Space Jam: A New Legacy unveils gigantic licensing plans and ‘largest Looney Tunes merch line-up in decades’

Hasbro, Mattel, and Upper Deck have joined am all-star line up of licensing partners for Warner Bros. upcoming theatrical release of Space Jam: A New Legacy, with plans for toys, collectables, and games to roll out all year long.

The global toy and entertainment companies join master toy partner Moose Toys who earlier this month released its full line up of toys, play-sets, plush, and figures based on the Space Jam title, a reboot of the hit 90s film this time starring LeBron James.

A full line-up of licensing partners around this year’s blockbuster film was unveiled late last week, spanning the toys, collectables, and games aisles, as well as fashion, food and drink, accessories, sporting goods, publishing, pet products and more. The licensing portfolio for this year’s release has taken on a global scale.

In the toy space, master toy partner Moose Toys us joined by Funko, who will be releasing its Space Jam: A New Legacy assortment including nine Pop! figures, five Pop! key chains, 12 Mystery minis and a Space Jam: A New Legacy Funkoverse board game.

Collectors will be able to get their hands on three exclusives – a ten-inch LeBron James Jumbo Pop! and flocked Tasmanian Devil, a LeBron James variant Funko Pop! available via Amazon, and a Porky Pig landing on Funko.com soon.

This year’s licensing line-up marks the largest Looney Tunes merchandise collection to be rolled out by Warner Bros Consumer Products ‘in decades.’ Further collaborations include partnerships with brands such as Nike, Vilebrequin, Spalding, the Cotton On Group, and LeBron James’ own athlete empowerment brand, Uninterrupted.

It all lands ahead of the film’s release on July 16th this year.

“The original ‘Space Jam’ was a cultural phenomenon when it debuted in 1996, so it’s no surprise that premier partners around the world are inspired by ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy’ and excited to bring a new collection to a new generation of fans,” said Robert Oberschelp, senior vice president of franchise management and marketing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

“We are excited to collaborate with such elite brands to deliver a robust lineup of merchandise that unites the singular style of LeBron James with the iconic fun of the Looney Tunes characters.”

Nike Inc. will release a “Space Jam: A New Legacy” collection globally featuring LeBron James and favorite Tune Squad characters including Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny and the Goons, Vilebrequin will launch “Space Jam: A New Legacy” swimwear and leisurewear, while the Cotton On Group is releasing new products globally including men’s and children’s apparel, along with stationery, mugs and phone accessories.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg for the licensing plans for this year.

The latest iteration of The Carousel @ Bloomingdale’s, the retailer’s rotating pop-up shop, will celebrate “Space Jam: A New Legacy” with a unique curation for the family, offering court-inspired fashion to playful outdoor entertaining finds to gifts that enhance the at-home streaming experience.

It will open next month at Bloomingdale’s 59th Street flagship in New York City, select stores nationwide and Bloomingdales.com.

 Space Jam in fashion

 Warner Bros Consumer Product’s “Space Jam: A New Legacy”-inspired fashion collections offer something for everyone with global collections from Nike Inc. and Vilebrequin; stylish plus-size apparel at Torrid; streetwear fashions from Tommy Hilfiger, Bait, Madhappy, Diamond Supply, and NTWRK x UNKNWN; and additional fashion forward lines from Members Only, Forever 21, MeUndies, PSD, Bleacher Report, Rue21 from Hybrid, and Freeze and Pac Sun from Bioworld in the mix.

Capsule collections will also launch from Junk Food Clothing, Pottery Barn Teen and Cakeworthy. Playing with style will be a slam dunk when wearing “Space Jam: A New Legacy” Gamer Jersey, hat, hoodie and t-shirt,all available on Uninterrupted.

There’s  something for every child from infant to tween with cool kids’ fashions from the Gap, Haus of JR, and Outerstuff.

In EMEA, fashion partners include H&M (Worldwide), Primark (US and Europe), Fanatics, Snipes (Europe), LPP (Europe, Middle East), with more to be announced.

In the Asia Pacific region, A Bathing Ape, Carnival, and Freak’s Store are just a few of the partners providing “Space Jam: A New Legacy”-inspired fashions and footwear, plus a limited edition footwear and hat collection are available only in Japan from Converse Japan.

