; providing children with a brand new, immersive way to deepen their relationship with our stories and characters.”

In its 2020 research, Voxly Digital identified that families make up a big proportion of regular voice users in the UK, with two out of three of them actively using their voice-assistants together.

Ravi Lal, CEO of Voxly Digital said: “We wanted to design an experience which was fun and easy for the whole family, so we created a fluid and easily navigable voice app, which gives users what they want quickly: amazing Bing content.

“Behind the scenes, the team put a lot of thought into creating an incredible user experience. Working with Acamar Films, we’ve really pushed the capabilities of the Alexa platform; leveraging videos, animation and recorded audio to bring the world of Bing and his friends to life.”

The Bing Time Alexa Skill is a further extension of Acamar Films’ successful digital programme for their pre-school property, which also includes the mobile app Bing: Watch, Play, Learn. First launched in the UK in September 2019, the app has now exceeded 1 million downloads across the UK, Italy and Poland.

Bing Time will be exclusively launched via Amazon Kids+ from 21 July, with a general audience release scheduled for December 2021.

Mattel and Playmobil ready new ranges as Universal launches Spirit Untamed across EMEA

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Universal Brand Development has launched a cross-category consumer products programme centered on the latest chapter in the DreamWorks Animation Spirit franchise, as the new animated feature film, Spirit Untamed rolls out across EMEA this summer.

Having premiered in Central London last weekend at an event attended by celebrities and their families, the film is swiftly moving through the EMEA region, with Russia, Italy and Spain already out of the stable gate, with Germany ready to welcome the film to screens from July 22nd, and France from July 28th.

“There’s something really special about the connection between girls and horses, and DreamWorks Animation’s Spirit Untamed taps into that emotional bond, bringing audiences along for the ride,” said Shannon Vacca, vice president, global franchise management, Universal Brand Development.

“We set out to create consumer products celebrating wholesome characters that empower girls around the world and reinforce Spirit Untamed as the ultimate story about what it means to be wild and free.”

Master toy partner, Mattel is expanding the Spirit adventure beyond the screen with its broad range of horses, character dolls, and play-sets, all featuring innovative details and storytelling accessories, as well as games. In addition, Playmobil is a returning franchise partner with new pay-sets supporting key moments from the film, alongside Just Play with basic plush.

Additionally, Outright Games, alongside Universal Games and Digital Platforms, is launching DreamWorks Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure, a new video game set in the adventurous world of the award-winning Spirit franchise.

In the game – distributed by Bandai in EMEA – players can go on an adventure and explore the wonders and dangers of the frontier with Lucky and her wild mustang, Spirit. This original story celebrates themes of adventure, friendship and the special connection between a girl and her horse.

Lucky teams up with best friends Abigail and Pru to embark on a fun-filled quest for hidden treasure in Miradero. DreamWorks Spirit Lucky’s Big Adventure will release on Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC digital in summer 2021.

Asterix and Obelix to make their Playmobil debut when play-sets launch in 2022

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The iconic comic book and movie character Asterix is getting a Playmobil makeover via a new partnership between the toymaker and the Asterix brand owner, Les Editions Albert Rene.

Under the partnership, a series of play-sets will be developed, marking the first time that Asterix and his sidekick Obelix have been given the Playmobil treatment.

The play-sets are scheduled to land sometime in 2022.

Playmobil issued a statement this morning that read: “Editions Albert Rene and Playmobil are pleased to announce the creation of a new universe around the famous comic book characters Asterix and Obelix, for the first time in Playmobil figurines.”

The message signed off that fans will require ‘a little more patience’ before the plans are unveiled in full, but that the collection promises to be a ‘magical’ one.

Asterix is a French comic book series about Ghaulish warriors and their adventures in fighting the Roman Republic during the era of Julius Caesar during the Gallic wars. The series first appeared in the Franco-Belgian comic magazine Pilote in 1959 and has subsequently become a world-revered brand and the focus of a slate of live action films.

This is the latest in a series of teases from Playmobil this month who recently unveiled a collaborative project with the classic TV series The A Team.

