Tag Archives: netflix

Mattel debuts new He-Man and The Masters of the Universe toys as first Netflix trailer lands

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Mattel has lifted the lid on a new collection of toys and action figures inspired by the new animated Netflix series, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, a CGI reinvention of the cult classic series that has been developed for a new generation of fans.

Detailed in a post issued by Mattel’s vice president and global head of action figures, PJ Lewis, the new collection of toys features both classic and never before seen characters, enabling fans of all ages to ‘join the battle to save Eternia.’

The new range takes inspiration from a new CGI animated series, scheduled to land on Netflix this September 16th. Reinvented for today’s audiences, the series will deliver a reimagined storyline and a new stylised take on the world of Eternia.

The first trailer for the new series was dropped earlier this week. Check it out and take a first look below:

The series lands amid a run of recent activity for the Masters of the Universe franchise that most recently made its comeback in the form of the Netflix animated series – Masters of the Universe: Revelation – released this July.

As we continue to reintroduce Masters of the Universe to the world, I am excited to share that on September 16, the sword is being passed to the next generation of fans with the release of the new animated Netflix series He-Man and The Masters of the Universe, a show reinvented for kids today with a reimagined storyline and new stylized take on the world of Eternia,” said Lewis.

“But what’s most exciting to me is we are taking kids’ favourite heroes off the screen and into their hands with the introduction of a slew of amazing toys and action figures inspired by these new series.”

Each articulated figure in the new range comes with an attack feature or projectile, while He-Man and Skeletor can race into action with The Masters of the Universe Vehicle Pack, or engage in head to head battle using the Snake Mountain Throne play-set.

“The options are limitless for even our youngest fans to recreate their favourite Masters of the Universe scenes, and the fun starts October 1st when the new collection becomes available at Walmart,” said Lewis.

Genius Brands begins third series production on hit animated IP Rainbow Rangers

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Production has begun on a third season of the popular animated series, Rainbow Rangers as the Genius Brands property continues to grow its audience numbers through global broadcast partnerships with the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video Direct, HBO Max, Nickelodeon Latin America, and China’s CCTV.

The series is now gathering momentum with audiences across the world, reflected in its popularity on platforms such as Netflix, where the release of season one propelled it to the Top Ten children’s programmes on the platform.

 “It takes time for a brand to establish itself, but we are clearly seeing that this is now occurring with Rainbow Rangers across multiple-platforms, including the recent release of season one on Netflix, where the series cracked the Top 10 of children’s programs for the first time, and is consistently a top performer in Netflix categories such as “Girls Take the Lead,” “Everyone’s Watching,” and “Exciting TV Shows,” said Jon Ollwerther, president of Kartoon Channel and EVP of business development at Genius Brands.

“At the same time, we are witnessing adoption across a growing base of broadcasters, including the launch of Rainbow Rangers on Paramount Plus network on August 18th”

 The broadcast success corresponds with the development of a new 2022 retail program with master toy partner, Never Wrong Toys. The retail program is based on a broad range of preschool products, initially focused in the toy category. The launch is planned to coincide with the world premiere of season three of Rainbow Rangers, exclusively on Kartoon Channel!

 Genius Brands’ chairman and CEO, Andy Heyward, said: “The recent success of Rainbow Rangers reminds me of the early trajectory of Strawberry Shortcake, which started with Hasbro Toys, but moved to Bandai Toys, and Playmates, where it eventually drove a highly successful, multi-billion dollar global licensing program.

“We are taking a page from the Strawberry Shortcake playbook, with Emmy Award-winning producer Mike Maliani of that property leading the production of Rainbow Rangers in season three, introducing a twist in the new season – the addition of a scent in the storyline. Not unlike Strawberry Shortcake where all the dolls and products were scented strawberry, the dolls and products coming forth from Rainbow Rangers will be scented as well.

“We believe this will be a huge driver in the girls’ product category.” 

With two seasons available and season three currently in production, Genius Brands has a growing slate of media partners around the world on board for Rainbow Rangers, including Netflix (U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East), Amazon Prime Video Direct (U.S., U.K.), Nickelodeon (U.S.), Kartoon Channel! (U.S.), HBO Max (Latin America), Nickelodeon & NOGGIN (Latin America), and CCTV (China).