In Australia and New Zealand, EB Games will offer adult tees, headwear, accessories and stationery – everything from drink bottles and backpacks to keychains and totes. Best & Less will welcome “Space Jam: A New Legacy” to Australia with a new range that includes sleepwear and outerwear for the whole family.

In Latin America, designs will launch from Cuidado con el Perro, Paris, Ruz, Centauro, Colecao and more. In Mexico, there will be Cuidado con el Perro t-shirts, Ruz plush and costumes, and novelty board games. In Chile, Colombia and Peru, Paris, Stilotex and Ripley will give fans access to incredible “Space Jam: A New Legacy” inspired products.

In Brazil, fashion and toys will be available from partners such as Grendene, BandUp!, Piticas, Renner, Marisa, Cartel 011, Acuo, Iron Studios, Riachuelo, Grow, and Jandaia, among others, and Rasip will offer new “Space Jam: A New Legacy”-inspired food. An exclusive “Space Jam: A New Legacy” fashion collection with designer Alexandre Herchcovitch under his brand ÁLG will be revealed soon.

On your feet

Come on and slam with Nike Inc.’s Space Jam collections. Fans can buy and wear the same basketball shoes “King James” wears in the film. With youth and adult styles featuring Wile. E. Coyote, Lola Bunny, Bugs Bunny and the rest of the squad, the whole family can “Jam” out and dress up in Nike’s Space Jam collection, which also includes jerseys, tanks, hoodies, jackets, socks and backpacks.

Converse will launch new graphic Looney Tunes sneakers in adult and youth sizes, featuring classic Looney Tunes designs and animation themes, while Crocs will unveil “Space Jam: A New Legacy” slide-ons.

In the accessories space, partners such as Sprayground, Danielle Nicole, Loungefly, Accessory Innovations and Fast Forwardwill capture the on-court action of favorite Tunes on backpacks, court bags and more.

Fossil will release its exclusive Space Jam by Fossil capsule collection, featuring collectible accessories and a limited-edition box set jam-packed with beloved Tune Squad characters on July 7. Starring characters such as Bugs and Lola, the collaboration includes three collections with limited-edition watches, backpacks, small leather goods and more.

Check out digital watch faces and bands Mobyfox, a limited edition collection of watches by Undone, and more styles for the entire squad from Accutime. Whimsical bracelets from Alex and Ani put the Tune Squad on your wrist.

Caps, beanies, and other headwear will arrive courtesy of Junk Brands, Love Your Melon, Mitchell & Ness and New Era, while socks and hosiery will launch courtesy of Stance, Hypnotic Hats, Highpoint, Berkshire, and Rock Em’ Socks.

Sporting the Goods

Spalding, the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world, will continue its legacy of playing an integral role in growing basketball and culture by releasing a new merchandise line inspired by the family film. Spalding will release exclusive hoops and balls and other limited-edition merchandise, hitting U.S. and international retailers, Spalding.com and the Spalding App this June.

Meanwhile, in Home Goods, Franco will introduce movie-themed bedding with blankets, throws, comforters and more, while Hallmark, GeekiTikis and more will bring the Looney Tunes Squad to the kitchen and beyond.

General Mills, Kraft Heinz, McDonald’s, Ferrara Candy Company and more premier food and beverage partners will also join the roster, while in per products, BarkBox will will provide themed chew toys and plush squeak toys for animals.

The licensing roster is complete with more than 20 published titles, spanning movie tie-ins, readers, books and activity books from Penguin Random House, as well as colouring and activity books from Bendon, and fun novelty book formats from Phidal.

Finally, DC Publishing will launch a graphic novel adaptation of the animated/live action movie, written by Ivan Cohen (The Batman and Scooby-Doo Mysteries) alongside an all-star line up of artists. On sale 6/29 for $12.99. Available at major book retailers and participating comic book stores. Also available on Apple books and Amazon.

Bulldog Licensing secures Roy Lowe & Sons socks deal for Care Bears

The European agency, Bulldog Licensing has signed a new deal with the licensed socks expert, Roy Lowe & Sons for the launch of a new line of Care Bears socks based on the loveable characters from Care-A-Lot, for both adults and children.