Since the launch and subsequent success of its Back to the Future play-sets, and the nostalgia driven success of its Scooby Doo collection, Playmobil has sought to tap further in the classic IP space, eyeing a large market in the kidult fan sector.

The Adventures of Asterix boasts a loyal cross-generational following around the globe.

Hasbro is scaling down its classic gaming titles in Mini Puzzles partnership with YWow Brands

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YWow Brands, a toy company specialising in novelty puzzles and games, has landed a new partnership with Hasbro to develop an assortment of five collectable Mini Puzzles based on its popular Hasbro Gaming titles.

Monopoly, Monopoly Junior, Cluedo, Operation, and Trivial Pursuit all feature in the new range of Mini Puzzles, each designed to resemble a miniature version of the iconic games, enabling gaming fans across the world to experience their favourite titles in a new way.

YWow Brands has quickly become a recognisable name in the Mini and Supersized licensed puzzles arena,  and today boasts a range of global licensing partners across its portfolio. YWow products are currently being shipped to more than 40 markets around the world and are sold in various toy and department stores.

“Some Mini Puzzles are highly sought after in the puzzle market and are catching the attention of internet users due to their massive viral potential. YWOW is revolutionizing the puzzle industry, opening doors to endless possibilities by combining popular brands with puzzles, ‘puzzlizing’ any brand or product loved by all ages,” read a statement from the company.

YWow’s collaboration with Hasbro aims to ‘bring home the fun for all families and all children, globally’.

The 24-piece puzzles will be available in most major markets as unique collectibles starting this year.

Interactive murder mystery brand Hunt A Killer signs global publishing deal with Scholastic

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The interactive sci-fi, horror murder mystery entertainment company, Hunt A Killer has forged a new global partnership with Scholastic for launch of a series of novels, ebooks, and audio books, featuring all the characteristic clues of the Hunt A Killer games.

The first title to hit shelves through the global publishing deal will be Perfect Score, written by Angelica Monai, which will land in January 2022. The young adult novel promises to be a ‘mind-bending mystery’ featuring a cast of new characters and pages of intriguing clues.

Founded in 2016, Hunt A Killer began life as a single event that brought together elements from the escpae room, interactive theatre, and live entertainment sectors by engaging participants in a 200-acre living crime scene.

Since then, the entertainment brand has established itself as a premier murder mystery company known for its complex and unpredictable stories. Today, the company ships 150,000 episodic and complete mystery game boxes to its subscribers each month. It also sells purpose-built games through various retail channels.

The brand has, to date, sold some two million games.

Its new partnership with Scholastic – the global children’s publishing, education, and media company – will take the brand in novels, ebooks, and audio books on a global scale.

“We’re excited to partner with Scholastic and to see our brand represented on bookshelves across the nation,” said Hunt A Killer CEO and co-founder, Ryan Hogan. 

“Our mission as a company is to consistently raise the bar with engaging, interactive stories, and we want to continue to do that through new mediums. Working with Scholastic is a great opportunity to grow the audience for our brand of immersive, entertaining, and suspenseful storytelling.”

Following in the style of Hunt A Killer’s bestselling games, Perfect Score readers will be encouraged to use clues throughout the book – including notes, emails, news articles, school records, and more – to help aspiring P.I. Jolene Kelley find the culprit behind her guidance counselor’s death.

Debra Dorfman, vice president and publisher, global licensing, brands and media, at Scholastic, said: “Our team at Scholastic are big fans of the Hunt A Killer games, so we are thrilled to expand its impressive storytelling to a natural new format.

“The Hunt A Killer books are perfect for fans of the murder mystery games, as well as young adult readers who love a fast-paced whodunnit and innovative new ways to tell a story. We can’t wait for readers to get their hands on Perfect Score.”

Brit Award winning Mabel joins Pokemon’s P25 Music campaign with new single Take It Home

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Brit Award winning artist, Mabel has become the latest in musical talent to join the Pokemon 25th anniversary celebrations, having released her new single, Take It Home, recorded exclusively for the upcoming P25 Music compilation album.