Kerry Phelan, executive vice president and general manager of Global Franchise Management at Genius Brands stated: “Rainbow Rangers is a special series that is clearly resonating with young audiences around the world as we continue to build our viewership with new partners, such as Netflix, coming on board.

“To crack the Top 10 for the first time so quickly on Netflix, coupled with the traction we’re gaining on Amazon and our own platform, Kartoon Channel!, is a testament to the strong appeal of the themes and positive messaging of the show.

“Our strategy continues to center around growth in viewership, which, in turn, is designed to feed our long-term merchandising strategy. We are enthusiastic about our partnership with Never Wrong Toys and are excited about developing an exciting range of preschool toys that tap into the most appealing elements of the show for 2022.”

Rainbow Rangers is a rescue-based series that follows the adventures of seven girls who are Earth’s first responders – protecting people, animals, resources, and the natural beauty of our world.

Silvergate Media’s animated TV series Hilda picks up two Daytime Emmy Awards

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Silvergate Media has expanded its trophy collection this week, having secured a double win at the 2021 Daytime Emmy Awards for its highly acclaimed Netflix animated TV series, Hilda.

During the live streamed ceremony on Friday, Hilda found itself the recipient of the coveted award in the Outstanding Children’s Animated Series category, as well as in the Outstanding Editing in a Daytime Animated Series. The series had picked up Emmy nominations in three other categories.

The show’s latest plaudit establishes what has become a winning streak for Hilda which recently triumphed at the Annie Awards in April where it took home no fewer than three awards.

“It’s been an incredible year so far for Hilda and we’re all enormously proud of these latest Daytime Emmy Award wins,” said Waheed Alli, chief executive at Silvergate Media. “As each new season of Hilda unfolds and we go deeper into the world of Trolberg, its very gratifying to receive critical recognition at such a high level and together with Mercury Filmworks we look forward to bringing audiences more exciting adventures for Hilda in 2022.”

First launched to Netflix in September 2018, Hilda is the result of a collaborative effort between Silvergate, Mercury Filmworks and Hilda creator, Luke Pearson who first debuted the character in a popular graphic novel format.

A second season was released on December 14th 2020, delivering new adventures for the blue-haired heroine as she delves deeper into the magical wilderness of Trolberg. Through her entertaining and inspiring adventures, Hilda learns that not everyone shares her open-minded view of the ‘hidden world’, while her Mum worries that her growing rebelliousness will lead to more trouble than Hilda can handle.

Both season one and two of Hilda are now available in 130 countries on Netflix’s global platform and Silvergate has an extended special in the pipeline. There is a consumer products program in place that spans toys, games, publishing, accessories, apparel and homewares.

Netflix hires EA veteran in its boldest play for the video gaming space to date

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In possibly its boldest play for the space to date, Netflix has tapped the games industry heavyweight and EA veteran, Mike Verdu as its vice president of game development.

Verdu has made the move to the streaming giant from Facebook where he held the role of VP of VR and AR content and a remit of bringing games to Oculus devices. Prior to this, he held various positions at EA, both in mobile and console gaming.

A veteran of the gaming industry, Verdu has also spent time at the mobile games specialist Zynga as chief creative officer.

The hiring of Verdu arrives amid a renewed and re-energerised suite of activity from Netflix in the video gaming space, who, according to a report from Bloomberg this week, could be delivering games as part of its streaming service ‘within the next year.’

Unnamed sources told Bloomberg that a games offering could be integrated as part of a Netflix streaming package, with no additional costs. The idea is that games will appear alongside current content as a new programming genre, similar to its documentaries of stand-up specials.

Gaming presents an additional avenue via which Netflix can continue to grow and follows recent developments such as a bolstered kids’ offering and its launch of an online shop to sell merchandise inspired by its original content. Netflix even managed to turn the head of Steven Spielberg recently in order to bring more prestigious films to its line-up.

In Verdu, the streaming giant will be able to tap into an experienced games pro who has worked on popular mobile games at Electronic Arts, including the Sims, Plants vs. Zombies, and Star Wars. 

An in-road to games development – of which, Netflix Originals can presumably be on the cards – will offer the platform yet another differentiator from its closest competitors on Disney’s Disney+ and HBO Max.

The Netflix insider has stated that the platform will be building out its gaming team in the coming months, adding that the company has yet to settle on a game development strategy. 

