Category Archives: Highlight

Genius Brands expands into Europe with acquisition of German company Your Family Entertainment AG

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Following the recent acquisition of Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media, Genius Brands International has entered into an agreement to initially acquire a 28.6% interest in Your Family Entertainment AG,to be followed by a mandatory tender offer of the outstanding shares of YFE.

YFE is one of Europe’s largest distributors and broadcasters of high-quality programmes for children and families, which brings a global award-winning streaming and broadcast footprint on satellite, cable, OTT, and terrestrial networks.

YFE controls over 4,000 animated episodes and feature films, with distribution through its streaming and linear kids’ channels across 100 countries with more than 50M households reached, including free-to-air, pay TV and digital subscription channels in Germany, Austria & Switzerland.

The YFE transaction, alongside the recent announcement of the acquisition of WOW! Unlimited Media, will significantly expand the Genius Brands catalogue and give the company a streaming foothold outside the United States in Europe and the rest of the world, from which it expects to fuel growth.

The announcement was made today jointly by Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Genius Brands, and Dr. Stefan Piëch, CEO of YFE.

YFE, subject to YFE shareholder approval, will be renamed Genius Family Entertainment AG, and will operate its children’s networks under the brand Kartoon Channel! Worldwide. YFE will maintain its independent listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and will be run by the current Management Board of Dr. Piëch and Bernd Wendeln.

Genius Brands and YFE share the goals of bringing “Content with a Purpose” to children worldwide. Dr. Piëch is a recognized world leader in developing and promoting children’s content that supports environmental causes, sustainability, and is non-violent.

Concurrently, it was also announced that Paul Robinson, former Managing Director of Disney Television International and Senior Vice President Disney Channel Worldwide, will become Managing Director of Kartoon Channel! Worldwide and oversee the international buildout and growth of Kartoon Channel! 

 

New licensing opportunities for hit animation Bluey as it launches in Italy and Greece

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Produced by Ludo Studio and co-commissioned by BBC Studios and ABC Children’s, the much-loved global-hit animation Bluey will make its free-to-air debut on 27 December in Italy on Rai Yoyo, the public broadcast service’s preschool channel. The series will also air on ERT in Greece.

BBC Studios will also launch a new Italian language YouTube channel in January 2022 featuring clips and bonus content from the series.

Master toy partner Moose Toys will lead the product launch this coming Easter with their highly successful toy range via their distributor Giochi Preziosi. Other products from partners including global publishing partner Penguin Random House will follow. Maurizio Distefano Licensing was recently announced as BBC Studios’ licensing agent for Italy.

In Greece, Bluey will air on public broadcaster ERT, with transmission dates to be confirmed shortly. BBC Studios are in the process of finalizing the appointment of Partner Plus to act as licensing agent for Bluey in Greece and Cyprus. Giochi Preziosi will also handle distribution of Moose Toys in Greece and Turkey.

This marks further expansion in EMEA for the award-winning animation which has recently launched on free-to-air TV in Ireland, Denmark, Sweden and France. Bluey is also available on YouTube in French, Spanish and Danish and English with more than 950,000 subscribers.

The series follows Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler dog who loves to play and turn everyday family life into extraordinary adventures that unfold in unpredictable and hilarious ways, bringing her family, friends and community into her world of fun.

Bluey has won the hearts of kids and parents around the world since it first launched in Australia in October 2018, and has quickly become a global hit.

In Australia, Bluey is the number one kids show on broadcast television in 2020 and is the most-watched series ever on ABC iview. In June 2019, BBC Studios struck a global broadcast deal with Disney to premiere Bluey in all territories outside Australia, New Zealand and Greater China; it now screens in over 60 countries.

In the UK, it was the most viewed show on CBeebies in August and is also available on Disney+. In the US, across Disney Junior and Disney Channel in Q2 2021, the show was the #1 most watched TV series with kids ages 2-5.

