KidsCo, the joint venture channel owned by media companies NBC Universal, DIC Ent. and Corus Ent. have launched a dedicated KidsCo branded international online store. The e-commerce store is available at www.kidscotv.tv.
FX has bought the rights to air HANCOCK from Sony Pictures Television, per VARIETY.
The license term for the movie, distributed by Sony's Columbia Pictures, is four years, beginning late 2010. If the film is a hit, FX will play more than $20 million. The formula for the deal covers a payout of about 12 percent of the domestic box office, capped if the movie goes above $200 million.
Two other Will Smith vehicles, INDEPENDENCE DAY and I, ROBOT bring in big Nielsen ratings every time they're shown on FX, making the bid an easy decision for the network.
Chorion has appointed NSR as the new global master toy licensee for NODDY. Spin Master has been appointed as the U.K. distributor and Lansay appointed for France and Benelux. Consumers will see new product from spring 2009 as it rolls out to retailers across the U.K., France, Portugal and Eastern Europe.
NSR, joins a list of more than 200 existing NODDY licensees around the world and brings to the brand a vast amount of toy industry experience and a proven track record in product innovation.
Monster Distributes has struck a deal with One Media to distribute the animated series DICK SPANNER (22x6), a tongue-in-cheek 1986 British television series for adults featuring puppets filmed entirely in stop-motion animation, starring mild-mannered robot private detective Dick Spanner.
Created by renowned animator Gerry Anderson (THUNDERBIRDS, FIREBALL XL5, STINGRAY), the series has now been remastered and will be distributed internationally for the first time.
The Jetix programming block, which airs on Toon Disney, has licensed U.S. cable television broadcast rights for the animated property, JIMMY TWO SHOES. The news was announced today by Kevin Gillis, Ira Levy and Peter Williamson, exec producers at Breakthrough Animation.
McFarlane Toys announces a partnership with Activision to produce action figures from the hit video game franchise, GUITAR HERO. The first line is expected to hit store shelves this fall.
The hugely popular GUITAR HERO franchise delivers the ultimate guitar-bending experience and enabling aspiring axe-shredders everywhere the chance to Unleash Their Inner Rock Star. Featuring a wide variety of music spanning five decades, the franchise is highlighted by countless original recordings from many of the most beloved artists of all time.
Based on a strategy to extend the brand internationally, Atari has appointed U.K. licensing agent Rocket Licensing as licensor in the U.K. both of its classic trademark and of one of its best-known games brands -- ALONE IN THE DARK.
Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products and Corinne Cobson, one of France's most renowned designers, today unveiled "Dora par Corinne Cobson," an apparel line for mothers and daughters inspired by Nickelodeon's hit pre-school property, DORA THE EXPLORER.
"Dora par Corinne Cobso"' features trendy, fashion-forward items especially designed to equip preschoolers and their parents for an overnight adventure away from home. The designer kit comprises a vanity case, toiletry bag and mother/daughter socks and night-shirts.
The Russian Film Company has acquired all TV and DVD rights for (39x30) THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR for Russia and the CIS from Amberwood Ent.
THE SECRET WORLD OF BENJAMIN BEAR was commissioned by Canada's The Family Channel, and has since been placed on its new service, Playhouse Disney. There are 39 half-hours currently available and the series has been licensed in more than 110 territories worldwide.
DECODE Ent. has followed recent major deals for hit preschool series FRANNY'S FEET with a third season commission from Family Channel, an Astral Media network.
The Canadian broadcaster has ordered a further 26x11 minutes, bringing the total to (104x11 or 52x22), and will air the new season on its Playhouse Disney and Family channels.
Recent deals for the property have seen the television series acquired by PBS Kids Sprout, following excellent ratings for the show in the U.S. on THIRTEEN/WNET where it airs daily, and in the U.K., a sale to the Disney Channel.
Global brand management company DIC Ent. and online entertainment and media company GoFish Corporation have finalized an agreement for GoFish to serve as DIC's exclusive online advertising representative across the company's network of sites.
Contender Ent. Group, which owns, develops, markets and licenses worldwide the hit preschool animation PEPPA PIG, has announced the award of three more PEPPA licenses for the U.K. -- for partyware, amusement plush and educational toys.
TVN Ent., the world's largest television on-demand company, and Anime Network, America's top anime channel, announced a three year, comprehensive VOD services partnership. The deal includes industry-wide distribution and asset/metadata management services in support of Anime Network's subscription (SVOD) and free on demand (FOD) programming services across various codecs, formats, and other configurations.