Produced by Tommy Brown of Kanye West and Ariana Grande fame, the single celebrates bring the kind of friend that others can count on, and joins a tracklisting of world renowned singers and pop stars celebrating the quarter century anniversary of the popular Pokemon franchise this year.

Scheduled for release this autumn, P25 Music is a year long music campaign from The Pokemon Company International, launched in partnership with Universal Music Group.

The official video for Take It Home finds Mabel trying to unwind in her hotel room after a busy day. She stumbles across the Pokemon channel on her hotel television and finds herself comforted by the characters. Falling asleep, she follows a Jigglypuff down a hallway of her dream as the two explore the hotel together.

 

“I’ve been a fan of Pokémon for years, so I jumped at the opportunity to join the P25 program,” Mabel said. “I had so much fun working with Pikachu and my all-time favorite Pokémon, Jigglypuff, for the ‘Take It Home’ video. I hope the fans love the song as much as I loved working on it to celebrate 25 years of Pokémon.”

Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokemon Company International, said: “Mabel’s incredible talent and pop sensibilities add a massive layer of fun to Pokémon’s P25 Music campaign celebrating 25 years of Pokémon.

“Music fans are going to love ‘Take It Home,’ and Pokémon fans will be delighted to see a Jigglypuff, known for being a bubbly Pokémon who also loves to sing, featured in Mabel’s vibrant video. It’s a pitch-perfect collaborative match for our 25th anniversary celebration.”

Mabel is the latest artist to join the P25 Music program, taking her place alongside Katy Perry, who contributed the new original song “Electric,” as well as Post Malone, who put his own stamp on the Hootie & the Blowfish hit “Only Wanna Be with You,” and J Balvin.

Mabel recently released her first new single of 2021, “Let Them Know,” a spirited anthem about projecting confidence even in times of trouble.

Brit Award winning Mabel joins Pokemon’s P25 Music campaign with new single Take It Home

Posted on by

Brit Award winning artist, Mabel has become the latest in musical talent to join the Pokemon 25th anniversary celebrations, having released her new single, Take It Home, recorded exclusively for the upcoming P25 Music compilation album.

Produced by Tommy Brown of Kanye West and Ariana Grande fame, the single celebrates bring the kind of friend that others can count on, and joins a tracklisting of world renowned singers and pop stars celebrating the quarter century anniversary of the popular Pokemon franchise this year.

Scheduled for release this autumn, P25 Music is a year long music campaign from The Pokemon Company International, launched in partnership with Universal Music Group.

The official video for Take It Home finds Mabel trying to unwind in her hotel room after a busy day. She stumbles across the Pokemon channel on her hotel television and finds herself comforted by the characters. Falling asleep, she follows a Jigglypuff down a hallway of her dream as the two explore the hotel together.

 

“I’ve been a fan of Pokémon for years, so I jumped at the opportunity to join the P25 program,” Mabel said. “I had so much fun working with Pikachu and my all-time favorite Pokémon, Jigglypuff, for the ‘Take It Home’ video. I hope the fans love the song as much as I loved working on it to celebrate 25 years of Pokémon.”

Colin Palmer, vice president of marketing for The Pokemon Company International, said: “Mabel’s incredible talent and pop sensibilities add a massive layer of fun to Pokémon’s P25 Music campaign celebrating 25 years of Pokémon.

“Music fans are going to love ‘Take It Home,’ and Pokémon fans will be delighted to see a Jigglypuff, known for being a bubbly Pokémon who also loves to sing, featured in Mabel’s vibrant video. It’s a pitch-perfect collaborative match for our 25th anniversary celebration.”

Mabel is the latest artist to join the P25 Music program, taking her place alongside Katy Perry, who contributed the new original song “Electric,” as well as Post Malone, who put his own stamp on the Hootie & the Blowfish hit “Only Wanna Be with You,” and J Balvin.

Mabel recently released her first new single of 2021, “Let Them Know,” a spirited anthem about projecting confidence even in times of trouble.

