DC Super Hero Girls Get New Animated Series
Production has begun on DC Super Hero Girls, an all-new animated action-comedy series from Warner Bros. Animation based on characters from DC Entertainment. Featuring fresh character designs and storytelling from producer Lauren Faust (Super Best Friends Forever, My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends), DC Super Hero Girls will air on Cartoon Network in 2018.
The world may know them as Wonder Woman, Supergirl and Batgirl, but not-so-typical teenagers Diana, Kara and Barbara, alongside their superhero friends have much more to deal with than just protecting the citizens of Metropolis from some of the most sinister school-aged Super-Villains of the DC Universe. After all, being teens is tough enough, what with school, friends, family and the chaos that comes with managing a social life. But add super powers and a secret identity to the mix, and things can get a lot more complicated.
The new series is a global initiative with Cartoon Network and builds on the successful DC Super Hero Girls direct-to-video movies as well as digital webisodes launched in 2015 and viewed by millions of fans on the DC Super Hero Girls YouTube channel, as well as the DC Super Hero Girls mobile app.
Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!, Justice League Action) serves as executive producer.
Funko Acquires Loungefly
Funko has entered into an agreement to acquire Loungefly, a premiere contemporary fashion accessories company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1998, and based in Southern California, Loungefly designs and sells a wide selection of unique handbags and fashion accessories under licensed brands that include Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Sanrio, and Pokémon. Loungefly products are sold through specialty stores, boutiques, and department stores nationwide.
“We have long admired Loungefly and the company’s unique and differentiated collection of accessories and are excited to welcome them to the Funko family,” said Brian Mariotti, CEO of Funko. “As we continue to extend our business into new and existing categories, this transaction provides us with key capabilities in the accessory and handbag category. We see tremendous opportunities to combine their creative design process with our speed-to-market capabilities, expanded distribution channels, and broad license portfolio to deliver accessories to our loyal fans featuring their favorite pop culture icons and characters.”
Hogan Lovells US LLP is serving as legal counsel to Funko. Intrepid Investment Bankers LLC is serving as financial advisor and Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP is serving as legal counsel to Loungefly.
LIMA Names 2017 International Licensing Award Winners
Warner Bros. Consumer Products racked up a trio of wins at tonight’s 2017 LIMA International Licensing Awards for three of the company’s key brands across Licensing Programs. In addition, Hot Topic was awarded Retailer of the Year for Suicide Squad™, marking the company’s second consecutive win in this category. Overall, winners in 20 categories were announced during LIMA’s annual Awards Ceremony, held during the 2017 Licensing Expo at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas.
“This year’s Award winners represent world-class licensing programs and products from around our global industry,” said LIMA President Charles Riotto. “We are proud to recognize and honor the achievements of these companies – chosen from a record 461 submissions this year – for their impressive initiatives and outstanding results.”
The full list of LIMA’s 2017 International Licensing Awards winners follows:
Licensing Program
• Art/Design: V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum
• Celebrity/Fashion: Open Hearts by Jane Seymour – Jane Seymour Designs/Licensing Matters Ltd.
• Character/Toy Brand: DC Super Hero Girls™ – Warner Bros. Consumer Products
• Corporate Brand: Girl Scouts of the USA – Girl Scouts of the USA/The Wildflower Group
• Digital: Five Nights at Freddy’s – Scottgames/Striker Entertainment
• Film/TV/Entertainment – Animated: PAW Patrol – Spin Master Ltd.
• Film/TV/Entertainment – Live-Action: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story™ – Disney Consumer Products
and Interactive Media
• Food & Beverage/Restaurant: Corona – Constellation Brands/The Joester Loria Group
• Sports: NFLPA – NFLPA
• Licensed Promotion: Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice™ & Turkish Airlines – Warner Bros. Consumer Products/Lisans A.S.
• Location-Based or Experiential Initiative: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ – Hogsmeade™ at Universal Studios Hollywood – Warner Bros. Consumer Products
• Retailer: Hot Topic – Suicide Squad licensing program
Licensed Products
• Apparel/Footwear/Accessories: Coach – Mickey & Minnie Mouse/Disney Coach Collection
• Appliances/Automotive/Electronics/Hardware/Housewares/Paint: Select Brands – Disney/Pixar – Pixar Collection Slow Cooker
• Digital: NextGames – AMC’s The Walking Dead: No Man’s Land Mobile Game
• Food/Beverage (Tie!): Finsbury Foods – Shopkins Cupcake Queen Cake; The J.M. Smucker Company – Pillsbury™ Girl Scout Cookie™ Inspired Baking Mixes
• Health & Beauty Aids: Clinique – Crayola Limited Edition Chubby Stick Lip Balm
• Home Décor: Jay Franco & Sons, LLC – Star Wars Back-to-College & Adult Bedding
• Publishing/Social Expression/Back-to-School: Scholastic Five Nights at Freddy’s: The Silver Eyes – Novel from Scholastic
• Toys/Games/Novelties/Role-Play: Mattel – DC Super Hero Girls Action Figures
New American Ninja Warrior Experience Lets Fans Compete
NBC’s American Ninja Warrior (ANW), the obstacle course competition series, is coming directly to fans through an immersive live event experience geared for the whole family. Created in close collaboration with NBC, Universal Brand Development and The ATS Team, the specialists who design and build the obstacles and courses for the show, the American Ninja Warrior Experience will give fans of all ages an opportunity to test their “ninja skills.” Tickets for the American Ninja Warrior Experience will go on sale in June, with the first event scheduled for the fall of 2017.
Bringing together the show’s fan-favorite obstacles including, the Warped Wall, Quintuple Steps, Salmon Ladder, and more, the American Ninja Warrior Experience allows participants of all fitness levels to compete against friends and other athletes on a multi-stage adult open course. The best adult open course competitors can even earn a chance to run in the Pro Course Competition against the best Ninja Warrior athletes in the world. Pro-athletes also will be offering tips and tricks during adult workshops. Event attendees also will have the unique opportunity to be spectators and watch the best-of-the-best compete in pro-competitions.
Youth competitors will have a chance to get up-close and personal with professional athletes while they learn proper obstacle techniques during one of the many workshops held throughout the day. Kids also will revel in the fun of competing on two youth open courses, which will feature smaller versions of the obstacles seen on TV with varying degrees of difficulties.