Beginning in June, visitors of the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, in Singapore, will have a firsthand look inside Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The exhibition will showcase a collection of artifacts from the various film sets and viewing props, including Harry’s wand and eyeglasses, Professor Snape’s original costume, the Golden Snitch, and the Gryffindor school uniforms.

Other featured items include Sybill Trelawney’s crystal ball and exotic wardrobe; costumes and props from Professors Lupin, Lockhart, and Umbridge; artifacts from the Yule Ball, including costumes from such notable characters as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore; and life-size creatures, including centaurs, a caged dragon, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, and a giant Acromantula.

Harry Potter: The Exhibition runs from June 2 through September 30, and tickets will be available for purchase online and at all Marina Bay Sands box offices beginning May 1.

Skinit, creators of protective personalized solutions for consumer electronic devices, introduces a six-design line of skins from The Hunger Games movie. Character and movie-poster designs include images of main characters Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, as well as “mockingjay” and movie logo options.

Users can order The Hunger Games and other licensed skins for thousands of devices, including mobile phones, MP3 Players, MP3 speakers and speaker docks, mobile gaming devices, laptops, desktop computers, Bluetooth headsets, DVD players, printers, cameras, medical devices, USB devices, and adhesive wall stickers (“Wall Skins”).

All six skin designs are available at Skinit.com’s landing page for the film, www.skinit.com/the-hunger-games. Customers in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand can order the skins online.

The Hunger Games movie, from Lionsgate, opens in theaters March 23, and coinciding with the film’s opening, Scholastic has an additional movie tie-in book release planned, after releasing three movie tie-in books last month.

The World of The Hunger Games, the fourth title in the movie tie-in program, will be available the day the movie opens.

Scholastic released The Hunger Games: Movie Tie-In Edition; The Hunger Games: Official Illustrated Movie Companion; and The Hunger Games Tribute Guide, the ultimate Tribute guide to the 24 Tributes featured in the upcoming film, on February 7. Scholastic is publishing and delivering all four movie tie-in titles through all of its distribution channels both domestically and internationally. All four movie tie-in titles are available as e-books as well.

In addition to the series’ film and publishing program, the Internet buzzed this week about a potential Katniss Everdeen Barbie doll from Mattel. Despite whether the doll is rumor or real, we’re sure to see a plethora of Hunger Games merchandise. Toys “R” Us already has a dedicated page of new toys available for pre-order, though some pre-sell orders are already sold out. Crushable.com takes a look at the variety of merchandise, from toys to bedspreads, inspired by the franchise.

Countless licensed products made their debut at American International Toy Fair, held February 12-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Our roundup below summarizes just a portion of the new and expanding licensing programs for popular properties showcased at Toy Fair.

Ludorum’s Licensees Ride the Rails at American International Toy Fair

Chuggington will continue riding the rails into toy stores and onto TV screens this year with support from Ludorum’s licensees and Disney Junior, which will premiere the third season of Chuggington to coincide with the launch of the 24-hour Disney Junior channel on March 23. Disney now holds the rights to 46 episodes. Several of Ludorum’s licensees for Chuggington unveiled new products at the American International Toy Fair, held February 12-15 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. Read more…

U.S. Partners Find Waldo at Toy Fair

Classic Media signed new consumer products partners for Where’s Waldo? in the U.S. The new Where’s Waldo? program will hit retail timed to Waldo’s 25th anniversary, which commences this fall. Read more…

Moshi Monsters Mania to Hit U.S. Retail

Moshi Monsters fans will soon be able to hold their virtual characters in their hands, hug them in their arms, and wear them on their bodies. Mind Candy, the entertainment firm behind the global children’s property, is launching a huge Moshi Monsters merchandising program in the U.S., set to hit mass-market and specialty stores nationwide beginning Q1. Read more…

Classic Media and Pressman Toy Introduce Tinga Tinga Tales Board Games

Pressman Toy Corporation signed a licensing deal with Classic Media to develop games based on the new preschool series Tinga Tinga Tales. Pressman Toy’s games will be available at mass and specialty retailers nationwide in August. Read more…

