Gaming phenomenon Exploding Kittens makes licensing move with Universal and Illumination’s Minions

The analogue games manufacturer, Exploding Kittens – recognised for setting the record with the most backed game on Kickstarter to date – is eyeing a new move into licensing with the launch its Exploding Minions game next month.

Developed in partnership with Universal Brand Development and Illumination, the new titles puts a Minions spin on the globally popular card game, bringing in elements from the hit franchise to the tabletop gaming phenomenon.

In an interview with ToyNews, Exploding Kittens international director of sales has hinted that this could be just the start of a new licensing endeavour from Exploding Kittens, who will be measuring the success of the licensed game as a marker for its future pursuits in the licensing space.

“We are trying a few new things as we focus on the UK market this year,” said Hoste. “One of them is that this year, for the first time, we are supplying an entertainment license to the Exploding Kittens franchise. We will have an Exploding Minions game launching this year, in June, as a fun way to reposition the game with a broader appeal.

“It will be exciting to see what that does, and if it is successful we will continue to pursue those kinds of changes within our portfolio.”

Exploding Kittens burst onto the scene in 2015 when it set records as the most backed game on the crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter to date. Six years later, the kittens’ explosion is still expanding with ten games to the company’s portfolio, 45 countries on the roster, and new headway being made in the licensing space, both inbound and out.

The outward licensing and franchise building around Exploding Kittens’ game portfolio continues to gain traction. Further products are currently in development across both the Exploding Kittens and the Throw Throw Burrito (a card game meets dodgeball) for later this year, while the company recently made the move to digital gaming.

Exploding Kittens has become one of the latest tabletop games to make the leap to the Nintendo Switch with a digital version of the game in a move that “has the potential to grow the audience size for Exploding Kittens exponentially.”

Plans are now already in place to bring more of the company’s titles to the gaming platform in the coming months and years, tapping into a strong trend to translating popular physical game titles to the digital space.

Read the full interview with Exploding Kittens’ Joeri Hoste here or in the Spring/Summer issue of ToyNews.

Universal Monsters rise up in new NECA action figure partnership

National Entertainment Collectibles Association – NECA – has detailed plans for a full line of Universal Monsters action figures developed in close partnership with Universal Brand Development to capture the look of the horror world’s most iconic figures.

Frankenstein’s Monster will rise up this July, depicting the classic monster from the 1931 film Frankenstein as it celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. The sculpt will capture Boris Karloff’s poignant portrayal of the misunderstood monster in black and white. A colour version of the figure will follow.

Subsequent figures set for 2021 will include Lon Chaney Jr. as the Wolf Man from The Wolf Man (1941), Boris Karloff as the titular figure in The Mummy (1932), and Bela Lugosi as the legendary Count in Dracula (1931).

“We are proud to be working with NECA to include Bela Lugosi as Dracula as an Ultimate figure,” said Lynne Lugosi Sparks, CEO of Lugosi LLC.

“NECA’s attention to detail is amazing and we are happy to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Bela Lugosi’s iconic screen performance as Dracula with this figure.”

NECA’s Ultimate format is a favorite among collectors for its complete portrayal of a character with a wide array of alternate heads, hands, and accessories so that many iconic moments from the movie can be recreated. The fifth-panel packaging also allows collectors to remove and replace without damaging the packaging.

“As a lifelong fan of Universal Monsters, this is a dream come true,” said Randy Falk, NECA VP and senior director of product development.

“I’ve been collecting Universal Monsters toys since I was a kid. This line aims to create something hyper-realistic and ultra-detailed for people like me who grew up watching these amazing movies and have always longed for definitive versions.”

Universal Brand Development opens vault to Disguise Inc for new Halloween dress up items

The costumes specialist, Disguise Inc has expanded upon its North American partnership with Universal Brand Development to design, manufacture, and distribute Halloween costumes, accessories, inflatables, and more based on some of its most popular properties.

The expanded collaboration will mark the first time that Disguise has held multi-year portfolio rights for Universal properties, spanning the studio’s library of feature films, TV, vault and horror brands.

As part of the deal, Disguise is designing a new version of the popular inflatable Jurassic World T Rex costume to include updated innovations and modifications.