Spanning the generations, the range will tap into not only the older audience who grew up watching the much-loved property, but children who are now being introduced to the brand through its new toys line, TV series, and popular Care Bears: Unlock the Mysteries music videos.

Launched in 1982, the Care Bears are now nearing their 40th anniversary. The  theme of the property has remained popular and the Care Bears: Unlock the Magic television series currently airs weekly in the UK on Pop and Tiny Pop. 

Roy Lowe & Sons has been creating licensed and unlicensed quality socks since 1996. The company boasts an array of licences, including blockbuster movies, children’s entertainment brands, lifestyle properties, sports licences, and more. 

“Care bears offers the adult side of our customer base a fresh, nostalgic feel with a real throwback brand, whilst also appealing to kids. It fits in perfectly from the fashion end, to the more novelty side of socks. Working with the Bulldog and Care Bears’ teams has been a pleasure and we can’t wait to bring these new concepts to people’s feet,” said Ben Lowe, account manager at Roy Lowe. 

Rob Corney, MD, Bulldog Licensing, added: “We are really excited to be working with the team at Roy Lowe who are developing lovely designs to appeal to Care Bears fans of all ages. Care Bears continues to be a much-loved brand and consumer appetite for heritage properties is at an all-time high at the moment, so it’s great to get some new Care Bears’ products into their hands.”

Roy Lowe & Sons are also set to include Care Bears in their Roy’s Boys cosys and matching adult and kids cosy socks launching late 2021.

TOMY puts new Ricky Zoom toys into gear as kids’ series makes second season debut in the UK

TOMY is preparing to launch its follow up master range of Ricky Zoom toys this year, as the popular preschool series revs itself up for its second season debut here in the UK.

First launched in July 2020 during what has been a challenging period for retail, Ricky Zoom toys have made a solid start and are set to launch more new lines throughout 2021. These include TOMY’s unique Wind & Launch assortment, a wheel launcher that will send Ricky’s red bike racing.

The launch will follow on from the top selling success of last year’s Speed & Stunt Ricky Zoom play-set, the third best-selling Ricky Zoom item overall at retail, and is already tipped to ‘be equally as popular.’

Fresh hype around the TOMY master toy line is expected to coincide with the second season debut in the UK of the CGI animation, as Hasbro and its global entertainment studio, Entertainment One, rev up for its launch on Nick Jr and Channel 5’s multi-platform preschool brand, Milkshake!

The CGI animated series follows Ricky, a speed loving little red rescue bike who enjoys to zoom around Wheelford. The show has already enjoyed a ‘strong success in the UK’ among its preschool audiences, while the brand has picked up a number of licensing partners lead by TOMY master toy range.

“We are thrilled to bring Ricky Zoom back to the number one channel for preschoolers in the UK with Milkshake! and Nick Jr.” said eOne’s Monica Candiani, EVP, content sales, family and brands.

“The show has had such strong success in the UK among young viewers, allowing us to secure a number of licensing partners across a variety of categories. We can’t wait for audiences to watch season two, which I am sure will deliver even more exciting all-bike adventures in the colourful world of Wheelford.”

Louise Bucknole, VP programming kids, ViacomCBS Network UK and Ireland, added: “We’re delighted to be welcoming back Ricky Zoom and his two-wheeled friends on Nick Jr. in June and and Milkshake! later in the year in the UK.

“It’s a fun and playful show which is a favourite among preschoolers, and we look forward to sharing their new adventures with our young viewers.”

Joining master toy partner TOMY on the growing licensee list is the likes of Penguin (story, activity, novelty books); Redan (magazines); Character World (bedding); MV Sports (wheeled toys); Ravensburger (puzzles and games); Cooneen (nightwear & socks); Blues (daywear); and Drew Pearson (accessories).

The supermarket giants have added Ricky Zoom into their preschool aisle following strong performance of the FSDU programme last Autumn/Winter. Other forthcoming toy highlights include the new interactive Maxwell’s Transforming Trailer Playset, which can be renovated into a mobile repair station and comes complete with both Maxwell and Ricky bikes.

Further product ranges from other licensees will roll out gradually throughout the year, bringing broader distribution.