It’s thought that Netflix could start with just a few games on the roster and build its library from there. Netflix has previously licensed the rights to games based on its hit shows, including Stranger Things. The new move, however, will likely put Netflix fully in control of all gaming developments for its IP library.

Opinion | Channel hopping: Netflix becomes latest global brand to adopt direct to consumer

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With Netflix becoming the latest global brand to adopt a direct to consumer model for its portfolio of licensed merchandise, consumer products, and original series brand extensions, industry insights and intelligence expert and seasoned market analyst, Utku Tansel takes a look at the ever-strengthening trend of tapping into the consumer directly

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Netflix’s announcement to unveil an online shop for show-themed licensed merchandise has definitely raised some eyebrows. The entertainment giant’s new platform will sell limited-edition show tie-in apparel, merch, and other collectables. Among the items that will make a debut this month are streetwear and action figures inspired by anime series Yasuke and Eden, as well as apparel and decorative items based on Lupin in partnership with the Musée du Louvre.

There are also other exclusive products in the pipeline which will leverage the licensing power of its popular titles such as The Witcher and Stranger Things. Furthermore, there will be a new Netflix logo-wear from Japanese fashion house BEAMS.

As the escalated streaming wars take their toll on the company, Netflix.shop, which was developed and launched with the e-commerce site Shopify, should provide a brand new revenue source, and will witness an expansion of a product line that already offers through partners like Walmart, Amazon, H&M, Sephora, Target, and others.

Now available in the US, Netflix’s new online is set to expand abroad over the coming months.                   

With its recent move, Netflix’s aims to ride on the rising popularity of Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) which has been one of the emerging retailing models in recent years. The ongoing pandemic has accelerated this considerably, prompting many companies to shift their models.

2020 saw a number of brands increase their focus and investment in developing their DTC offerings. Spending more time at home has undoubtedly encouraged more consumers to embrace DTC particularly in grocery and clothing. In the fashion space, VF Corporation (The North Face, Timberland) acquired Supreme. It was reported that over 60 per cent of the company’s revenue comes from its online operations, and VF announced a cornerstone of its strategy will be expanding the brand’s Direct-to-Consumer offering.

Meanwhile, in the toy industry, Hasbro and Mattel expanded their DTC operations in order to meet the growing demand for e-commerce.

As I investigated in my “Retail and E-commerce: The Impact of COVID-19 in the UK” Opinion piece previously, the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed shopping behaviour completely making a profound effect on the retail industry.

While COVID-19 continues to cause significant disruption to bricks and mortar retail, DTC is in a good place to be one of the headline trends for 2021. It is the preferred choice for many businesses and brands already as they increasingly become more agile, more authentic and produce more personalised products en masse.

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Utku Tansel has 17 years of success in driving global thought leadership, project and content management, delivering strategic business intelligence and actionable insight to major international companies, retailers and financial institutions.

With a solid market research background, Utku regularly writes for leading industry publications including ToyNews and Licensing.biz focusing on the most recent trends and developments.

A sought-after speaker, he also presented at world-renowned industry events including Licensing International Mind Mix Executive Conference, Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, PlayCon, World Congress of Play, and Walmart Global Toy Summit highlighting key findings from the latest global research studies.

Lion Brand Yarn Company launches official Schitt’s Creek line to help fans recreate the show’s iconic looks

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The hit Canadian sitcom series, Schitt’s Creek is embarking on a new licensing venture, enabling fans of the ‘must-watch TV series of the pandemic’ to recreate some of the most iconic looks from the pop culture phenomenon.

In partnership with ITV Studios – the global distributor of the award-winning Schitt’s Creek series – Lion Brand Yarn Company is helping the series’ biggest fans create those chic sweaters, tops, and outfits, thanks to its upcoming line of official products.

“We are excited and proud to be partnering with ITV Studios and launching a product line inspired by ‘Schitt’s Creek,’ a show that has captured the hearts of TV viewers in multiple countries,” said Chris Mills, president and CEO of Lion Brand Yarn Company.

“In addition to releasing exclusive yarns and patterns that will allow fans and crafters to recreate their favorite garments, we’re honored to be associated with a show that promotes positivity, warmth, and inclusivity – messages that are integral to Lion Brand’s mission as a company.”