“Universal Brand Development’s portfolio is so versatile that it makes for a spectacular costume range – from franchise blockbusters like Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation’s Trolls and Illumination’s Minions to horror properties like Universal Pictures’ Frankenstein and Dracula to an amazing array of streaming properties and a massive vault of classic films,” said Tara Hefter, EVP and GM of Disguise Inc.

“Disguise is beyond thrilled to be collaborating with Universal Brand Development in such a meaningful way. And we look forward to the ultimate roll-out of our Halloween costumes and accessories later in 2021.”

Owned by JAKKS Pacific, Disguise is a leader in design and development of costumes and accessories with distribution across the world. Universal provides an array of new and classic characters to create a new line of products.

Disguise’s Halloween costumes and accessories for Universal Brand Development will be available online, at major retailers and Halloween specialty stores across the US from this autumn.

Universal Brand Development teams with TOMY for Jurassic World Toomies launch

TOMY has embarked on a new licensing collaboration with Universal Brand Development to launch a new line of pre-school toys for its popular Toomies brand, based on the blockbuster Jurassic World franchise.

Jurassic World id a $5 billion global franchise, and with Jurassic World: Dominion scheduled for release in June 2022, the brand is set to be one of TOMY’s “biggest ever collaborations” for the pre-school category.

Launching in June 2021, the line will include Chase & Roll Raptors and a Dino Rescue Ranger, inspired by the iconic vehicles in the films; Spin & Hatch Dino Eggs,a clever twist on Toomies bestselling Hide and Squeak Eggs, using dinosaur eggs in an incubator featuring the core toddler play pattern of ‘sort & pop’; and Pic & Push T. rex,a large T. rex dinosaur with a fun take on the iconic gyrosphere from the 2015 Jurassic World film.

The line will also support TOMY’s classic action game, Pop Up Pirate, with the launch of a Pop Up T. rex from July. The bestselling game recently celebrated its 45th Anniversary.

Mary Wood, general manager UK at TOMY, said: “Dinosaurs are an evergreen toy trend, reaching multiple age points including pre-schoolers, and with our Toomies success in this market dinosaurs seemed like a great fit for our next collaboration.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Universal to introduce this fantastic range – combining our expertise in pre-school toys with the worldwide phenomenon of Jurassic World, this is going to be a major focus for the business for next year and into 2022.  Feedback from retailers across all markets has been nothing but positive.”

The Toomies brand has seen exponential growth in recent years, with its Toy range up by 33 per cent at Retail vs 2019. The brand’s ever-popular Hide & Squeak Eggs are also up by 25 per cent, with the full range including the Spring 2020 Hide & Squeak extension items and AW20 additions contributing to 81 per cent of EPOS Sales Year to Date.

Reebok teams with Universal Brand Development to launch Kung Fu Panda footwear and apparel line up

Reebok has partnered with DreamWorks Animation and Universal Brand Development to unveil its new Kung Fu Panda full-family footwear and apparel collection. Celebrating the hit franchise, the collection if available globally from Reebok’s online platform by January 8th.

The range will then be made available through wider roll-out in time for Lunar New Year on January 15th.

Each of the Reebok x Kung Fu Panda collection’s key footwear model will embodie unique themes from the franchise, its hero Po, and the styles and teachings of the supporting cast.

Instapump Fury Dragon Warrior embodies Po’s evolution from Panda to Dragon Warrior. Prominent features include a furry suede upper with dragon graphic, a textile Pump bladder, a collar lining that ties back to his belt and waist band, and a sockliner that pays homage to fortune cookies and Po’s journey to becoming a kung fu master.

Meanwhile, the Club C Master Your Style model brings together each of the film’s six Kung Fu Masters’ unique wardrobes via a tapestry of materials and colours, while Club C Calling All Zodiacs celebrates the unique ideologies and mentalities of each of the film’s seven Kung Fu Masters: Po, Tigress, Monkey, Crane, Viper, Mantis, and Shifu.

Finally, the Zig Kinetica Master of Tai Chi model celebrates the Soul – a key theme for Lunar New Year – encouraging wearers to believe in themselves and to trust their inner spirit.

