Mattel announced the expansion of its global licensing agreement with Disney to span new titles and to design and develop toys inspired by characters from all Pixar Animation Studios’ film properties.
Included in the new agreement are upcoming 2020 movie releases, including Onward, as well as classic titles such as Coco, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., and The Incredibles, among others. Mattel’s licensing rights in North America, Europe, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand include a wide variety of products, such as action figures, miniature and novelty figures, plush and playsets available beginning in May 2020.
This agreement builds on Mattel’s relationship with Disney and Pixar, which includes the success of Toy Story 3 and the Cars franchise, ahead of Toy Story 4, opening June 21, 2019. Toy Story 4 toys began to roll out at retailers worldwide on April 22, and Mattel’s toys inspired by the film have already been recognized.
“Pixar is a legendary animation studio renowned for creating some of the most iconic and diverse sets of characters,” says Janet Hsu, chief franchise management officer of Mattel. “We look forward to bringing these characters to children of all ages so they can create their own adventures and stories through play. This relationship is the latest example of Mattel’s commitment to collaborate with globally-recognized franchises as part of our transformation into an IP-driven, high-performing toy company.”
“Whether under the sea, in the clouds, on the racetrack or in deep space, we’re thrilled to bring Pixar’s innovative creativity to life through new interactive play experiences with Mattel,” says Josh Silverman, executive vice-president, global product commercialization for Disney Parks, Experiences and Products. “These new lines of toys and products will celebrate Mattel’s commitment to imagination and extend Pixar’s iconic characters and stories in unique ways.”