Chorion has entered into an agreement with Exim Licensing Group for representation of its MR. MEN & LITTLE MISS publishing-based brand for merchandising and promotions in Latin America, the Caribbean and Hispanic Puerto Rico.
Exim Licensing Group, a leader in the Latin America licensing world, represents many leading entertainment industry companies and brands, including WWE, Discovery Channel, United Media, MGM, American Greetings, DIC Ent,, Nelvana, Pokemon and HIT Ent.
Al Ovadia & Associates has been retained by Kanbar Ent. to serve as worldwide licensing agent for HOODWINKED TOO: HOOD VS. EVIL, the sequel to the surprise CG animated hit of January 2006. The movie is being produced by Kanbar Entertainment and distributed by Kaleidoscope.
International sales agent Megafilms.net has signed FreeTV and Home Video rights with MICO-NHK (Japan); FreeTV rights with ARD/NDR (Germany) and SVT (Sweden); TFO (Canada); DTT and Cab/Sat. rights with YLE (Finland), NRK (Norway) and Raisat (Italy) to air the first season of preschool stop motion animation "animal edutainment" (52x3) RIBBIT’S RIDDLES.
Sample episodes online screening on www.megafilms.org/popup.php?p=archives&vid=61
Animated non-dialogue series GAZOON is continuing its success heading into the summer, with NRK Norway, Cartoon Network Japan and TV2 Denmark, YLE Finland, Voxell for Russia Federation, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Krgyzstan, Tajikistan, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania as well as Jim Jam for Pan Europe and Asia all licensing the series. Airlines in Portugal, Asia and the Middle East have also recently taken the series.
It's a homecoming for CARE BEARS and STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE. American Greetings Properties, the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings Corporation, announced Hasbro as the new master toy licensee worldwide for both CARE BEARS and STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE effective January 2009.
Lucky Brand Jeans and Disney Consumer Products announced the rebirth of Walt Disney's first icon, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The predecessor to Mickey Mouse, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit returned to The Walt Disney Company in 2006, long after his original theatrical debut in 1927.
Pineapple Squared Productions has announced the first confirmed sales for its innovative, multi-platform children's series, ORSUM ISLAND. With three episodes now completed, the show's distributor VGI Ent. has already sold the first series to TV2 of Norway and RTE of Ireland, with more deals expected soon.
ORSUM ISLAND is a high definition 3-D series that uses motion capture technology on real backgrounds. Extensive research was done to ensure that ORSUM ISLAND offered what the audience -- boys ages 6 to 12 -- wanted.
D3Publisher has entered a worldwide publishing agreement with the Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group for video games based on Focus Features and LAIKA Ent.'s CORALINE, the upcoming HD stop-motion animated feature -- the first to be originally filmed in 3-D.
ANDY'S AIRPLANES, a soaring new adventure series that captures the exhilaration of flying for children, has retained International Producers Group (IPG) as worldwide sales agent for the new property.
IPG President and CEO, Richard Ellman, is now in discussions with both international distributors and U.S. broadcasters as well as manufacturers and distributors for all ancillary rights. IPG will bring the debut animated program to MIPCOM Jr. and MIPCOM in Cannes, France this fall.
Pokemon USA, and Burger King have entered a promotional partnership that will bring popular characters like Pikachu, Darkrai, Dialga and Palkia to children around the world. Participating Burger King restaurants worldwide will offer an exclusive Pokemon Trading Card Game (TCG) card and accessory with each purchase of a BK Kids Meal.
U.K. children's rights owner and producer Spellbound Ent. has inked a new broadcast deal with BBC Worldwide Channels for its award-winning pre-school series, THE KOALA BROTHERS.
CBeebies in Poland, Africa and Asia-Pacific have each acquired all 78x10 episodes plus the 46 minute Christmas special, "The Koala Brothers Outback Christmas" and will start broadcasting the series later this year.
CBeebies was the first broadcaster to acquire THE KOALA BROTHERS for the U.K. market when Spellbound started production in 2002.
To be on the safe side with MAYA THE BEE and her friends, EM.Entertainment has extended the existing license contract with Nurnberger Versicherungsgruppe, ahead of schedule, until 2014. The extension of the co-operation encompasses the marketing of a range of insurance products within Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