Marketing activity has also been buoyant, with Ricky proving popular among parent influencers. A Dadsnet campaign to support Smyth’s Toys launch of the Speed & Stunt Play-set reached almost 408,000 via influencers and 558,000 via paid media, while a Ricky takeover on UKMums.TV hit almost 622,000 impressions, with a blogger reach of almost 296,000 and the site’s associated Twitter Frenzy reaching almost 392,000 unique accounts.

David Bowie lands on Tonies platform with 1978 classical music recording of Peter & The Wolf

It’s happened. David Bowie has landed in the toy space thanks to the latest launch from the kids’ audio system, Tonies and the 1978 recording of the cultural icon narrating the double bill Peter and The Wolf/Carnival of the Animals.

Destined to take children on a musical adventure, the classical music Tonie will launch on June 9th this year, taking the form of the story’s Wolf, adorned with its own Aladdin Sane red and blue lightning bolt. The launch will introduce children to the sounds of both classical music and the pop icon, David Bowie.

The new Peter and the Wolf / Carnival of the Animals Tonie will play a double bill symphonic fairy tale as Bowie narrates the story of Peter and the Wolf, while the Philadelphia Orchestra brings it to life, followed by the Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

Sergei Prokofiev, the Russian composer, pianist, and conductor, wrote the musical composition of Peter and the Wolf in 1936 to introduce children to orchestra. Each animal and character within the story is represented by different instruments, with Peter conveyed in the narration by the strings whilst the wolf is represented by the French horn.

As well as encouraging independent play, the new classical music Tonie will look to ignite all areas of child development. Research conducted by music charity, the Apollo Music Projects, found that classical music has a direct impact on children’s listening and concentration skills, while also evoking positive feelings. Helping to create a sense of relaxation and calm, classical music can have a positive impact on a child’s emotional wellbeing.

Tim Schumacher, head of Sony Classical, said: “We are so excited to see this wonderful music narrated by David Bowie in 1978, specifically composed and recorded to give children easy access to the world of classical music and help them enjoy it, being released by Tonies.

“To us at Sony, it seems like the perfect fit: a beautiful musical adventure and tales created for children to be enjoyed on an audio player which was also created just for children.”

Pinky Laing, UK partnerships at Tonies, added: “Tonies is committed to helping children through the power and magic of storytelling and music. We are delighted to be releasing our new classical music Tonie that tells the story of Peter and the Wolf and plays the beautiful symphonies by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals.

“Music has been proven to help development with children in their early years. Classical music in particular helps to promote a sense of calm and relaxation, which is all so important for young children today. With the launch of our new Tonie we are continuing our commitment to engage young minds, support the wellbeing of children and help the next generation to learn and develop.”

The new releases from Tonies next month don’t end there, as the firm also gears up to release its new Monster Inc Tonie with a running time of 33 minutes and aimed at children aged three years old and upwards, and its Oi Frog and Friends Tonies with a running time of 35 minutes.

The new Tonies are available from selected toy retailers, bookshops and via the Tonies website www.tonies.com, and will RRP £14.99.

The Westminster Collection celebrates 50th anniversary of Mr Benn with new 50p coin designs

Five new 50 pence piece designs celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the classic children’s character, Mr Benn, have been authorised for release by Guernsey Treasury with the full approval of Her Majesty the Queen.

Marking the fifth decade of the popular cartoon, each coin in the collection features an illustration of Mr Benn embarking on sme of his best-known adventures, including The Red Knight, The Cook, The Clown, and The Spaceman, alongside the official Mr Benn ’50’ 50 pence piece.

Originally created by award-winning writer and illustrator David McKee, Mr Benn began life as a children’s picture book in 1967 which followed an ordinary man who had extraordinary adventures when he visited a magical costume shop. The book went on to be transformed into an animated television series transmitted by the BBC in 1971.

A ratings hit, the series went on to be repeated regularly on the BBC for almost 30 years, until Nickelodeon UK aired the series for a further nine years until 2010.

It’s been 50 years since the postman first arrived at No 52 Festive Road with Mr Benn’s invitation to a fancy dress party… and so started his first adventure. Since then, Mr Benn has fascinated millions of children with his adventures as he walked through that magical changing room doorway.

