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Archive for the ‘Kids Properties’ Category

Vertigo and Novel Bring Horrid Henry to the Big Screen in Live-Action 3-D in the UK

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Vertigo Films and Novel Entertainment have announced the production of a 3-D, live-action movie based on Novel’s children’s property Horrid Henry. Vertigo, producers of Europe’s first 3-D feature film, Street Dance 3D, will produce the live-action feature with Paradise FX Europe.  The film will be a co-production between Vertigo Films and Novel Entertainment.

British director and editor Nick Moore has been signed as the film’s director. Casting has already begun, with filming scheduled to take place in October and November. The film, to be shot entirely on location in the UK, is slated for release in 2011.
The live-action adventure will be the first British kid’s movie to be filmed in 3-D. The film stars Horrid Henry, Lord High Majesty of the Purple Hand Gang, as he wages his ever-constant battle against the tyranny of adults. Only this time it seems the adults really are out to get him, forcing him into an unlikely alliance with his irritating little brother Perfect Peter and the infuriating girl next door, Moody Margaret.

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Posted in International, Kids Properties, Mobile Licensing | No Comments »

Sesame Teams with Mercy Corps to Help Haiti Recover

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

Mercy Corps and Sesame Workshop have formed a partnership to bring engaging, educational programming to Haiti’s children. Sesame Workshop has dubbed one DVD featuring two Sesame Home Videos into Creole, and produced three short original films shot in Haiti, specific to the country’s post-earthquake challenges.

The Sesame Street films provide entertainment and learning opportunities for children, and stress the importance of physical activity, healthy eating, teamwork, and play. Cinderelmo, starring Keri Russell, Kathy Najimy, and Oliver Platt, follows the trials and tribulations of Elmo as he escapes from his evil stepmother and seeks true love with a princess. Happy Healthy Monsters features Wyclef Jean, India Arie, other celebrities, and a host of Muppets promoting healthy, active lifestyles.

Accompanying the DVD releases are three live-action films created by Sesame Workshop and the filmmaker Linda Costigan after the earthquake. The films, built around original footage shot in Haiti in partnership with a local production team, promote cooperation, self-esteem, creativity, and hope. Helping Hands features children helping each other and adults with activities such as preparing food and pitching a tent; I Am Haiti reinforces the message that children will be key to Haiti’s recovery; and Recycled Car uses a metaphor of two young boys building a toy car to suggest that Haitians will build their country anew.
This Sesame Street project in Haiti is made possible through generous grants from Connie and Bob Lurie and Motorola Foundation to Sesame Workshop.

Mercy Corps will distribute 1,000 DVDs of the films throughout Haiti, and may distribute up to 5,000 additional copies in the coming months. The DVDs will be sent to schools, orphanages, hospitals, health clinics, and youth centers. The Sesame Street episodes are also being screened at Cinema Under the Stars (Sinema Anba Zetwal), a Mercy Corps-supported tour of interactive open-air events that use film, music, and skits to educate and entertain tens of thousands of Haitians in earthquake-affected areas.

The films will be integrated into Mercy Corps’ Comfort for Kids program, which trains parents and other caregivers to help children emotionally recover from the earthquake.
Comfort for Kids is part of Mercy Corps’ multi-faceted response to the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12. The organization has delivered emergency food supplies, enabled nearly 6,400 Haitians to earn much-needed income, and created drainage ditches, clean water systems, and latrines. Mercy Corps is also providing income opportunities for people in Haiti’s Central Plateau, where hundreds of thousands fled after the earthquake.

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Posted in Around the Industry, Charitable Causes, Kids Properties | No Comments »

Bloomsbury Inks Deal With Zoological Society of London

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Bright Group International (BGI) and the Zoological Society of London’s London Zoo announced details of their joint publishing program today. The deal sees BGI’s Bloomsbury heading publishing for content related to the society’s cornerstones of conservation and education.

ZSL London Zoo’s history spans from the 19th century, with Bloomsbury planning to take full advantage of the organization’s brand power and familiarity. Planning to trasition the stories the zoo already tells its visitors into children’s books, Bloomsbury recently introduced Hallmark UK’s Country Companions franchise into the publishing realm.