Complementing the robust footwear lineup and enabling fans to fully master their own style, the Reebok x Kung Fu Panda collection offers a full range of complementary apparel including hoodies, crew sweaters, short sleeve tees and sweatpants honoring Po’s journey to become the Dragon Warrior.

Finally, in true Reebok fashion, fans will receive footwear in elevated Lunar New Year-inspired packaging. The box’s red top symbolizes the red envelopes exchanged at holiday celebrations, while the base presents an action-packed graphic mashup bringing together themes from the Kung Fu Panda franchise.

Inside, fans will find product wrapped in tissue paper that nods to Po’s apprenticeship at his father’s noodle shop, but more literally provides a restaurant-style menu of Reebok x Kung Fu Panda footwear offerings.

Toy maker TOMY bolsters licensed portfolio with Sing 2 and Plants vs Zombies ranges

Last month witnessed the international toy maker, TOMY bolster its licensing portfolio with new toy, plush, and play-sets plans for both Illumination’s upcoming animated motion picture, Sing 2, and the popular Electronic Arts mobile game, Plants vs Zombies.

Scheduled for launch on December 22, 2021, TOMY’s Sing 2 toy line will comprise innovative products including collectable figurines, feature plush, and a role play game.

The range will be launched in partnership with Illumination and Universal Brand Development, the studios behind the popular animated feature film Sing and its upcoming sequel, Sing 2.

“Audiences everywhere have already fallen in love with the relatable characters of Sing, and we’re looking forward to bringing them to life and into playrooms,” said TOMY’s director of global toys, Morgan Weyl.

“The Sing films are about overcoming obstacles and pursuing dreams, so we created a musically-infused toy line that will help inspire the next generation to shoot for the stars – no matter what challenges they may face along the way.”

Joe Lawandus, senior vice president and general manager, global toys and hardlines, Universal Brand Development, added:  “Our filmmaking partners at Illumination continue to deliver dynamic characters and storylines that bring joy and smiles to audiences across the globe, and we’re excited for the worldwide debut of Sing 2.

“We look forward to collaborating with TOMY on an all-new toy line that will bring the franchise’s signature comedy and hit music into the hearts and homes of fans worldwide.”

In addition, the toy maker has also secured a new partnership with Electronic Arts to bring the Plants vs Zombies video game characters to life in plush form.

In a deal brokered by the licensing agent Retail Monster, TOMY’s Club Mocchi-Mocchi brand will deliver a variety of soft, squeezable plush.

Plants vs. Zombies is a tower defense classic in which players pit their loyal plant squad against the zombie peril, fending off boss invasions and banding together with friends to help save their small town. With over 1.2 billion installs to date, the popular franchise is looking at granting its fans new adventures with future content releases.

“Plants vs. Zombies is a wildly popular video game franchise and we’re thrilled to be the licensed partner that gets to bring its characters to life in plush,” said TOMY’s Weyl. “Many of Club Mocchi- Mocchi-‘s most popular plush toys are characters and accessories from beloved video games, so we’re excited to bring a little piece of Plants vs. Zombies into gamers’ homes around the world.”

Retail Monster’s founder and CEO, Michael Connolly, added: “TOMY’s Club Mocchi- Mocchi- brand is renowned for its bespoke plush format, and we’re thrilled to delight Plants vs. Zombies fans with what will surely be an in-demand range of iconic plush characters.”

Universal Pictures celebrates 35 years of Back to the Future with major campaign

From fan created content, Amazon exclusives, and a whole host of toys, games and more, this year, Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment are taking fans of the Back to the Future franchise on an 88mph journey across the categories to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the iconic time-travelling series.

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads… but it may be time to upgrade your television as fans around the world can now look forward to more fan-created content, as well as the 4K Ultra HD release of the Back to the Future Trilogy, so you can watch the moment George McFly lands Biff that world-celebrated bop on the conk in the clearest of definitions.

On top of this, retail exclusives and new consumer products have all been rolling out across the retail space throughout the month, ahead of the fan created Back to the Future Day holiday today, Wednesday, October 21st 2020.

“Very few franchises in Hollywood history have shown the kind of staying power of Back to the Future,” said Bob Gale, co-writer and co-producer of the trilogy.