Bluey has also won multiple awards, such as the International Emmy Kids Award in the prestigious Preschool Category in 2020, and its second AACTA Awards for Best Children’s Program that same year. The accolades continue in 2021, with Bluey winning four Kidscreen Awards in February.

Bluey is produced by multi-Emmy award-winning Ludo Studio for ABC Kids Australia, co-commissioned by ABC Children’s and BBC Studios, and distributed internationally by BBC Studios outside of Australia.

Marvel Future Revolution receives top honour in Apple’s App Store Awards

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MARVEL Future Revolution, the latest collaboration between Netmarble Corp. and Marvel Entertainment, and Marvel’s first open world action RPG on mobile platforms, has been recognized as the ‘iPad Game of the Year’ in Apple’s App Store Awards 2021.

“To be recognised with this prestigious award is immensely humbling, as we really strove to make a first-of-its-kind game for Marvel that connected players from all over the world,” says Joe Lee, Executive Producer at Netmarble.

“We were up against apps and games judged on delivering exceptional quality, cutting-edge design and intuitive usability, as well as advanced application of Apple’s unique technologies, making this especially rewarding.

“Thanks to our talented team of developers, our highly collaborative relationship with Marvel, and the long hours put in by our entire team at Netmarble, we were able to bring our shared vision to life. We can’t wait to show you what’s in store for MARVEL Future Revolution in 2022.”

Netmarble and Marvel recently showcased a first look at Magik, MARVEL Future Revolution‘s upcoming ninth playable Super Hero, officially revealing that her world premiere would be on December 15, 2021. More details on this new character and other upcoming content will be announced in the near future.

Developed by Netmarble Monster, MARVEL Future Revolution is the second collaboration between Netmarble and Marvel Entertainment, and a successor to the long-running hit mobile game MARVEL Future Fight, enjoyed by more than 120 million people worldwide.

MARVEL Future Revolution is available now as a free download on the App Store and Google Play.

Rollacrit and Asmodee Entertainment debut first CATAN merchandise collection

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Rollacrit and Asmodee Entertainment have launched the first collection in their CATAN merchandise partnership, which celebrates the hit board game.

The collection features a range of apparel and mugs aimed at dedicated and casual CATAN fans alike. Rollacrit will be releasing a full range of merchandise including more apparel designs, accessories, collectables and homewares, available at Rollacrit.com.

Lifestyle brand Rollacrit was recently contracted as the official merchandise supplier for 2021 for GenCon, the largest tabletop game convention in the US. The new range of CATAN merchandise has been developed by Rollacrit’s designers, who are themselves fans, with fellow fans in mind.

“With the ‘Greetings From Catan’ collection, we focused on channelling the natural beauty and rustic feel of the world of CATAN,” says Nick Carr, Creative Director at Rollacrit. “As long-time CATAN players ourselves, partnering with Asmodee Entertainment has given us a fantastic opportunity to create a line we hope will inspire everyone to visit the game world we know and love.”

The ‘Greetings from Catan’ series takes fans on a tour of Catan’s landscapes, one for each of the valuable resources. Visit the Golden Fields for wheat, the Verdant Pastures for sheep, the Lush Forest for wood or the Scenic Mountains for ore, while brick can be found in the Rugged Hills. Each design is available on both mugs and unisex t-shirts.

“Rollacrit came to the table with so many great ideas. You could really tell they are fans,” says Katha Busk, Product Development Coordinator for Asmodee Entertainment. “They did, and continue to do, great work melding their modern and clever sense of design with the beautiful world of CATAN. I’m really excited to share their hard work with CATAN fans!”

This first collection is currently available on Rollacrit.com.

Moomin Characters launches Tove Jansson website and livestream event

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Moomin Characters Ltd has launched a brand-new website which celebrates the life and work of Moomin creator and multi-talented artist Tove Jansson.

Presented in the style of an immersive exhibition, the new website gives fans and newcomers to Jansson’s work the opportunity to understand how intricately her life and her creative output were intertwined, by presenting them side-by-side.

