Evolution Named Licensing Agent for Sunny Bunnies
Media I.M. Incorporated Ltd has appointed Evolution to represent the North American licensing, merchandising, and promotions rights for its Belarus-originated non-dialogue animated show Sunny Bunnies, which has now been licensed to key broadcasters globally.
The first season of Sunny Bunnies has already launched on Disney Junior and Disney Channel in the U.S. and other regions around the world. It also has more than 90 million views to date on its YouTube channel.
Through the agreement, Evolution will aim to expand the content into an array of licensed products for kids including apparel, accessories, publishing, toys, plush, home, stationery, food and health and beauty. The agency will also handle promotions and marketing alliances in region.
Diagonal View to Handle Buddy Thunderstruck YouTube Channel
American Greetings Entertainment (AGE), the intellectual property and outbound licensing division of American Greetings, has joined forces with Diagonal View, the social content producer owned by Sky UK Limited, to manage the Buddy Thunderstruck YouTube channel.
Buddy Thunderstruck, which premiered March 10 as a Netflix Original Series, features stop-motion animation from Emmy Award-winning Stoopid Buddy Stoodios. The official YouTube channel will showcase compilations of quotable clips from the show, such as fan-favorites “Fart Nugget!” and “Blame it on the Thunder!” as well as original music videos including “So Pumped” and “Super Cute Boy.”
The channel, launched on the heels of the Netflix premiere, features highlights from the 12-episode first season starring semi-truck racing dog, Buddy Thunderstruck, and his albino ferret best friend and trusted mechanic, Darnell Fetzervalve.
The content will be produced by Diagonal View in partnership with kid’s entertainment specialist CAKE through their joint venture, Popcorn Digital. The YouTube channel will grow the digital brand presence of the show, offering audiences access to new, exclusive content, while amplifying the social conversation among fans.
Nick Jr. Picks Up Genius Brands’ Rainbow Rangers
Genius Brands has licensed exclusive U.S. and Caribbean Basin broadcast rights for season one of Rainbow Rangers to Nickelodeon. Currently in development, the mission-based action adventure series is expected to air on Nickelodeon’s preschool channel, Nick Jr. The deal follows Genius Brands’ recent announcement of the appointment of Fisher-Price as global master toy partner for the brand.
Spotlight Licensing to Manage Imperial War Museums in North America
Spotlight Licensing and Brand Management has been tapped to manage the North American licensing program for Britain’s Imperial War Museums (IWM).
IWM comprises a family of five museums dedicated to helping current and future generations understand the causes, course and consequences of war by sharing the personal stories of people who have served or lived through war and conflict. IWM’s extensive collection—including more than 12 million items (e.g. artworks, films, photographs, posters, sound recordings, maps, etc.) —spans the history of modern war and wartime experiences from the First World War, when the museum was established, up to the present day.
Since IWM receives only 40 percent of its funding from the government, licensing also helps provide revenue needed to sustain IWM’s exhibitions and programs and keep IWM operating as an educational and cultural resource with free access to museums in London and Manchester.
IM Global Television, MarVista Entertainment to Bring King Kong to TV
MarVista Entertainment has partnered with IM Global Television, a joint venture between independent studio IM Global, Chinese digital giant Tencent and Tang Media Partners, to develop, co-produce, and co-finance the tale of King Kong for television.
Based on DeVito ArtWorks’ Skull Island property and Merian C. Cooper’s King Kong, King Kong Skull Island is a comprehensive King Kong Universe exclusively endorsed by Kong’s creator. The series is a serialized, contemporary continuation of the classic with a female-led, multi-cultural ensemble that delves fully into the wonders and horrors of Skull Island and its origins. Academy Award nominees Jonathan Penner and Stacy Title (The Bye Bye Man) are on board as writers/executive producers. Dannie Festa (Trolls) of World Builder Entertainment will executive produce.
Penner and Title are repped by Dannie Festa, Paradigm and lawyer Andy Galker. DeVito Artworks are repped by Dannie Festa and lawyer Robert Seigel.