Available in a range of finishes exclusively from The Westminster Collection, the commemorative coins include a single base metal Mr Benn anniversary logo design 50 pence and a set of five designs featuring Mr Benn in an array of costumes including The Spaceman, The Clown, The Red Knight and The Cook.

There is also a silver 50 pence coin version available with stunning coloured enamel and a silver set of five 50 pence coins.

The 50 pence coins start at £6.25 for a ‘mint condition’ Brilliant Uncirculated finish coin whilst the limited edition Silver Proof coin set captures the vivid colours of the designs in incredible detail.

Mr Benn, creator and illustrator, David McKee, said: “Mr Benn endures, I think, because people like the idea of being able to escape to another life, and at their heart they’re old fashioned stories which last – the elements that make up the films, the voice, the music, the story, all simple elements that endure – good old fashioned stories, with a good rhythm.

“I often say your characters are like your children, you potty train them and look after them and point them in a good direction, but they go off do things you don’t expect – Mr Benn is living his own life and I’m excited to see what people make of the new products that are coming – and hope a new generation of children enjoy them as much as me.”

In 2017, the UK-based animation studio Factory acquired the rights to David McKee’s Mr Benn, in a move which has allowed the company to grow this classic brand even bigger and release a series of 50th Anniversary products including the brand new 50 pence coins to mark the occasion.

WarnerMedia merges with Discovery in latest move to join the streaming giant race

The scene has been set for the creation of yet another streaming giant vying for consumer attention, through the planned merger of AT&T’s Warner Media with Discovery.

The landmark deal will see the two companies become the second largest media group by revenue after Disney, with $41bn in sales annually as it brings together movie giant Warner Bros, HBO and other networks along with Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC and more.

“This agreement unites two entertainment leaders with complementary content strengths and positions the new company to be one of the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms,” AT&T chief executive, John Stankey said in a statement.

“It will support the fantastic growth and international launch of HBO Max with Discovery’s global footprint and create efficiencies which can be re-invested in producing more great content to give consumers what they want.”

The joint company – still in the process of decided a new moniker, with suggestions including Warner Discovery, Warner Bros Discovery and Warner Discovery Media – will be lead by Discovery’s president and chief executive, David Zaslav, who has said that the combined company would spend around $20 billion a year on content. 

Zaslav has suggested that the company could see its annual sales hit $52bn by 2023.

The merger will sit among some of the most significant deals of the past five years, alongside Disney’s purchase of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox empire, and AT&T’s acquisition of Time Warner. It is part of a plan to increase AT&T’s content pool as the streaming race intensifies further.

Netflix is leading the race to date with over 200 million subscribers, while Disney+ boasts its 104 million. Both HBO and Discovery entered the race recently with the launch of HBO Max and Discovery+. HBO Max, together with the HBO cable network has around 44 million customers, while Discovery has 15 million global streaming subscribers.

For WarnerMedia, the deal will mark the third restructuring in as many years.

St Andrews Links appoints The Point. 1888 as it looks to take on apparel, toys, beverages, and more

St Andrews Links has selected The Point. 1888 as its brand extension partner, adding to the firm’s growing roster of Sports brands that now encompasses the likes of Williams Racing, Team GB, and the British and Irish Lions.

A veteran in the world of brand licensing, having worked with Hannah Stevens previously when she worked at CPLG, St Andrews Links (SAL) has made the most of its iconic courses and the world’s love of golf to build awareness as far afield as Korea and Japan.

With seven courses spanning nearly 1,000 acres, SAL is at the top of every golfer’s wish list. More than 230,000 rounds of golf are played on the courses every year by golf fans flocking from all over the world.

By appointing The Point.1888, it is seeking to ramp up its brand licensing activity, going beyond the golf accessories and gifting markets to new categories that will offer its loyal and older demographic, as well as younger generations across the world, a small piece of 600 years of history.

Keen to explore fashion apparel, homeware, stationery, personal care, toys and games, as well as alcoholic beverages and confectionary, SAL is looking to develop product ranges that capture the heritage and tradition of the links while still bringing a feeling of fun and timeless style that lasts and endures.