Visitors will be able to get new insights into Jansson’s creations by learning about what was happening in her life while she was working on the books, comics, paintings and illustrations she is so loved for. They will be able to explore her childhood home in a bohemian artist’s studio, dive into details of her rich oil paintings, and learn about the struggle of an artist with many talents trying to fulfil both her inner curiosity and the demands of an ever-growing global audience.

Images, video and text will bring Jansson’s personal story to life, from the influence of the Second World War to falling in love with a woman at a time when it was still illegal to be homosexual in Finland.

To celebrate the launch of this unique new showcase of Jansson’s work, Moomin Characters Ltd is holding the first global online screening of the film ‘Tove and Tooti in Europe’ on December 9 at 3pm GMT.

This rarely-seen-before film uses footage shot on an 8mm Cine Camera by Tove Jansson and her long-term partner, the graphic artist Tuulikki Pietilä, known as Tooti, as they documented their travels around Europe. The footage dates from 1972 to 1993 and includes scenes from Paris, Venice, London, Madrid, Dublin, Iceland and Corsica.

Another 8mm Cine Camera documentary shot by Tove and Tuulikki, called ‘Haru, Island of the Solitary’, was recently screened in the same way to celebrate Moomin Characters Ltd raising over one million euros with their #OURSEA campaign to help save the Baltic Sea. The live stream attracted thousands of Tove Jansson fans from around the world, demonstrating the huge appetite from fans to see this archive footage and learn more about her life.

Sophia Jansson, Creative Director at Moomin Characters and niece of Tove Jansson, said: “With this website, we wanted to create the richest and most comprehensive digital gallery and online resource that exists for any artist worldwide. Our hope is that it will be the most brilliant introduction to Tove’s work for newcomers, and that there will also be something new to discover for even the most committed fans. As Tove’s niece, it is very moving for me to see her life and her work presented in such a beautiful way and now accessible to people all over the world.”

The website www.tovejansson.com launches on December 3, 2021. It is currently available in English, Swedish and Finnish. Further content will be released in phases, with more material to come about the people and places that were important to Tove Jansson. Eventually, visitors will be able to step into the Moominhouse, learn about lovers becoming lifelong friends and important artistic collaborators, and a family that supported Tove in her bold, uncompromising approach to life and art.

To join the global screening of ‘Tove and Tooti in Europe’ on Thursday 9 December, please sign up via the Eventbrite page.

Sinking Ship partners with Paper Owl Films on Finding Audrey movie

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Canada’s Sinking Ship Entertainment and Northern Ireland’s Paper Owl Films announced today their new partnership on the latter’s movie adaptation of the bestselling Sophie Kinsella novel, Finding Audrey.

The two award-winning companies are co-developing the project, with Paper Owl Films producing and Sinking Ship Entertainment distributing internationally.

The movie adaptation is being envisioned as a family film, and is in the advanced stage of development ahead of Kidscreen in February 2022.

Based on Sophie Kinsella’s bestselling novel of the same name, Finding Audrey is the heartfelt, meaningful, and sometimes hilarious story of a teenage girl suffering from social anxiety disorder. After a triggering bullying incident at school, Audrey is unable to venture out of her house and hides from the world with the help of dark sunglasses.

This new family film tells the story of Audrey’s journey to recovery, with the help of her chaotic but loving family and a boy named Linus. Finding Audrey mixes live-action, animation and special effects to create a quirky, comedic, and emotive viewing experience that will resonate with today’s families.

Sophie Kinsella says: “I’m thrilled to have worked with Paper Owl Films on this exciting and imaginative adaptation of Finding Audrey. I can’t wait for fans of my book to see the characters come to life on screen, and also for a wider audience to meet Audrey and her family. I hope viewers will really engage with the storyline and the issues surrounding teenage mental health.”

“Using Sophie’s novel as our springboard, we’ve deliberately included a mix of live action, animation and special effects in Finding Audrey to create a highly engaging and emotive viewing experience for our family targeted audience,” says Grainne McGuinness, Creative Director at Paper Owl Films “Together with the characters’ mix of perspectives and their evolution within the story, we hope this adaption will continue Sophie’s mission to blow the lid off existing social attitudes to mental health.”