LEGO unveils the LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship in latest Ultimate Collector’s line up

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A new LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship construction set has become the latest addition to the LEGO Group’s Ultimate Collector’s line-up, having triumphed in the public vote via the company’s LEGO Ideas platform.

The Republic Gunship rose supreme when LEGO invited fans to vote on the top three requested sets across the fan engagement and creativity platform, securing an impressive 30,000 votes, accounting for 58 per cent of all votes cast.

Inspired by Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and featured in the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the new set weighs in at 3,292 pieces and includes LEGO Star Wars minifigures of Jedi Master Mace Windu, and a Clone Trooper Commander.

The challenge of creating the Star Wars Republic Gunship in LEGO brick form was given to designer, Hans Schlömer who used his experience – including designing the UCS Millennium Falcon and UCS A-wing – to complete the task.

To date, the LEGO Group has developed around 150 LEGO Star Wars sets inspired by the prequel trilogy films (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith), with this set being the third UCS prequel-themed build.

Others in the line up have included Darth Maul and Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighter.

The Gunship’s large free-swinging doors on both sides are some of the largest moving parts ever created in a LEGO Star Wars build and the set is completely open beyond the nose portion. Given the size of the LEGO Star Wars ship, a supportive LEGO Technic frame has been incorporated, hidden by the exterior panels and allowing Clone Troopers to load for their next mission via lift arms on the passenger compartment doors.

Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, creative lead of LEGO Star Wars at the LEGO Group, said: “Our fans are always coming up with concepts and ideas for the LEGO Star Wars range – so it was great to give them the opportunity to let their voices be heard and choose the next UCS set.

“There is always an enormous responsibility to deliver a quality design, and the set that Hans has crafted is a triumph, particularly the size. We knew our fans would want to display this model but we didn’t want to compromise on the scale versus the ability to exhibit it. I can’t wait to see how the fans incorporate the set into their Star Wars collections.”

The LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship set will be available starting on August 1, 2021 via LEGO Stores and LEGO.com and will retail for the recommended price of £329.

LEGO unveils the LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship in latest Ultimate Collector’s line up

Posted on by

A new LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship construction set has become the latest addition to the LEGO Group’s Ultimate Collector’s line-up, having triumphed in the public vote via the company’s LEGO Ideas platform.

The Republic Gunship rose supreme when LEGO invited fans to vote on the top three requested sets across the fan engagement and creativity platform, securing an impressive 30,000 votes, accounting for 58 per cent of all votes cast.

Inspired by Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and featured in the animated series, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, the new set weighs in at 3,292 pieces and includes LEGO Star Wars minifigures of Jedi Master Mace Windu, and a Clone Trooper Commander.

The challenge of creating the Star Wars Republic Gunship in LEGO brick form was given to designer, Hans Schlömer who used his experience – including designing the UCS Millennium Falcon and UCS A-wing – to complete the task.

To date, the LEGO Group has developed around 150 LEGO Star Wars sets inspired by the prequel trilogy films (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith), with this set being the third UCS prequel-themed build.

Others in the line up have included Darth Maul and Obi-Wan’s Jedi Starfighter.

The Gunship’s large free-swinging doors on both sides are some of the largest moving parts ever created in a LEGO Star Wars build and the set is completely open beyond the nose portion. Given the size of the LEGO Star Wars ship, a supportive LEGO Technic frame has been incorporated, hidden by the exterior panels and allowing Clone Troopers to load for their next mission via lift arms on the passenger compartment doors.

Jens Kronvold Frederiksen, creative lead of LEGO Star Wars at the LEGO Group, said: “Our fans are always coming up with concepts and ideas for the LEGO Star Wars range – so it was great to give them the opportunity to let their voices be heard and choose the next UCS set.

“There is always an enormous responsibility to deliver a quality design, and the set that Hans has crafted is a triumph, particularly the size. We knew our fans would want to display this model but we didn’t want to compromise on the scale versus the ability to exhibit it. I can’t wait to see how the fans incorporate the set into their Star Wars collections.”

The LEGO Star Wars Republic Gunship set will be available starting on August 1, 2021 via LEGO Stores and LEGO.com and will retail for the recommended price of £329.