The Point. 1888 will look to drive awareness ahead of The Open, the biggest golfing competition in the calendar, which will be returning to St Andrews in 2022 for the 150th anniversary of the tournament and the 30th time it will have been played at SAL.

Hannah Stevens, head of retail and sport at The Point.1888, said: “With The Point.1888, St Andrews Links knew they were getting an agency with an unconventional approach who really understands their unique high end brand and knows how to find the best opportunities at retail. We’re really excited about the collaborations that we can work on together.

“St Andrews Links creates such an opportunity with the popularity of golf skyrocketing among younger demographics, but also because we pride ourselves on working with brands with purpose. The Links’ values mean they take real pride in being active and supporting members in the community, for instance their fantastic junior golf programme, which gives free golf to children in the town.”

Danny Campbell, commercial director of SAL, added: “We have more than 600 years of history and our brand reflects golf’s values of integrity, collaboration and the pursuit of excellence. We had to make sure that the agency we chose shared those values and could match our ambition with their ideas, creativity, experience and passion. I know we’re in very good hands.”

Boat Rocker lassos a raft of new Dino Ranch partners across the US and Canada

Boat Rocker Studios has secured a raft of new licensing partners for its hit preschool series, Dino Ranch, across a number of key categories for the US and Canadian markets. Multiple new deals see the property move into apparel, home decor, timepieces, and costume characters.

Young Dino Ranch fans can look forward to dressing themselves in Dino Ranch branded apparel, thanks to a new partnership with The Bentex Group and its affiliates Dreamwave and HIS International. The firm will be producing Dino Ranch daywear, swimwear and outerwear.

Meanwhile, Komar Kids LLC, a global leader in the design, sourcing, manufacturing and distribution of apparel with over a century of expertise, will be producing a range of sleepwear for kids to ride off to bed in.

Dino Ranch will be brought to life at live events and festivals with Oasis Productions Inc. who will provide costume characters for the US, reaching audiences to engage kids’ curiosity and sense of play; while Spirit Halloween, the largest Halloween retailer in the US – with over 1,400 locations across North America – is gearing up for a range of kids’ and pet dress up costumes and accessories for Halloween 2022.

Elsewhere, fans can recreate the ranch look at home thanks to Franco Mfg, creators of home décor, who will be launching a range of products, including bedding, bedding accessories, bath and beach for the US and Canada.

Alongside publishing partner Scholastic these categories will roll out from Spring 2022 following global master toy launch by Jazwares this summer.

Kate Schlomann, EVP brand management and content marketing, Boat Rocker Studios, said: “There has been a phenomenal response to Dino Ranch on Disney Junior where it has been the number one preschool U.S. cable show since its launch.  It’s not just viewers that love the show, we have received an incredible reaction from both the broadcasting and licensing community and are delighted to team up with such a prestigious herd of licensees to provide our Rancheroos with a roar-some range of high-quality products across these key categories.”

Dino Ranch launched in the UK on Disney+ on April 23rd and in Australia on April 2nd. The series is due to roll out internationally in other territories later this year.

Dino Ranch is created by Matt Fernandes (of Industrial Brothers) and produced by Industrial Brothers and Boat Rocker Studios, in association with CBC Kids and Radio-Canada. Boat Rocker Studios manage the global franchise development including content distribution and consumer products.

The Spider-Man inspired LEGO Daily Bugle is the toymaker’s tallest LEGO Marvel set to date

The LEGO Group has welcomed the tallest LEGO Marvel set to date to its collection with the launch of the LEGO Daily Bugle set, an intricate brick-version of the newspaper building made famous through Marvel’s Spider-Man.

The new build – one that weighs in at 3,772 pieces to stand at 82cm tall – comes complete with the demanding editor J. Jonah Jameson and the office of Peter Parker. The set is a replica of the Daily Bugle offices which first featured in The Amazing Spider-Man comic series 50 years ago.

The office block remains a much-loved setting throughout the web-slinger’s various adventures today as the recognised workplace of not only Parker and Jameson, but also Ben Ulrich, Robbie Robertson, and Betty Brant. The walls of the office block echo the some 50 year history of Spider-Man, while long-time franchise fans will recognise it as the birth place of the now iconic phrase, ‘Get me pictures of Spider-Man.’