“To be celebrating 35 years of this iconic film series – through incredible product collections and fan-created content from around the world – is truly a testament to the heart of the film itself. Yes, it’s a sci-fi adventure, but it’s also about family and the fans’ emotional connection to the characters – which is something everyone can relate to, no matter what generation or time-traveling decade you’re from.”

As part of the 35th anniversary celebrations, Universal Brand Development partnered with content creation platform Tongal to invite animators and fans from around the world to recreate their favorite scenes from the original Back to the Future film.

Eight creators – from Uruguay to Ireland to Brazil – were greenlit to bring their ideas to life. The videos have been rolling out on the Back to the Future Facebook fan page over the last few days, with a final compilation video debuting today to coincide with the anniversary.

The fan creators attached to the eight videos (+ one edited compilation) represent a global and diverse fandom of this beloved time-traveling franchise:

  • “Marty’s Dream Amp” by Javier Benia O’Neill – Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
  • “The First Time Traveller” by Elliot Ruddy – Dublin, Ireland
  • “Alien in the Barn” by Crankub Animation Studio (Martí Montañola and Sara Esteban) – Barcelona, Spain
  • “Marty McFly and the Butterfly Effect” by Bethany Borg – Malta
  • “A Visitor in the Night” by Neto Rodrigues and Gabis Fromme – São Paulo, Brazil
  • “Race for Surviving” by Calaveres Animació (Javier Asensio, María Larín, Nicole Herrera and Felipe Armand) – Valencia, Spain
  • “Fateful Punch” by Eric Power – Austin, Tex.
  • “Cardboard Cute-Out” by Team Explainly (Max Naff, Alex Hagan, Derik Smith, Sam Naff, Elizabeth Abreu, Andy Toizer and Ben Jackson) – San Francisco, Calif.
  • Compilation video edited by Firman Machda – Bandung, Indonesia

Meanwhile, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the 35th Anniversary of the groundbreaking first film with Back to the Future: The Ultimate Trilogy available now on 4K Ultra HD for the first time. This collection includes all three movies in collectible discbook packaging.

Additionally, it is loaded with bonus material including an extra disc that comes with over an hour of new content, such as rare audition footage from Hollywood stars Ben Stiller, Kyra Sedgwick, Jon Cryer, Billy Zane, Peter DeLuise and C. Thomas Howell; a tour of the film’s props and memorabilia hosted by co-writer/producer Bob Gale; a sneak peek at the new musical show; a special episode of the popular YouTube Series “Could You Survive The Movies?;” and more.

In celebration of Back to the Future Day today, Amazon will be hosting a dedicated Back to the Future storefront, where fans of all ages can find something that will take them back in time. If fans checkout using smile.amazon.com/backtothefuture and select the “Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research” as your charity choice, a portion of sales will be donated to that charity.

It’s your kids Marty, something has to be done about your kids… and indeed, Universal has that demographic covered. First up, Playmobil has gone back to the future with a model of the iconic DeLorean that features folding wheels for hover mode, doors which open upwards, an illuminated flux capacitor inside and illuminated exterior.

Also included is plutonium, which can be inserted at the back of the vehicle. The play-set is complete with Marty Mcfly and Doc Brown in their outfits from 1985 plus a plutonium case, skateboard, remote control and Einstein, the dog.

Fans can also countdown to the holidays at 88MPH with this the Playmobil Advent Calendar: Back to the Future that includes Marty McFly, Emmett “Doc” Brown, Jennifer Parker, and Biff Tannen, along with a highly detailed model of the Hill Valley courthouse with its iconic clock tower, plus lots of accessories from the classic cult film, all with great attention to detail.

Meanwhile, Hasbro has launched the Transformers Back to the Future Gigawatt figure and IDW Comic Series, bringing together two iconic brands both in figure and comic book form for the first time.

Hasbro is in good company in the toy aisle which also features Funko’s commemorative range of character collectibles, JADA with Back to the Future vehicles and remote- control toys, puzzles from Ravensburger, Rainbow for plush and Rubber Road for adult gifting and toys.

GB Eye and Pyramid are on board for stationery and gifting and GB Eye has also taken the license for posters whilst RMS has pocket money purchases and stocking fillers covered this Christmas.