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Posted in Brand Licensing, Kids Properties, Publishing | No Comments »

SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer come to GPS

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Nickelodeon has announced the launch of two new location-based guides featuring the voices of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer. Published by Spot It Out, LLC, and available for Tom Tom and Garmin GPS systems, the guides help parents identify thousands of family-oriented activities and fun destinations to enhance trips and family outings while being guided by the voices of SpongeBob SquarePants or Dora the Explorer.

The new guides use GPS technology to provide parents with a fun way to navigate a family road trip. Infused with ParentsConnect.com’s detailed lists of great restaurants, hotels, parks, and shops from all over the United States, the guides are specifically engineered to help parents answer the age old question, “What can I do and where can I go with the kids?”
Nickelodeon – Swell Family Destinations with SpongeBob powered by ParentsConnect includes tens of thousands of family-friendly locations across the country. Each listing comes with a brief, detailed review and description, operating hours, cost, and more. Simply choose one of SpongeBob’s favorite places and the GPS will guide the car to the location using SpongeBob’s voice. Nickelodeon – Dora the Explorer’s Guide to Family Adventures powered by ParentsConnect includes the same rich content, but with the voice and trademark phrases of Dora the Explorer.
Both options are available now at Amazon.com, Fry’s Electronics, nickshop.com, and other on-line retailers.

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Posted in Character Licensing, Electronics, Kids Properties | No Comments »

Chorion Celebrates Spot’s 30th Anniversary

Monday, June 21st, 2010

Chorion has announced a range of activities for preschool character Spot as he celebrates his 30th anniversary year.

In the U.S., BBC America released Where’s Spot? on DVD in April, and will release Spot Goes to School in August and Spot’s Magical Christmas in October. New licensing deals have been inked with Andover Fabric, Starry Story Art, Meri Meri, and the Zoobies. The Spot Zoobie will be featured on QVC for Christmas in July. Master toy licensee Kids Preferred is expanding its Spot product line to include puzzles, backpacks, bath toys, and wooden toys for next year.

In the UK, Abbey Home Media launched a special edition 30th anniversary DVD in March. The Spot TV series began broadcasting on CITV in April, with further episodes scheduled to air this month. Storytelling and in-store events supported the Spot exhibition at Selfridges in London over the May bank holiday weekend. The touring Spot art exhibition will be featured at the Chelsea Library in London, Foyles book store, and regional museums throughout the rest of this year. An exclusive birthday party is planned for August 5th in London for parents and children. Master toy licensee Rainbow Designs will introduce an expanded range of products including puzzles and wooden toys for next year.

Additional book titles for Spot from Warne include a 30th anniversary special edition of Where’s Spot?, plus Spot’s Birthday Balloon, and Spot’s Little Library. New publishing formats, touch and feel books, book and plush sets, and an 18-button sound book are planned for the holiday season.

In Australia, Spot appeared in several high-profile events in March and April including Gardening Australia Expo in Adelaide and Brisbane, with further appearances scheduled for the same Expo in Sydney from August 22-24 and Melbourne from October 1-3. The events will include costume appearances, craft activities, and retail opportunities.

Spot plush, through Australian Master toy licensee Jasnor Pty., launched in Japan this year, and new licensing partner Skillman will be creating personalized product. Spot public reading events and retail fairs were held from March through May at Kinokuniya bookstore outlets throughout Japan to celebrate Spot’s 30th anniversary.  Further events are planned for the rest of this year.

Spot first appeared in Eric Hill’s original lift-the-flap book Where’s Spot? in 1980. To date, Spot has sold more than 50 million books and has a global licensing program that includes toys, apparel, gifts and DVD. The official Spot website features activities for parents and children, competitions, games, and information about the brand and author.

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Posted in Anniversary, International, Kids Properties, New Deals, Promotions, Publishing | No Comments »

Bennett Branding to Lead Licensing Efforts for Pawparazzi Pets Brand

Friday, June 18th, 2010

Noodle Head, Inc. has retained Sharon Bennett of Bennett Branding to represent its Pawparazzi brand and oversee its licensing program.

Pawparazzi pets began as a line of collectible plush pets with funny celebrity personas carried in unique couture purses. Girls intensely follow the pets in a spoofy celebrity magazine and online. The company responded to viral demand for play accessories, clothing, and a Fan Club that sends members gifts, newsletters, and special offers. Planet Pawparazzi, an innovative interactive website, will debut in August.

The line is selling at specialty retailers including Barney’s of New York, Kitson, and FAO Schwarz. It is also appearing in Barnes and Noble and other mid-market retailers and catalogs, and will be featured on QVC in October.