Lion Brand’s line of Schitt’s Creek products will include varying styles and colors of yarn – including white, heather grey, blush, and jet black – all of which will bear an exclusive “Schitt’s Creek” label. It will also include a wide variety of patterns for both adults and children, with detailed instructions on how to create the clothing inspired by the “Schitt’s Creek” characters: David Rose’s unforgettable collection of sweaters; Alexis Rose’s spirited, bohemian cardigans; and more.

Matching merchandise such as pillows and throw blankets will also accompany the line.

“We were thrilled with the opportunity to work with Lion Brand on this first-of-its-kind Schitt’s Creek product line,” said Kim Dingler, CCO global entertainment, ITV Studios.

“Thanks to Lion Brand, a company that shares the Schitt’s Creek ethos of community, consumers and crafters will have a one-stop shop and be able to make their own ‘Schitt’s Creek’ outfits.”

Created by father-and-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, who also star in the show opposite Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy, the Canadian comedy series Schitt’s Creek first debuted in 2015, before a migration to Netflix set it on course to become a worldwide phenomenon.

Over five years and six seasons, the story of a wealthy family displaced and brought down to earth in a modest small town exploded in popularity, and for its final season, it won nine awards at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as two Golden Globes.

Throughout its run, Schitt’s Creek became as beloved for its bold fashions as it did for its characters and storylines. The unique knits and patterns worn by David Rose (Dan Levy), Moira Rose (O’Hara) and Alexis Rose (Murphy), specifically, inspired countless Halloween costumes as well as major clothing retailers and fashion designers.

“For Lion Brand, the combination of the show’s striking knitwear and its warmhearted themes were a perfect match,” said Mills. “With everything we do, we strive to create a more colorful, connected, comforting, and caring world, and that’s exactly what the world of Schitt’s Creek is. We can’t wait for our customers to make, wear, and enjoy the stunning styles of that world.”

SEGA unveils animated series Sonic Colours: Rise of the Wisps trailer and 30th anniversary merchandise

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SEGA has lifted the lid on a plethora of upcoming entertainment experiences surrounding its iconic Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, as the 30th anniversary celebrations of the flagship character continue, spanning animated series, live orchestra events, a host of new gaming announcements, and plenty of licensing activity.

The grand unveiling of this upcoming hive of activity took place on the first Sonic Central livestream event, a celebration of 30 years of Sonic the Hedgehog hosted on SEGA’s official YouTube and Twitch channels this week.

The stream kicked off with the creators of the upcoming Netflix animated series Sonic Prime, and was swiftly followed with the announcement of a live orchestra event on June 23rd, featuring music from Sonic games over the last 30 years, with a special preview coming during Geoff Keighly’s Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live on June 10th.

Following the opening segment, SEGA jumped into the medium where it all began, unveiling a slew of gaming-related announcements, including Sonic Colours: Ultimate and Sonic Colours: Rise of the Wisps. Sonic Colors: Ultimate is an adrenaline-pumping remaster of the beloved 2010 platformer, Sonic Colors.

Sonic Colors: Ultimate is set to release both digitally and physically on PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, with a digital-only release on PC via the Epic Game Store on September 7, 2021.

In addition, SEGA unveiled a teaser to the two-part animation series, Sonic Colors: Rise of the Wisps, the first short-form animation featuring full dialogue and a voice cast including the return of legendary Sonic voice actor, Roger Craig Smith.

 

Following, SEGA revealed that it is working on a new compiled series that will include Sonic the HEdgehog one, two, Sonic Three and Knuckles, as well as Sonic CD under the Sonic Origins moniker. The collection will offer fans a nostalgic hit of classic gameplay, as well as fresh content with more details coming soon.

Other developments in the gaming space include the launch of a new Sonic Team Game, a Sonic avatar in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 – The Official Video Game, and a host of mobile game special events, spanning Sonic Forces: Speed Battle, Sonic Dash, Sonic Racing, and more.

On top of this, to celebrate the 30th anniversary, Sonic will be making a special cameo in SEGA’s Two Point Hospital.

SEGA also revealed a lineup of commemorative merchandise to celebrate the 30th anniversary, as the studio collaborates with a robust list of partners throughout the year to create new Sonic products, including items like a Giant Eggman Robot play-set from Jakks Pacific, a full-colour hardcover Sonic encyclopedia from Dark Horse, and more.