Mr. Potato Head Rises at Toy Fair

Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced new partnerships timed to coincide with Toy Fair. WBCP awarded The Bridge Direct, Inc. the master toy license for Looney Tunes. WBCP also partnered with Wonder Forge for preschool products, which will include DC Super Friends. Both companies previewed their lines at the American International Toy Fair. WBCP also partnered with PPW Toys, under a licensing agreement with Hasbro, Inc., to launch a line of Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head figures. Read more…

Official Marvel Colognes and Perfume Launch at Toy Fair

Jads International, LLC debuted its line of Marvel prestige colognes and perfumes at Toy Fair in New York City. The Avengers Cologne Set, Black Widow Perfume, Infinity Formula for Men, and Mischief Cologne will be available to the public in April in the U.S. and Canada. Read more…

New Tetris-Themed Products Introduced at Toy Fair

The Tetris Company, LLC, the exclusive licensor of the Tetris brand, and its merchandising agent, Licensing Works!, announced several new Tetris-themed products from licensees Techno Source, Paladone, and Fundex, which showcased their new Tetris products at Toy Fair. Read more…

Jakks Pacific Sings a New Tune with Deal for Toys Inspired by Songify App

Jacks Pacific signed a license agreement with Khush, a developer of intelligent music applications, to create a new product inspired by the Songify app. Songify, developed in part by YouTube sensations The Gregory Brothers along with Khush, launched this past summer as the first mobile app that turns speech into music instantly. Jakks Pacific plans to bring the technology to the toy aisle this summer. Read more…

Hasbro Scores a Direct “Hit” with Gaming and Toys from Universal Pictures’ Battleship

Hasbro, Inc. will turn one of its timeless brands into a multimedia entertainment property this year with the release of Universal Pictures’ epic action-adventure Battleship. Hasbro will augment the experience of the film with an action-packed line of Battleship-themed toys—both in the gaming realm, where the Battleship brand originated, and in a brand new line of Kre-O building sets—as well as an expansive line of licensed goods, several of which debuted at Toy Fair. Read more…

Jakks Pacific Sings a New Tune with Deal for Toys Inspired by Songify App

Jacks Pacific signed a license agreement with Khush, a developer of intelligent music applications, to create a new product inspired by the Songify app. Songify, developed in part by YouTube sensations The Gregory Brothers along with Khush, launched this past summer as the first mobile app that turns speech into music instantly. Jakks Pacific plans to bring the technology to the toy aisle this summer. Read more…

Nickelodeon and Partners Unveil New Products at Toy Fair

Nickelodeon unveiled products for both new and established properties at Toy Fair, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Winx Club, Team Umizoomi, Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Victorious. Read more…

Hasbro, Inc. will turn one of its timeless brands into a multimedia entertainment property this year with the release of Universal Pictures’ epic action-adventure Battleship. Hasbro will augment the experience of the film with an action-packed line of Battleship-themed toys—both in the gaming realm, where the Battleship brand originated, and in a brand new line of KRE-O building sets—as well as an expansive line of licensed goods, several of which debuted at Toy Fair.

Battleship-themed products include:

• Classic Battleship Movie Edition Game
• Deluxe Battleship Movie Edition
• Battleship: Hidden Threat Card Game
• Kre-O Battleship building sets
• Battleship video game from Activision Publishing, Inc.
• Updated version of the Battleship application from Electronic Arts for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
• T-shirts, hoodies, and shorts from Rocawear
• The Battleship Crew Series, Hasbro’s “behind-the-scenes” apparel and accessories collection inspired by the gear worn by the filmmakers and crew, features exclusive fashions from New Era and Red Monkey Designs

In addition, Hasbro is working with licensees around the globe to bring to market an amazing array of lifestyle products in key categories that will resonate with consumers worldwide. Products will range from T-shirts and caps to costumes, backpacks, and publishing from licensees including Disguise and Random House.