Kate Sanagan, Head of Sales and Distribution from Sinking Ship Entertainment adds: “We’re excited to be partnering with Paper Owl Films on this important project. We were immediately drawn to Finding Audrey’s perceptive take on mental health and teenagers, and we are confident that the series’ creative and engaging format will resonate with both broadcasters and audiences worldwide.”

Igloo and Monster Jam unleash Playmate cooler collection

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Igloo and Monster Jam, the action-packed motorsports experience for families, have unleashed a special-edition collection that unites two of the most recognisable Monster Jam trucks — Grave Digger and El Toro Loco — with the world’s most recognisable cooler, the Playmate.

“Teaming up with Monster Jam, the larger-than-life sport, has been the ultimate experience,” says Brian Garofalow, Chief Marketing Officer at Igloo. “There’s nothing like the thrill of experiencing Monster Jam live, and now, with our new Grave Digger and El Toro Loco Playmates, there’ll be nothing else out there like these monster truck-inspired coolers to keep your drinks ice-cold, especially when you’re going full throttle while tailgating at the stadium!”

Igloo incorporated fan-favourite monster truck design elements into the artwork of each new Monster Jam Playmate cooler. The Grave Digger Playmate — based on one of the most decorated Monster Jam trucks — goes all in on its popular green, black and purple colour scheme, along with the skull and graveyard graphics seen on the real-life truck and the “Bad to the Bone” saying. The El Toro Loco Playmate brings in the famous raging bull’s nose and horns, truck chassis, iconic flames and the “Mess With the Bull & You Get the Horns” saying.

The new Monster Jam Grave Digger and El Toro Loco Playmate Pal coolers are available now on igloocoolers.com/monsterjam.

Aardman launches newest IP, The Very Small Creatures

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Aardman has announced the launch of its newest IP, a series for 1- to 3-year-olds called The Very Small Creatures.

The Very Small Creatures, the first spin-off from the studio’s hugely popular Morph series, follows the adventures of five toddler-like clay creatures who explore a child’s play area when no one’s around – learning about their physical world, themselves and each other. The 20×3″ colourful and characterful stop-motion episodes are available on Sky Kids from today.

A bonus Christmas episode, ‘A Very Small Christmas’, will also be part of a Sky Kids Christmas Favourites compilation on Sky Showcase and will be available on Sky Kids on Demand and NOW from 19 December.

The Very Small Creatures is a series directorial debut for Aardman talent Lucy Izzard, who is both an animator and director. “I’m delighted to be able to share my five new besties with you,” she says. “I hope these colourful characters thrill, excite and entertain a whole new host of very small people, as they watch The Very Small Creatures leap, bounce and ‘bottom-pop’ around their screens with all the joyous fun that curiosity brings.”

Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content, UK & ROI at Sky, adds: “You don’t have to be a child to find Aardman’s incredible stop-motion animations truly enchanting. It’s been a real privilege to work with Lucy Izzard, whose unique creative vision for The Very Small Creatures is sure to delight the whole family this festive season.”

The Very Small Creatures is available now on Sky Kids and NOW. Territories include the UK, Germany and Italy

Miraculous – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir live experiences come to Spain

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Kids and family entertainment company Planeta Junior and award-winning global entertainment studio ZAG have signed a deal with Madhouse to create immersive experiences based on the globally successful animated series MiraculousTM – Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir. The series was created by ZAG and co-produced with ON kids & family (Mediawan).

Madhouse is the leading integrated leisure activity and entertainment management company behind MadLab, the chain of pioneering retail entertainment centres. Miraculous experiences premiered at the MadLab Oviedo in November, featuring three immersive activities: Parkour Tech, VR Escape Room and VR Labyrinth. MadLab Zaragoza also offers visitors an immersive Miraculous experience.