As part of Sonic’s 30th celebration, IDW will release a special super-sized 80-page comic book featuring three tales of colorful heroes and dastardly villains. Commemorative 30th Anniversary gold and silver coins will also be available this year from APMEX.

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

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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.

TOMY named master toy partner for Netflix’s popular pre-school series BUDDI

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TOMY International has been named the master toy partner for the popular Netflix pre-school series, BUDDI. The launch will arrive courtesy of a partnership between the toy maker and Unanico and Raydar Media.

BUDDI is an animated series aimed at kids aged four years old and under that looks to deliver emotional intelligence through the lens of imagination and non-verbal cues. It follows the adventures of five friends, each bright and colourful, as they experience the simplest moments of life for the first time.

Currently with two seasons available on Netflix, more seasons are planned as the show opens to other linear, SVOD and AVOD platforms around the world. Furthermore, BUDDI was nominated for a 2020 Annie Award in the TV/Media Preschool category for the “Snow” episode.

“We’re thrilled to be working on this new opportunity with Unanico and Raydar Media,” said TOMY’s director of global brands, Morgan Weyl.

“BUDDI meets the trends that are impacting the toy market right now, from education, music, zen-sational themes, and socially conscious play. With the highly recognizable characters that have captured audiences around the world, these unique and thoughtfully designed characters will stand out on shelf.”

The core values of BUDDI fit right in line with TOMY’s portfolio of brands. TOMY has a longstanding history of creating toys that are focused on toddler development through play, which include both the Lamaze and Toomies lines.

Building a world of toys with unique character identities that also promote sensory discovery, emotional intelligence, along with being fun, playable and developmentally appropriate, is a hallmark for the company.

For BUDDI, TOMY will introduce a line of innovative toys for toddlers focused on bringing the unique DNA of the brand, along with the emotional and developmental aspects of BUDDI’s characters to markets around the world.

Paul Laikin, Unanico’s managing director and producer of Buddi said: “We are delighted to be working with the team at Tomy, a company that really understands the values of Buddi, and has the deep creative and commercial experience necessary to bring toys to Buddi’s young fans around the world.”

Mattel named global toy partner for new CG animated series Karma’s World

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Mattel has joined forces with 9 Story Media Group and Karma’s World Entertainment for a multi-year global licensing deal for the new CG animated series created by Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges, called Karma’s World.

The series is set to premiere on Netflix later this year, while Mattel will be rolling out a full line of toys for the franchise, spanning dolls and doll accessories, styling heads, role play, plush and more. The collection is expected to launch at retailers across the globe from autumn 2022.

“At Mattel, our purpose is to empower the next generation to explore the wonder of childhood and reach their full potential and we take great pride in creating a portfolio of toys that reflects the world kids see around them,” said Nick Karamanos, senior vice president, entertainment partnerships, Mattel.

“We were inspired by Karma’s story, and message of self-empowerment, and look forward to introducing a line of toys that will bring her world to life for children across the globe.”

Kyra Halperin, co-VP consumer products, 9 Story, said: “We are thrilled to announce Mattel as our global toy partner for Karma’s World.

“We’ve been blown away by their passion for the brand and creativity in translating it to a range of must-have toys for fans of the series. With Mattel’s global reach for this age demographic and expertise in the doll space, we know they will develop an unrivaled program that will be loved by kids around the world.”

Bridges, added: “Karma’s World is an important legacy that I want to leave for my daughters. The world needs more positive portrayals of Black girls in pop culture. Mattel has really gotten behind Karma’s messages of empowerment, self-expression and using your voice to change the world, and I’m so excited for the impressive line they are developing to be available to kids everywhere.”

Created by multi-award-winning American rapper, actor, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges (Fast and Furious Franchise, Fear Factor, Crash), Karma’s World was originally inspired by Chris’ oldest daughter.

The series follows 10-year-old Karma Grant, an aspiring musical artist and rapper with big talent and an even bigger heart. Every episode is infused with hip-hop music, streetwear fashion and original choreography. The series focuses on themes of self-expression, identity, leadership, creativity and the importance of community.

Geared for children aged six to nine, Karma’s World is a coming of age story about a young Black girl finding her voice and using it to change her world.

The deal was brokered by 9 Story’s dedicated brand management and consumer products division, 9 Story Brands.