The LEGO Daily Bugle is incredibly detailed both inside and out, with three floors, the front street and the back alley. The whole set is also modular, meaning fans can remove walls and floors to get to the action within.

Within the building there are several famous settings from the various universes, including the ground floor entrance that can be destroyed to look like an explosion has taken place and the newsroom on the first floor complete with the usual office furniture of desks and computers.

Moving up to the second floor, the villainous Green Goblin can be seen smashing a window to get to Peter Parker’s office where his camera lies waiting for the next story. The top floor also features both Betty Brant and J. Jonah Jameson’s offices.

The detail doesn’t stop with the building, as the set includes a cast of 25 minifigures, featuring Spidey himself alongside his most famous friends and foes, such as Gwen Stacy, Venom, Mysterio, and Doctor Octopus.

The set also features new exclusive minifigures including Daredevil and Blade.

Mark John Stafford, LEGO set designer, commented: “I was seven years old when I was given my first Spider-Man comic and I have always had an image of creating a LEGO model of the Daily Bugle and having Spidey and his Amazing Friends in conflict with his various enemies.

“One of my favourite elements is the Green Goblin flying inside the building through the window. Being able to design a moment of frozen action like this in a LEGO set has always been a dream and I finally got to make it happen.”

The impressive building is a true challenge for LEGO builders and Spider-Man fans alike thanks to its large scale and intricacies. Whether it’s part of a wider collection or a standalone piece it’s a set worthy of display.

 LEGO Daily Bugle set is available for €299,99 / £274,99 / $299,99 from LEGO Stores and LEGO.com from 26th May for LEGO VIP members and 1st June, 2021 for all.

Stateside | US toy firm on mission to lift women’s sports with first talking plush sports stars

An American toy company is on a mission to not only change the face of sports toys but also the narrative around women’s sports with the launch of a new series of talking plush toys dedicated to some of the country’s biggest names in the genre.

Sports Bigs has made no secret of its desire to disrupt the $1.25 billion US plush toy industry with a new host of celebrity-inspired plush toys, celebrating only women’s sports. It’s part of the firm’s bigger plan to ‘reveal the true potential of the marketability of women sports stars.’

“In the past, if you were an athlete in girls’ and women’s sports, you didn’t have many visible role models. And you certainly didn’t have a talking sports action toy that encouraged you to use your own power and voice while training like a pro athlete,” said founder Pam Kosanke, a six-time competitor in world championships across three different sports, who is also a mom and a professional marketer.

“This changes all that, and so much more.”

Sport Bigs has teamed up with three of America’s biggest women’s sports legends, including five-time WNBA champion, basketball all-star and current Minnesota Lynx assistant coach Rebekkah Brunson; professional football legend and current football commentator and analyst Lori Lindsey; and four-time world champion, multi-gold medalist and current UCLA softball head coach Lisa Fernandez.

Through their partnerships, each have provided their likenesses and voices to the first round of Sport Bigs. Over time, the plan is to build out the roster to include more women’s sports personalities over time.

“When I think about the 25th anniversary of the WNBA, I can’t help but think about how long the league has been around, but also how young it is,” said Brunson.

“Now that I’m in a position to inspire young girls and empower them to be their authentic selves, I wish that I’d had something that represented me when I was a child – something that I could play with that showed strength and power, and wasn’t packaged as male.

“Sport Bigs are so exciting because they fill that space. They inspire young girls and allow young people to imagine strong, powerful women who dream of what they can be, and what the world should look like. They’re about being big, speaking big, acting big and living big.”

To support its bigger goals around changing the women’s sports landscape, Sport Bigs will funnel portions of proceeds from the toys into women’s sport sponsorships, athlete compensation and additional grassroots efforts.

“As a kid, I was starved for trading cards, memorabilia or toys that looked like me,” said Kosanke. “Today you have a few special-edition toys – used as one-off stunts – that come across as wimpy and barely marketed. Nothing really comes close to respecting the breadth of sizes, shapes and big-time attitudes of real athletes in women’s sports.

“This toy line is a first in the market and necessary for all ages to truly celebrate big athlete identities in women’s sports.”