In soft lines, the HYPE Back to the Future collection nods at the franchise era, the 1980s, with expressive designs in a monochrome and neon colour palette. The HYPE. stamp features enlarged graphics, all-over prints, contrasting flames, and illusion checkerboard with a cyberpunk aesthetic, whilst embracing the ’80s grunge trend.

Reebok and Universal Brand Development launch Minions: The Rise of Gru footwear collection

Reebok has partnered with Universal Brand Development, Illumination and the world renowned Minions franchise to grandly unveil its Minions: The Rise of Gru collection, a new footwear range celebrating the upcoming blockbuster release slated for July 2021.

Available globally from Reebok.com and select retailers beginning October 1, the exclusive full-family footwear collection ‘unfolds a real-life creative alliance of epic proportions revealing a master plan years in the making.’

Recognized globally as the world’s most successful animated film franchise of all time, Illumination’s iconic Despicable Me continues to capture the imagination of audiences worldwide. The Minions x Reebok collection injects inspiration directly from the forthcoming film that chronicles the untold story of one 12-year-old’s dream to become the world’s greatest supervillain.

The collection feature the Minions x Reebok Question Mid Gru’s Lab, an imaginative modification of Reebok’s Question Mid inspired by Gru and his laboratory. It uses different “metals” from around Gru’s lab to form a mostly unpolished silver upper, while a more-finished glossy chrome leather panel at the heel pops above his signature “G” logo stamped in place of the traditional Iverson “3”.

Looking inside, wearers will find asymmetric double-sided ‘trap door’ sock liners – a first-of-its kind sneaker innovation – that each hide top-secret elements from Gru’s lab on the underside.

Next up is the Minions x Reebok Instapump Fury Vicious 6, a take on the Vicious 6 that Gru must first defeat to become the world’s greatest super villain. Taking inspiration from the infamous group, this asymmetric fashion-forward take on Reebok’s historic ‘laceless’ Instapump Fury mixes a plethora of contrasting prints, colors, materials and textures, while the silhouette goes big like the villains themselves.

The Minions x Reebok Club C Vicious 6 meanwhile, nods to the film’s ’70s vibe and textures as well as retro colours, featuring corduroy, premium leather and nubuck panels and the Vicious 6 logo on the tongue.

 

The Minions x Reebok Instapum Fury Minions pays homage to the Minions iconic yellow and blue colour palette, as a vibrant take on the Instapump Fury imagined through the eyes of the Minions themselves. It feature particular nods to the film franchise, including a Minions party insole, Minion eyes on either pump button, a banana peel graphic on the left outsole, and more.

Completing the line up is the Minions x Reebok Club C Otto, a subtle yet bright take on the classic Club C which celebrates the franchise’s newest Minion, Otto. The silhouette, a second creation inspired by the Minions horde, is filled with yellow paint, Minions party insoles, pops of lime green and a splash of mud on either outsole – the meaning behind which will be revealed in the forthcoming film.

 

The partnership is completed with an apparel capsule collection that feature Minions x Reebok graphic acropss a range of short sleeved and long sleeved cropped and regular t-shirts. Each Reebok creation arrives in Gru’s Lab sneaker packaging, featuring hand-drawn orthographic views of Gru’s childhood bedroom and top secret lair, complete with Easter egss from the upcoming film.

Royal Mail celebrates 100 years of Rupert Bear with collection of eight limited edition stamps

The Royal Mail has partnered with DreamWorks Animation and Universal Brand Development to issue a set of eight stamps marking the 100th anniversary of Rupert the Bear. Each of the stamps will feature the artwork of Alfred Bestall, the author and illustrator of more than 270 Rupert stories after he took on the role in 1935.

The set is made up of four pairs of stamps, each pair featuring two illustrations from one of Rupert’s adventures. Stories featuring in the collection include the 1944 tale Rupert’s Rainy Adventure, the 1952 Rupert and the Mare’s Nest, Rupert And The Lost Cuckoo created in 1963, and the 1947 festive tale Rupert’s Christmas Tree.

Rupert made his first appearance in the Daily Express on November, 8, 1920. Herbert Tourtel, who wrote the stories, was an editor at the Express, and his wife, Mary, was the illustrator.