An integrated licensing and merchandising program for the Pawparazzi brand and its world of tween pop-culture is underway and will include a complete line of merchandise and brand extensions such as publishing, interactive, apparel, accessories, social expression, home décor, and entertainment.

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Posted in Dolls/Plush, Kids Properties, New Deals | No Comments »

Toy Story 3 Has Something for Everyone

Friday, June 18th, 2010

At long last, Friday is here. What makes the day even more awesome is that Toy Story 3 is here as well!

I haven’t seen it yet, though I have some friends that went to some midnight showings and will therefore be half asleep at their jobs all day. Apparently the wait, and the all-nighter for those who caught the midnight shows, was totally worth it.

I just read a very thought-provoking review of the movie, that says that the film deals with some very grown-up and serious issues in a great way, yet is still a fun-loving kids movie as well.

I know that so many kids’ movies have grown-up messages in them, and appeal to a diverse audience. Is this a new phenomena? When I was younger, were kids’ movies just fun for kids, or were there deeper meanings that I just didn’t see? I know that Looney Tunes had a lot of jokes for the grown-ups that I missed in the first go-around when I was nine. I know that Happy Feet was about more than dancing penguins.

What do you think of messages about culture, the environment, politics, human relationship, love, and loss being part of fun-loving cartoons? Which properties do you think have pulled it off well? Do our kids know they’re being taught about serious human issues, or do they just like the fun animation?

Whatever your take on it, go see the movie, read the review that got me thinking such deep thoughts at 9 am on a Friday, and tell us what you think!

Also, watch the trailer here.

–Jennifer Sinclair

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Posted in Kids Properties, Movie Licensing | No Comments »

Smurfy Sneak Peek

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

We are very excited about the Smurfs movie!

We don’t know much about it yet–only enough to know it’s going to be Snurftastic!

This Sony film is set to hit theaters July 29 of next year, and somehow brings the little blue guys into our world.

The newest and most exciting Smurf news is the newly release teaser trailer. Watch it here.

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Posted in Character Licensing, Kids Properties, Movie Licensing | No Comments »

Scholastic Media Makes BIG Leap to iPad

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Scholastic Media has announced that it is bringing its children’s apps from the iPhone and iPod touch to the iPad for the first time. The apps, based on Scholastic brands Clifford The Big Red Dog and I SPY, launched yesterday.

CLIFFORD’S BE BIG With Words is a word game for kids who love Clifford and love to learn. Based on the books and TV series from Scholastic that airs on PBS KIDS, the app encourages early readers to build their skills in spelling, phonics, and vocabulary as they spell words and are rewarded with pictures to show the words’ meanings.

I SPY Spooky Mansion takes players on a hidden object adventure through a scary and mysterious mansion where the only escape is to collect keys by solving I SPY riddles and searching through photorealistic I SPY scenes on the iPad.

Since their launch on the iPhone in fall 2009, both apps have consistently topped App Store lists, with I SPY Spooky Mansion ranking among the Top 10 Paid Kids Games and the Top 20 Paid Puzzle Games categories. CLIFFORD’S BE BIG With Words has been ranked among the Top 10 Paid Educational Games as well as the Top 25 Paid Kids Games since its release.

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Posted in Kids Properties, Social Media | No Comments »

Super Why! Renewed by PBS KIDS and CBC

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

Super WHY!, produced by Out of the Blue Enterprises, in conjunction with DECODE Entertainment, has been commissioned for a second season of 15 all-new episodes by PBS KIDS and Canada’s CBC.

The preschool program also airs around the globe on channels including Nickelodeon UK and Australia and OKTO TV in Singapore; Korea’s EBS, KidsTalkTalk and Tooiverse; ATV in Hong Kong; Astro TVIQ for Malaysia and Indonesia; and Thailand’s True Visions. DECODE Enterprises holds worldwide television rights to the series excluding the U.S.

Super WHY! helps young children learn important literacy skills through interactive storybook adventures. The program represents a unique approach to preschool educational television, featuring the “Super Readers,” a team of superhero characters with literacy-based powers, who jump into books to look for answers to everyday challenges. The home viewer is the superhero sidekick, who is encouraged to participate in the fun through playing research-based reading games.

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Posted in Kids Properties, Television | No Comments »

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