Columbia Pictures, Happy Madison, and Hasbro, Inc. are in final talks to develop Candy Land, a live-action movie based on the Hasbro board game, with Adam Sandler attached to star.

Relativity Media has partnered with Hasbro to develop and produce a live-action tent-pole film based on Stretch Armstrong, the action hero figure launched in the 1970s. Relativity will be the domestic distributor, and will release the film internationally through its network of foreign output partners. The film is targeted for an April 11, 2014, release date.

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that Hasbro’s deal with Universal Pictures has ended. Universal Pictures has no plans for any more movies based on Hasbro toys beyond the May release of Battleship. The deal with Hasbro, signed four years ago, included at least four films based on seven games and toys: Battleship, Candy Land, Clue, Magic: The Gathering, Monopoly, Ouija, and Stretch Armstrong.

Warner Bros. Consumer Products awarded The Lego Group exclusive rights to develop build-and-play construction sets based on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the two films based on The Hobbit.

The multiyear licensing agreement grants access to the library of characters, settings, and stories for The Lord of the Rings property, as well as films The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Lego’s The Lord of the Rings construction sets are slated for a rolling global launch beginning in June in the U.S., with Lego’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey sets scheduled for later in the year.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey from Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson is slated to premiere December 14, 2012.

Sex and the City has inspired a line of signature eau de perfumes created by Givaudan under a licensing agreement  between HBO and JTG Trading Company, which will manufacture and distribute the collection worldwide.  Two new fragrances, “Sex and City” and “Sex and the City by Night,” as well as “Sex and the City” Body Collections sets, will debut in Europe this month.

The new fragrances were developed by three of Givaudan’s perfumers:  Adriana Medina, known for her creations for Gwen Stefani and Ed Hardy; Rodrigo Flores-Roux, who has created scents for Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss and Estée Lauder; and Claude Dir, the fragrance creator behind Bobbi Brown and Tommy Hilfiger colognes.

“The Sex and the City series continues to resonate with women worldwide,” says James Costos, vice president, Global Licensing & Retail at HBO.  “The appeal of the four main characters, who are as unique, complex and trendy as any woman aspires to be, symbolize the show’s eternal allure.  We’re extremely pleased to partner with Givaudan – the global leader in the fragrance industry.  Their elite perfumers have developed fragrances that capture the essence of Sex and the City and JTG Trading Company has the expertise to execute our vision and deliver this collection around the world.”

Big news out of Hollywood this morning, where MGM Studios announced that it has secured that it has secured the feature film rights to bring Classic Media’s Where’s Waldo to the screen in a live-action format.

Created by Martin Handford and first published in 1987, Where’s Waldo books have sold more than 55 million books worldwide and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Where’s Waldo games have been sold more than 4.6 million times for iPhone and iPad.

MGM’s Cassidy Lange, vice president of production, will oversee the project.

Twentieth Century Fox Consumer Products has teamed with SimEx-Iwerks and Merlin Entertainments, Europe’s biggest visitor attraction operator, to bring the blockbuster Ice Age franchise to life with the debut of the world’s first fully immersive Ice Age attraction featuring Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The 4-D Experience.  The attraction will debut in March at Merlin’s two theme park resorts – Alton Towers in the UK, and Gardaland in Italy, when they open for the 2012 season. These two exciting projects will set the groundwork for a long-term location-based entertainment rollout for Ice Age, one of Fox Consumer Products most successful family franchises.

Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The 4-D Experience is a completely immersive entertainment attraction that will combine 3-D film footage from the third movie in the franchise, with an exhilarating array of synchronized physical effects. Upon exiting the 4-D experience, guests will find themselves in an Ice Age-themed area where they can meet their costumed characters, as well as purchase specially developed branded merchandise. Along with the new 4-D attractions and gift shop, Alton Towers Resort will also feature two interactive Ice Age-themed bedrooms inside the theme park’s Splash Landings Hotel. SimEx-Iwerks, the leading innovator of immersive 3-D and 4-D attractions, will work with Fox to develop Ice Age Dawn of the Dinosaurs – The 4-D Experience.