Many of the early Rupert stories were inspired by fairyland characters and sometimes featured medieval knights, ogres and witches. Soon after the stories appeared, they started being reprinted in books. The Rupert Little Bear Library Series ran to 46 issues and was published periodically between 1928 and 1936. 

 In total, Mary illustrated 89 stories, which were later reprinted in books. She retired in 1935 due to her failing eyesight.

Her replacement was Alfred Bestall, an established artist with Punch and other magazines, who also illustrated children’s books. Bestall wrote and illustrated 224 Rupert stories for the newspaper and provided 47 other stories, mostly for the Rupert Annuals. In 1985 he was awarded the MBE for his work. He died the following year.

Bestall developed the Rupert tradition of featuring a rhyming couplet beneath each picture, plus a few lines of story text to accompany them. His couplets often ended with the promise of a mystery – a cliffhanger to leave children curious to see how the story would unfold, and eager to read the next day’s paper.

Bestall also introduced new characters to add variety, including Lily Duckling, Gregory Guineapig, the Old Professor, Bingo and the Imps of Spring and Autumn. Most Rupert stories commence with the bear leaving home and end with him returning after an adventure in time for tea to tell his mother of his experiences. 

While books of reprinted Rupert stories appeared in the 1920s, it was decided that an annual publication would appear every Christmas. It was titled, Monster Rupert. The first volume was issued in 1931 and continued up to 1934, ceasing after Mary Tourtel retired.

The Rupert Annual was revived in 1936, featuring Bestall’s illustrations. From 1942 to 1949, the Annuals had card covers due to wartime, but board covers returned in 1950, when over 1.7 million copies were printed. Such was the popularity of the annuals, that even in paper rationing during the Second World War, the government sanctioned sufficient paper for the annuals to be printed, to help boost the morale of the public.

Rupert Bear annuals have been published every year since 1936. In 1970, The Adventures of Rupert Bear aired on ITV. It ran for seven years, with over 150 episodes produced over four series.


Philip Parker, Royal Mail, said: “We celebrate the 100th birthday of Rupert, one of the most-loved characters in children’s literature. He has introduced successive generations of children to a wonderful make-believe world of magic and adventure.” 

The full set of eight stamps, available in a Presentation Pack, retails at £10.00. The stamps and a range of collectible products are available from today at: www.royalmail.com/rupertbear

Universal Brand Development and LEGO unveil first Fast and Furious LEGO set

The LEGO Group and Universal Brand Development have unveiled the first LEGO set to be inspired by the global blockbuster franchise, Fast & Furious with the LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger.

The new build is a 1,077-piece replica of the film franchise’s fearless street racer Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger R/T, which promises to provide a new building challenge as fans gear up for the latest instalment in the Fast saga – F9, scheduled to hit theatres around the world beginning in April 2021.

Once the build is complete, fans can try out Dom’s cool stunts and recreate the daring high-speed chases from the Fast & Furious movies with the model. And when the streets need a rest, the model can be displayed in its famous wheel-stand position.

The authentic replica of Dom’s all-time favourite car is packed with the same realistic details seen in the films. Just like the full-size version, the hood of the LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger pops open to reveal the iconic V8 engine. Fans can fixing up the project as they build moving pistons, double wishbone suspension, a wheelie bar to show off the car’s best moves and (of course) put the nitro bottles in the trunk.

Inspired by the action-packed scenes from the Fast saga, the 1:13 scale LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger is designed for builders aged 10 and upwards. The set will be available to pre-order from 30 March from LEGO.com and to buy globally from 27 April 2020.

Samuel Tacchi, designer of LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger, said: “The high-octane action of the Fast & Furious franchise has captured the hearts and imaginations of petrol-heads the world over. We want to inspire people of all ages to explore their creativity through building whatever their passion is, and we know fans of LEGO Technic and the blockbuster franchise love cool cars and adrenaline-fuelled fun.

“Brought together by that same passion, we worked really closely with the Universal team to bring Dom’s Dodge Charger to life in the most minute detail to inspire Fast & Furious fans and LEGO Technic builders around the world.”