Parkour Tech is designed for 5–12 year-olds. This new concept allows fans of Miraculous to test their psychomotor skills and complete team missions against the clock. Each group wears an RFID bracelet with a built-in LED reader to practise their teamwork and skills.

The VR Escape Room is an interactive experience for the whole family. This 50 m2 space allows 2-4 people to become Marinnette’s classmates. They have to solve a series of tests in under five minutes to help their favourite superheroes.

Finally, the entertaining Virtual Reality Labyrinth individual experience gives fans of all ages  seven minutes to explore the Eiffel Tower and help stop Akuma, the supervillain from the popular show, from attacking the city.

“MadLab Oviedo allows the whole family to travel to Ladybug and Cat Noir’s Paris and enter the series, becoming a character that helps their superheroes. Joining forces with sector leader Madhouse guarantees our success,” says Antonella Ceraso, Consumer Products Director at Planeta Junior.

“Reaching an agreement with Planeta Junior and ZAG is part of our global strategy to offer new experiences based on entertainment’s most iconic brands and characters. This is just the first of several launches we aim to work on together,” adds Raluca Gavrilovici, Sales Business Manager at Madhouse.

 

DeAPlaneta and Planeta Junior consolidate as DeAPlaneta Entertainment

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DeAPlaneta and Planeta Junior, both Planeta/De Agostini Group companies, are coming together under the brand DeAPlaneta Entertainment.

The merger of the two companies is due to a strategic reorganisation that aims to consolidate their leadership in the entertainment segment, and to be more agile in order to respond to the new needs of a global, multi-channel market.

Its activity will be focused on three main areas: fiction content, content for children and families, and interactive products.

The merger responds to the transformation processes in the entertainment sector where the boundaries between audiences and genres have blurred, where global markets are being served and where companies tend to adopt business models that promote a direct relationship with their audience.

“The entertainment industry is a growing and constantly changing sector. DeAPlaneta Entertainment is a company prepared to compete in international markets with a global concept,” states Ignacio Segura, CEO of DeAPlaneta Entertainment. “Nowadays, it is necessary to move towards a new business model that involves diversification, finding new ways to meet the needs of users, occupying solid positions at more points in the value chain and being big. With this merger we will become a more competitive player.”

DeAPlaneta Entertainment will continue to focus on the production and distribution of quality content with memorable stories to excite all kinds of audiences beyond traditional screens: liquid experiences (audiovisual, physical and digital) that combine creativity, technology and innovation.

The new company brings together more than 20 years of experience producing and distributing content with a global reach. From fiction and animated films and series and licensed products to live shows, video game competitions and, more recently, NFT development and presence in the metaverse.

DeAPlaneta Entertainment successes include the release of “The Physician”, the “Saw” saga and the Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech”, “12 Years a Slave”, and “The Pianist” in Spanish cinemas, as well as the creation of TV series such as “Ana Tramel. The Game”.

For children and family audiences, DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages and produces series such as “Miraculous Ladybug”, “Milo”, “Gormiti”, “Heidi” and “Maya the Bee”, generating different audiovisual content and licensed products for audiences all over the world.

In the interactive arena, the company continues to expand and explore new areas, and has organised high-profile events such as the eCopa RFEF and the national FIFA 21 benchmark tournament, with the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DeAPlaneta Entertainment has had numerous successes in the different entertainment sectors, including the release of the popular titles “The Physician”, the “Saw” saga and the Oscar-winning “The King’s Speech”, “12 Years a Slave”, and “The Pianist” in Spanish cinemas, as well as the creation of TV series such as “Ana Tramel. The Game”.

For children and family audiences, DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages and produces series such as “Miraculous Ladybug”, “Milo”, “Gormiti”, “Heidi” and “Maya the Bee”, generating different audiovisual content and licensed products for audiences all over the world.

In the interactive arena, the company continues to expand and explore new areas, and has organised high-profile events such as the eCopa RFEF and the national FIFA 21 benchmark tournament, with the support of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.